COLUMBIA, Mo. — As COVID-19 cases have been increasing in Boone County — where the University of Missouri-Columbia is located — Mizzou students are voicing their criticism over the college's response to the pandemic.
Some said there was no running water in the bathrooms, while others complained they weren't getting meals while in quarantine.
Last week, several students said they shared those concerns online, only to be blocked by the school's chancellor on Twitter.
"I feel like if you come to them as a concerned student with a specific issue, especially during a pandemic when no one knows what's going on right now, the best response would be to respond to the tweet," said Cannon Summers, a junior at Mizzou.
Summers said he was on his way to class last week when he was left high and dry in the men's bathroom. He said none of the sinks had running water.
"There's soap all over my hands. And there's a sticker on the mirror about how Tigers wash their paws," Summers explained.
He recorded a short video and tagged the University of Missouri System President and Columbia Chancellor Mun Choi.
"I was like, 'How am I supposed to follow these guidelines you set forth if none of the things seem to work?'" said Summers.
The vice president of student life did respond.
But Summers was surprised to see Chancellor Choi had blocked his Twitter account.
"I was blocked and there were at least a dozen other people who ended up being blocked. And it was for tweeting about him, not even tweeting at him," said Summers.
Some of those other students were complaining about quarantine meals on campus
"I've seen one post where it was just broccoli with two pieces of ravioli with it," said Summers.
He said students who complained about quarantine housing also were blocked.
Christian Basi, a spokesperson for Mizzou, explained why Chancellor Choi blocked certain students.
"He has become a target for many individuals to send tweets or directly to tweet at him or about him using derogatory or profane and abusive language," said Basi.
Basi provided 5 On Your Side with some of those abusive tweets. They include profane language and calls for Choi to step down.
Basi also said the chancellor has never blocked a student for "providing concerns to the university".
So, why did Choi block Summers, who was complaining about not having water?
"I can't go into specifics on a particular individual," Basi said. He later added that there may have been other tweets from Summer's account that were offensive.
The students weren't blocked for long. After one alumnus threatened to file a lawsuit against the school, Chancellor Choi unblocked the students.
Now, Basi said Mizzou's focus is on addressing specific and respectful student concerns.
"We are working to fix the problems. We have welcomed the feedback that has been specific. Feed back that helps us move forward," said Basi.
You can read the full statement from Mizzou below.
On the criticism about COVID housing:
The moment we were made aware of the situation, we began to reach out to the students and address the initial problems right away. We also looked into our process and procedures and were able to make some adjustments so this would not happen again. For example, based on the feedback/concerns we received, we uncovered a communication issue that was contributing to a delay in delivering food to students who were either quarantined or isolated.
Since early last week, we have not received any further complaints nor concerns from students who are in housing about this issue. Each student has been assigned a personal, single direct contact (a member of the university’s CARE team) so they have someone they can contact immediately should anything else be an issue while they are in this housing.
On the blocking/unblocking of certain Twitter accounts:
President Choi has had a personal Twitter account since 2017 and rarely uses it (the was recent tweet being posted on August 6th). Many of the individuals blocked from his personal account were sending abusive comments, as well as expletive-filled posts (see the attached examples).
The president decided to reverse his actions because the university does not need the distraction caused by this matter. His primary focus is to create a safer and more supportive university for the 30,000 students and 8,000 faculty & staff during the pandemic. However, it is his hope that the tone of some of the conversations on social media can become more respectful. One of Mizzou’s key values is Respect, and he believes that it is incumbent upon all of us to engage in respectful conversation or debate, even on social media.
President Choi has never blocked a student for providing concerns to the university. He regularly responds personally to students, faculty, staff, alumni and supporters who have concerns with the university. Additionally, he takes all feedback seriously and looks for ways to move the university forward based on that feedback.