The president of the University of Missouri system announced Monday he is resigning amid fierce criticism of his handling of race.

President Tim Wolfe said his resignation is effective immediately.

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“It’s the right thing to do,” Wolfe said.

The move came during a special meeting of the Board of Curators, the university system’s nine-person governing body.

Black student groups and activists have been protesting for more than two months about a spate of racist incidents on campus.

The debate about race drew national attention over the weekend after the football team announced it would go on strike until Wolfe stepped down or was fired.

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