The day after the University of Missouri Faculty Council approved a resolution seeking student input on a defined set of rules for which groups are allowed to participate in the school’s annual Homecoming Parade, the student group Mizzou Students for Justice in Palestine posted a list of demands sent to MU President Mun Choi and other MU administrators outlining the organization’s frustrations stemming from Choi’s decision to bar MSJP from participating in this year’s parade.
The letter includes support from a coalition of student organizations including the Legion of Black Collegians, Progressive Jews of Mizzou, the MU chapter of the Young Democratic Socialists of America and the Muslim Student Organization.
MSJP makes the following requests in its Instagram post :
1. A public apology acknowledging the university’s wrongdoing in excluding MSJP from the Homecoming parade and perpetuating harmful rhetoric about our organization.
2. Classify anti-Palestinian rhetoric as xenophobic and racist, ensuring that such hate speech is addressed with the same seriousness as other forms of discrimination.
3. A guarantee that MSJP will have a platform amongst other participants at next year’s Homecoming parade, without fear of exclusion or censorship.
4. Proactive measures to address racism and discrimination on campus, ensuring that all students, including Palestinian and pro-Palestinian students, feel safe and supported.
5. Consistency in policy enforcement, so that all students and organizations are held to the same standard, without selective targeting of groups based on political views or backgrounds.
The post includes a screenshot of an e-mail from Choi which says, “I stand by the decisions that were made to ensure the safety of our campus… But I will not respond to demands.”
The Faculty Council voted unanimously at its Thursday meeting to provide the MU Alumni Association and Choi with a resolution to amend the Homecoming Parade participation policy.
The Resolution includes a recommendation that the new policy “be decided by a committee reflective of current and former students.” MSJP Secretary Dina Al Bahhash said her group would be interested in helping create the policy.
“We'd love to help make sure that this situation doesn’t happen again, and no other organization has to feel disrespected,” Al Bahhash said, “This is a very good step that the faculty decided to take.”
Faculty Council Chair Tom Warhover said that he’s optimistic about the administration’s reception to the resolution.
“It's up to them to decide whether or not to create a policy. We’ll be monitoring that and I imagine we’ll have things to say if they decide not to create a policy,” Warhover said.
Choi cited “significant disturbances” from Students for Justice in Palestine organizations on campuses across the country as his reason for denying MSJP the ability to participate in the parade. MSJP is not affiliated with the national SJP organization.
Warhover said that faculty raised concerns after learning that other political floats were allowed to participate in the parade, including floats representing the two major political parties, each accompanied by a police escort.
“There were questions of: “What are the criteria?” “Are we applying criteria evenly?” “And what special considerations need to be made for students,” Warhover said. “As this is a homecoming parade, not a political rally.”
The full resolution from MU Faculty Council reads as follows:
Resolved: That the MU Alumni Association and President Choi adopt a new process by which parade participation is determined that reflects the following principles:
1.) A transparent and public facing policy be implemented prior to the start of Homecoming 2025 registrations (July 1, 2025 per Mizzou Alumni Association website).
2.) The policy on parade participation inclusion be decided by a committee reflective of current and former students
3.) As part of this policy, a clear rubric with set of standards for judging which floats are allowable be developed and shared transparently and publicly
4.) These policies should allow all registered student organizations who wish to apply, a place within the parade space
5.) All decisions regarding non-registered groups be done so in a fair and equitable manner
6.) A policy be developed whereby denied or rescinded groups be allowed to appeal the committee’s decision
7.) All notifications of acceptance or denial be done in writing to the appropriate contact in a timely manner
8.) Once a group is accepted, there should be clear and limited policy establishing grounds for rescinding the initial acceptance.