Missouri State University President Dr. Richard "Biff" Williams

A handful of students stood outside Carrington Hall, which houses university administration, Monday afternoon holding signs of protest.

The MSU Board of Governors announced their unanimous decision Friday afternoon after holding their fourth closed meeting.

The vote is in response to a lawsuit filed earlier this month by employees of Utah Tech.

The special meetings follow the filing of a lawsuit by three Utah Tech employees, which names Missouri State University President Dr. Biff Williams as a defendant.

Senate Bill 340, passed in 1995, established MSU as the only Missouri institution with a statewide mission in public affairs.

President Biff Williams is named as a defendant in a lawsuit filed by three employees of Utah Tech, which he led before coming to Springfield.

The lawsuit, filed by Utah Tech's top attorney, second-in-command attorney and Title IX coordinator, alleges the three faced harassment and retaliation.

The incidents are similar to others targeting Black college and high school students across the U.S. following Tuesday's election.

MSU is asking students, faculty staff, community leaders and more to get involved in the process.

Williams has been on the job since early July and succeeded Clif Smart as president.