South Carolina State University Approves Reimbursement Parameters For Trustees

Posted by Vanessa Roberson
Posted on

The Board of Trustees at South Carolina State University work at the highest levels to keep the HBCU going. Now, the university has agreed to pay it forward with new approval regarding reimbursements for the job’s work. Get the full story from Dionne Gleaton at The Times and Democrat below.

Credit: WLTX

S.C. State trustees voted 10-3 last month to begin providing per diem and mileage reimbursements for their service on the board.

Board Chairman Rodney Jenkins said the decision was made with a new, full board in mind.

“It’s just what the state allows. This is nothing new. In 2015 when the temporary board came on, they didn’t utilize the per diem and travel piece. When we came on in 2018, when they went back to the full board, we also didn’t utilize that. We agreed not to take per diem and travel,” he said.

The chairman continued, “Now that we’ve got another board, we put it back on the table so everybody would get an opportunity to make a decision. So we decided that that’s an option for each board member. Each board member doesn’t have to take it. That just depends on the individual. It is an allowable expense for board members of universities.”

Voting in favor of the reimbursements were trustees Starlee Allen, Jameel Allen, Louvetta Dicks, Ronald Friday, Douglass Gantt, William Oden, Donnie Shell, Macie Smith, Daniel Varat and Rodney Jenkins. Voting in opposition were trustees Dr. Doris Helms, Monica Scott and Wilbur Shuler.

The state’s General Appropriations Act provides mileage reimbursements at a rate of 56 cents per mile. Under state law, a per diem allowance for all boards, commissions and committees is also allowed at $35 per day.

Sam Watson, the university’s public information officer, said the trustees would receive the $35 per diem and be paid at the university’s current mileage reimbursement rate of 52.5 cents per mile.

In 2015, the state General Assembly appointed a temporary, seven-member board tasked with restoring the university’s fiscal health. A newly constituted board began serving July 1, 2018.

S.C. State’s trustees had not received any compensation for sitting on the board for at least the past three years as the university continued to recover financially.

The board’s newest members came on in October 2020, and Jenkins said the per diem and mileage reimbursement payments were an allowable option that the board had the right to consider.

“We never did settle that issue, to let them vote on whether they were going to do it or not. We deferred it a couple of times. I wanted to get it off the table, that we would be able to have those board members have an opportunity to vote on whether they wanted have the option to receive it or not, and right now they do,” Jenkins said.

The chairman said the university’s financial outlook is improving.

“Our financial position has changed somewhat. I want to believe to the better. We’re in the black now. We were in the red then (in 2015). Once we got back to what we considered a regular board – the board that has been by statute, which is a 13-member board with the four or five ex-officio members – I thought it was proper that each board had an opportunity to make that decision (on per diem and mileage),” Jenkins said.

Board of Trustees Chairman Rodney C. Jenkins ’73

“That’s why it came back up. They agreed that they would have the opportunity to receive per diem and mileage. Whether each person takes it, it’s an individual piece,” he said.

The chairman continued, “There will be some that will take it, and some won’t take it. It’s not just for board members. Other public servants throughout the state have that option. … So I wouldn’t even want to even try to think about who didn’t take the option to receive the per diem during the time when we were in the red.

“At this point, we’re not in the red, and things are moving in a direction that we want to see things go. So, again, it goes back to each board having the opportunity to make a decision for itself. But that’s not for South Carolina State University only. That’s a statewide thing, that’s a statewide allowable expense. So it’s not isolated to South Carolina State. If people don’t understand that, I want them to understand that.”

Legislators speak

Rep. Jerry Govan, D-Orangeburg, said he has no issue with the university board receiving per diem and mileage reimbursements.

“This is the normal practice for all the state boards and commissions in terms of reimbursement or per diem and travel as long as the amounts are within – and I understand they clearly are – the state guidelines. It’s nothing exorbitant about the amounts being collected. I’m fine with it,” he said.

Govan noted that the S.C. State trustee board needs to be treated “just like any other board.”

“I think what we need to be more focused on is how these individuals are working to bring funds to the university, or write checks in terms of being in support of the institution, or other ways that they can contribute through their contracts and affiliations to help the university. These are the things that I think that we need to focus on,” Govan said.

The legislator added, “I’m not at all upset about them receiving the miniscule amount of travel and per diem, which the state doesn’t pay that much anyway. So I think we need to focus on the bigger picture in terms of recruitment of students and trying to build the enrollment back to where it needs to be for the school to be successful and ensure we have the leadership in place that can get that done.”

