It’s Getting Hot in Here

It is a SWELTERING hot day in late August, and I’m sitting on the yard.  I just moved into my even HOTTER room in Frazier Hall.  One of my best friends is sitting beside me, talking and laughing.  We chat until a speaker steps up to the podium and a hush falls over the crowd. 

I’m here at Howard, it finally hits me.  The school I so dreamed about, I’m here and about to engage in my first rite of passage “The Pinning Ceremony.” 

But before we get that lovely free enameled pin that costs like $17 in the bookstore someone tells us “look to your left, look to your right, one of these people will not be at graduation with you.” 

In my mind the record stops and I’m thinking “(expletive) just got real!”  So time passes and by the end of freshman year my bestie who was sitting directly to my left isn’t here anymore.  I’ve had lots of friends just seemingly drop off the Howard radar. 

My beloved class of 2010 has thinned out and unfortunately I have a feeling we still aren’t done yet.  Why is retention rate so low?  I’ve heard “I didn’t get housing.” , “I can’t afford it”,

“Howard took my financial aid away”, or even “I hate it here.” 
When did it become ok for an estimated 31% of every graduating class to just disappear? 

Making us aware that 1/3 of our graduating class is just going to disappear is perpetuating a self fulfilling prophecy of failure.  The mere fact that so many students leave Howard shouldn’t be paraded, It should be shunned!  It should be swept under the big rug of Howard Secrets only privy to students and faculty. 

The fact of the matter is we have to treat and retain our students better, if we want active alumni who write checks and leave donor scholarships. 

Twenty years from now after we’ve been made “true and leal and strong, not to mention ever bold to battle wrong” will we look back on H oward University and remember: dorms without hot water in the dead of winter?,

Not getting a refund ch eck for a month?, Having THE scare (no not that scare), the “Will I graduate on time” scare?, because you have been given the runaround  for overrides, your scheme, and summer school verification form. 

How you saw your friend get purged, or registered for housing and it vanished or didn’t load at all. 

Or will you look back at your experience and fondly remember: The first probate you went to?,

Getting excited because you saw the president actually on campus?, Singing the black national anthem at the Howard-Hampton game?, going to the diner late at night with your closest friends?, Doing a dorm call because you were too hype for Resfest freshman year?
We need students who will smile when they hear the word Howard mentioned and we need alumni to hurriedly grab their checkbooks for the same reason.
 

Amber N. Mayes, junior economics major
 

2 comments

Kimm Sydnor

Mon Jul 6 2009 15:52

So very sorry Amber, this alumni's checkbook is closed tighter than a pair of Beyonce's jeans. Today was the first time since graduating twenty five years ago, I have visited HU. The purpose of my trip was to submit request for official transcripts as I am exploring doctorate programs. Some things do not change. In the Admin. Building, the Transcript individual "Ms M" was cold, condescending, rude and the most indifferent individual I have ever encountered. I committed a cardinal sin and requested (after paying for official copy) an unofficial or xeroxed copy of the official transcript. This information was readily provided by another university previously so I thought the request was not unreasonable. Wow, you would have thought I asked her for a kidney. Just plain rude. Rudeness not because she would not xerox this one page of information but rude because her superior attitude and frown was more than I wanted to endure.

So some things never change, except you are paying mega tuition and still undergoing the same issues we did twenty five years ago. This is frankly unacceptable at this point. Problems are discussed to be solved and not nursed along for years without any impactful change. You have my deepest sympathy. My intent is to move on. pray my transcripts actually are sent, leave this awful experience behind and of course clamping my time and checkbook closed. And absolutely, looking at other doctorate programs. Not everything about Howard was bad. However, it is sad the same issues are still rooted and prevalent despite the well intentioned efforts of a few.

Former Alumni

Talisha J.

Mon Jul 6 2009 00:54

As an incoming freshman for the Fall of '09, I smile when I hear Howard mentioned. I hope to retain that same feeling throughout my college career, despite all of the not so great things mentioned. I am entirely hopeful, not naive about the challenges I will face.

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