Bethune- Cookman students peacefully protest despite university crisis.
Photo submitted by Alashundrea Cashe.
Bethune-Cookman University students have been protesting on campus for the past few weeks to have their voices heard.
Today, however, the campus mood at B-CU has died down as the university’s Board of Trustees come to a decision on whether or not B-CU will be keep its accreditation and move forward as a university.
In mid October, B-CU trustee and retired judge, Belvin Perry, sent a letter informing students of several lawsuits, financial losses and a threat to the university’s accreditation. The letter also exposed infighting between university leaders.
In reference to the university’s founder, the esteemed Mary McLeod Bethune, students started the #HailMary movement in efforts to bring awareness of the university’s issues.
Alashundrea Cashe, a junior political science major at B-CU, says the mood on campus has changed since the start of the #HailMary movement.
“The mood on campus has died down but if something else comes up we are ready to get back out there and continue our protest. Right now, everything is in the hands of the Board of Trustees,” said Cashe.
Cashe is an involved student at B-CU who helped assist students in the rally for change.
“We cannot and will not allow this school to go down in vain, for the sake of Mary and all the hard work that was put into this university,” Cashe said.
Students at Florida A&M University also took to social media to voice their concerns about the unfortunate events taking place at B-CU. FAMU students tweeted #FAMUstandswithBCU in efforts to create HBCU unity.
FAMU transfer student Stevenson Choute, Jr., expressed his concerns for B-CU.
“As a transfer student from Bethune, it is sad and unfair that those students have to go through this. When I attended Bethune, of course there were problems, but no one really knew about any of it. Today, this situation has affected the campus and overall student body,” Choute said.
Choute transferred from B-CU to FAMU during his sophomore year.
“I feel for the students at B-CU. No student would want to hear that their tuition money is being misused,” Choute added. “I hope they are able to come together as a university for the sake of the students.”
Today students at B-CU have gone back to their regular schedules in hopes that the university will resolve the issues.
Alaya Davis, current junior elementary education student at B-CU feels the #HailMary movement brought students closer together as they found comfort in each other.
“Things on campus have deescalated a lot. No one really talks about it, the news does not come by our school anymore and we haven’t gotten any emails about the situation since everything was at its peak,” Davis said.