Mizzou President Defends Cutting Multicultural Group Funding Over DOJ Concerns
University of Missouri President Mun Choi says he cut funding to six multicultural student groups to avoid federal investigations, sparking student protests.
COLUMBIA, MISSOURI — University of Missouri System President Mun Choi took responsibility for cutting funding to several multicultural student organizations, explaining to faculty members that the decision was made to protect the institution from potential federal investigations.
“It wasn’t an easy decision, but I decided that I needed to protect the institution, so that’s the decision that I made,” Choi said during a Wednesday faculty meeting.
On April 3, university administration informed student organization leaders that all multicultural umbrella associations would lose direct funding from the University of Missouri’s Division of Student Affairs. The affected groups will be reclassified as Registered Student Organizations starting in July.
Six Organizations Lose Direct Funding
The funding cuts impact The Legion of Black Collegians, Association of Latin American Students, Asian American Association, Queer Liberation Front, Four Front, and Filling in the Space. The Legion of Black Collegians also lost its student government status.
Choi cited a July 2025 Department of Justice memo requiring universities to follow Title VI, Title IX, and the 14th Amendment to receive federal funding. He said an internal investigation revealed previous Mizzou funding practices did not comply with these policies.
“In discussing with our team, including our general counsel’s office, our initial review indicated that we are not in compliance with Title VI because we’re providing specific benefits to certain groups based on demographics,” Choi said.
Federal Investigation Concerns
The president referenced DOJ investigations into Columbia University and the University of California System over alleged Title VI violations. He noted Columbia lost $400 million in funding following an investigation.
Students responded to the funding cuts by organizing a town hall meeting on April 6 to voice concerns about the decision. Allen Auditorium in the Arts & Science building reached capacity, while over 400 people watched the livestream on Instagram.
New Funding Structure Limits
Under the new system, organizations reclassified as Registered Student Organizations will receive funding through requests to the Organization Resource Group. These groups face a single event cap of $1,500 and a yearly cap of $3,000, though Choi indicated the cap could potentially be raised.
The funding changes are part of a broader update to the Division of Student Affairs’ student organization classification system. Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Angela King Taylor provided additional details during the town hall meeting, according to audio recordings shared at the event.
The reclassification will take effect in July, requiring affected organizations to adapt to the new funding structure and application process through the Organization Resource Group.
