The tension at Howard University is at an all-time high. The students are currently staging a sit-in to protest the unlivable housing conditions.
The students have complained of rats and insects running wildly and mold infestation inside the dorms. Some students have become ill, while others were forced to stay on the streets because of the housing shortage. This isn’t sitting too well with the student body, and they are questioning why their tuition is so high for such terrible living quarters.
To discuss the housing conditions, the students planned to meet with the administration on Tuesday. However, according to the students, the school staff failed to attend the meeting located at the Blackburn Student Center. Instead, the students were met with police who attempted to remove the students forcibly. As a result, the students of the Live Movement decided to stage a sit-in at the center. The group is a coalition of HBCU students who advocate for education reform at the schools.
The students have composed a list of demands that they would like met. Among the demands, students request an in-person town hall with the president and administration before the end of the month. Students are also demanding the reinstatement of all affiliate trustee positions on The Board of Trustees with voting power. Lastly, the students would like for administration to create a housing plan for incoming classes.
Earlier this week, Cynthia Evers, the university’s Vice President, responded to the students. Evers denied the allegations and said the mold was not widespread. She adds that the school isn’t experiencing a housing shortage despite the numerous complaints. Evers also responded to the town hall allegations saying the meeting did, in fact, happen, but “the truth is you did not like the honest answers that you received when we met.”
Nevertheless, the students are still protesting until their needs are met. In more recent news, students have contacted us to provide proof of the horrid conditions. And one student at the university says that the school has recently turned off the wifi, so the students no longer have access to the internet.
