To Whom It May Concern:
The Honors Program has been a major part of our university for quite some time. In the Honors Program, there are different classes ranging from Social Sciences and Math, to harder sciences like Organic Chemistry. The Honors Program offers students a unique alternative to the regular classroom. Students in an honors class surround themselves with students that are there for the same reasons, and they become a close-knit group. Honors students explore new, more advanced, topics.
There are a lot of professors at the University that have a difficult time transferring their knowledge to the students. This occurs mostly in the STEM areas which are Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, though it is apparently a campus-wide issue. This is primarily because of language barriers, although some of it has to do with teaching style.
The motto at Florida A&M is “Excellence with Caring,” but the caring portion seems to have fallen by the wayside. An example of this negligence occurred when a group of students e-mailed Dr. Ngozi Ugochukwu, the Chair of the Department of Chemistry about an Organic chemistry professor. She never responded. After many failed attempts at contacting her through other e-mails, phone calls and office visits, the students simply gave up on her and moved up the chain of command by contacting the Deans at the College of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Ralph Turner, dean, and Dr. Henry Williams, assistant dean, were approached by two students regarding the group’s predicament.
During the meeting, Turner expressed that he was very limited in the actions he could take to handle the situation and did nothing about it. As he explained that he couldn’t help the students, he stated that he would attempt to do everything within his power because the College has a reputation to uphold. However, it appeared to the students that he would help because his reputation demanded it, rather than because he felt the students deserved the best education.
In order to receive a great education at this prestigious university, we require the most proficient professors, accompanied by a supportive administration. We understand that we, as the students, are responsible for the majority of our education, but we cannot attain our objectives without the proper framework established by our instructors. We need our spectacular professors back!
Sincerely,
Distressed and Disquieted Students at FAMU