HBCU News
Howard University’s new financial crisis affecting students’ financial aid
Department of Education has downgraded school’s ability to borrow money
12:07 PMHoward University has joined a new watch list of schools, and it’s not for illustrious reasons. The Department of Education added the prestigious historically black university to the Federal Heightened Cash Monitoring (HCM2) list. The schools on this list are in severe financial trouble. Howard is the most prestigious among them.
What does this mean?
- The school won’t be able to award financial aid to students in advance. Instead, it will have to front the money and seek reimbursement from the federal government.
- More than $31 million will be affected.
It’s only been six months since we’ve heard about Howard’s financial issues and the takeover of the administration building for nine days. A financial aid mismanagement scandal and a bunch of Tyrone Hankerson memes and Apple Music playlist rocked the Howard community for weeks.
This latest news about the university has yet to reach most of the students. Some, like junior transfer student Amber Tucker, were totally shocked.
“I’m just now hearing about this! This is ridiculous,” she said.
Others were exasperated.
“It is very embarrassing to know that Howard University, a prestigious school, is placed on a list with hair salons in Kentucky for misappropriating funds. It sounds like the university needed to submit documentation to keep us off the list, and they didn’t care to be prompt in their doing so. Over $31 million is being held because Howard and the president basically did not care about the school and the students,” said senior accounting major Zaneika McNeil.
Howard’s student association president Amos Jackson was disappointed by the news but does not want it to obscure the school’s successes and excellence.
“I am disappointed to see our name on the list. However, I believe this will encourage our institution, even more, to hold ourselves accountable to be able to carry out our mission as an institution. I hope The Washington Post and other news outlets cover the continued success of Howard University as they do for our struggles,” said Jackson.
University president Wayne A.I. Frederick responded by highlighting the university’s efforts to increase accountability. In a letter to the school community, he said, in part:
“Over the past year, Howard University has made significant reforms as well as strengthened both the oversight and accountability within the Office of Financial Aid. The University will continue to partner with Financial Aid Services, and work closely with the Department of Education to ensure Howard students receive best in class service in the administration of Financial Aid. It is important to note that we are taking all necessary measures to avoid any adverse impact on students in the processing of aid and receipt of funds. The entire cabinet and I remain focused on ensuring Howard’s future remains bright and the institution is led with transparency and accountability.”
Kanye West needs to apologize for 20 other things
Taylor Swift, Yeezys, Polos and more
5:08 PMOn Wednesday, hip-hop artist Kanye West appeared on his hometown of Chicago’s WGCI 107.5 FM radio station to set the record straight on a few controversial comments he has made since the spring.
To quickly jog your memory, in the lead-up to a five-albums-in-five-weeks musical rollout, West hopped on Twitter (and appeared on TMZ) to pledge his support for President Donald Trump, downplay chattel slavery as a “choice” and promote problematic conservative “free thinkers.” While on WGCI, West apologized for the slavery comment (blaming it on the “white man’s tongue”), and the “MAGA hats,” and further explained his support for the beleaguered president (“I feel that he cares about the way black people feel about him, and he would like for black people to like him like they did when he was cool in the rap songs”).
And while West appeared sincere in his contrition (using his “white” voice and at one point breaking down and crying), the MAGA slip-ups were just part of a long list of transgressions the “Louis Vuitton Don” needs to atone for. Below are a list of apologies I am still waiting on:
- Siccing Taylor Swift on us all
- Making Yeezys a thing
- Yeezus (I actually don’t mind the album, but it’s the popular internet opinion to have)
- Bleach and T-shirts
- Live-action The Jetsons movie
- Popped polo collars
- Making Kim Kardashian look like Angela Davis by comparison
- Jacking T-Pain’s entire style and then dissing him about it
- Making people think “cray” on “N—-as in Paris” was about London’s Kray Twins
- Ruining any possibility of a Watch the Throne sequel
- Confusing Mehki Phifer and Omar Epps on “Don’t Like”
- Muttering Michelle Obama’s name
- Leather jogging pants
- Bragging that Tyga “got in early”
- Shutter shades
- Ruining what “Ph.D.” stands for
- ” ‘Black Skinhead’ remix featuring Miley Cyrus”
- Cyhi the Prynce
- Forcing us to defend him when he speaks about racism in the fashion industry
- Candace Owens
HBCU Football
Put some respect on the names of N.C. A&T and Prairie View A&M
Aggies beat Jacksonville State, Panthers lose on last-second field goal on opening weekend of college football
3:34 AMNorth Carolina A&T proved that with a new coach but the same toughness, it can compete with the likes of an FBS team like Jacksonville State. The Aggies played an impressive game Aug. 25 in the Guardian Credit Union FCS Kickoff Classic, beating Jacksonville State 20-17.
The Aggies’ offense and defense played well enough the entire game to win, with quarterback Lamar Raynard throwing two touchdown passes on 12-of-34 passing, while the defense forced four turnovers.
Raynard, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) offensive MVP last season, hit Zachary Leslie for a 24-yard score in the first quarter, Elijah Bell scored from four yards in the third and Malik Wilson returned a kickoff 98 yards for a third-quarter touchdown. The 2017 Celebration Bowl champs sealed the game on a forced fumble with 17 seconds remaining.
The victory gave N.C. A&T its third consecutive season-opening win against an FBS opponent, and the first for Sam Washington as head coach. Washington replaced Rod Broadway after last season’s Celebration Bowl victory.
What. A. Game! Aggies come through multiple times in the clutch to take the 2018 Guardian Credit Union #FCS Kickoff 20-17! #AggiesAllIn #AggiesDO pic.twitter.com/gB3uMdhdAJ
— North Carolina A&T (@ncatsuaggies) August 26, 2018
Prairie View, playing at Rice Stadium, battled the home team until the very end, losing on a game-ending field goal as time expired. Prairie View fell behind early in the game, but came back to take a 21-19 lead at halftime. At one point, the Panthers led by nine points after scoring 21 unanswered points before Rice forced a tie at 28-28 on a safety.
It looked as if the game was going to go into overtime as the Owls held Prairie View scoreless in the fourth quarter. But Rice escaped with a 31-28 victory, thanks to 23-yard field goal by Jack Fox after a costly Prairie View turnover.
“That’s who we are,” Prairie View coach Eric Dooley said. “I think they settled down [after the first quarter]. The butterflies were gone and they made the adjustments that were needed and started executing. … That turnover hurt us and really changed the momentum of the game.”
Quarterback Jalen Morton, whose fourth-quarter turnover cost the Panthers dearly, had 244 passing yards and three scores. His primary receiver, Tristen Wallace, had five catches for 147 yards and a touchdown.