Govan said the board has been “doing what it’s supposed to do.”

“I think they’ve been transparent, and I think it’s important that we as a community get behind the institution and try to move it forward because it plays a vital role and link in the economic development of Orangeburg,” he said.

Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, D-Orangeburg, said “Members of boards and commissions are allowed to receive per diem for attending meetings. It speaks volumes that the old board had chosen not to receive compensation because of fiscal constraints.

“I assume because the university is now on sound financial footing that the current board no longer has that concern.”

Sen. Vernon Stephens, D-Bowman said, “South Carolina State University has had some turbulent financial situations. There appears to be some stability coming back to the university as far as finances is concerned.”

Stephens said he has no problem with the board receiving per diem and mileage reimbursements for attending meetings.

“With their strategic plan to get the institution well academically and financially, it’s going to involve board members being at the institutions and meetings whether or not it’s strategic planning, or whether or not it’s simple board meetings. … When you’re traveling the distance, I think there should some type of compensation for that. With the many meetings, there should be some stipends,” he said.

“There are some institutions in the state that never actually stopped giving their board or commission members stipends. So I think it’s time that they do receive this. I’m of the opinion that there may be a number of them that opt not to take it. I say thank you to them, as well as the board members who will be receiving it. I believe there is a sense of how we need to do this right and get it right, and I think that is coming,” Stephens said.

Other institutions

Rusty Monhollon, executive director of the S.C. Commission on Higher Education, said “I know it’s permitted in state law. We reimburse our commissioners as part of our board. They get both per diem and mileage reimbursement for attending meetings.”

The payment of per diem and mileage reimbursement payments varies among other public colleges and universities.

Dr. Walt Tobin, president of Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College, said the OCtech Area Commission receives a $35 meeting stipend and a mileage reimbursement of 56 cents per mile.

Kevin Whitt, chairman of the Denmark Technical College Area Commission, said, “We just don’t do it. We probably could if we asked for it, but that’s just not something we’re interested in pursuing at the moment.”

John Sweeney, vice president of communications at Francis Marion University, said trustees receive a $35 per diem and mileage reimbursements at a rate of 56 cents per mile.

“About half of the board does not accept the mileage or the per diem. They decline it as part of their service to the board,” Sweeney said.

Lander University trustees receive a $35 per diem and mileage reimbursements at 52 cents per mile.

Nikasha N. Dicks, director of marketing and public relations at Aiken Technical College, said the college’s commission members do not receive per diem payments, but are reimbursed at a rate of 56 cents per mile for travel.

Kimberly Faust, secretary to the board of trustees at Winthrop University, said trustees have decided not request mileage and per diem reimbursement while on board business for at least 18 years.

“Winthrop does provide a room at a local hotel if the trustees have to stay overnight, and we provide a meal if they are on campus all day, but we do not reimburse any travel or food for them,” Faust said.

Commission members at Midlands Technical College and Trident Technical College both receive a $35 per diem payment and are reimbursed at 56 cents per mile for travel on board business.

Clark Atlanta University Cancels Student Balances For Spring 2020 – Summer 2021

Posted by Vanessa Roberson
Posted on

Clark Atlanta University is yet the latest HBCU to erase student debt! Yet this time around, things are just a little different. Many schools have cleared debt for the pandemic, but very few have included so many semesters in the cancellation! Learn more about the great news in the release from Clark Atlanta below.

Credit: Clark Atlanta University

Clark Atlanta University President Dr. George T. French, Jr. announced today that student account balances for Spring 2020 – Summer 2021 will be canceled and cleared. The university is canceling all student account balances for the Spring 2020, Summer 2020, Fall 2020, Spring 2021, and Summer 2021 semesters by bringing them to a zero balance. 

This initiative will have no impact on the students’ future financial aid eligibility because of this one-time outstanding balance cancellation. 

The university’s ability to provide this crucial relief to students is just a part of the “Momentum” CAU has experienced in the last 16 months. Throughout this unprecedented period, a substantial amount of support has been received from the federal government under the CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF). These funds have enabled CAU to support students in many ways: • Provided emergency financial aid dollars 
• Refunded a pro-rated amount of housing and meal charges for Spring 2020 
• Discounted tuition and fees for the entire 2020-2021 academic year 
• Purchased 4,000 laptops from Dell Computers for every financially enrolled student 
• Purchased hotspots to give students with limited or no internet access in their homes 

“We understand these past two academic years have been emotionally and financially difficult on students and their families due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That is why we will continue to do all we can to support their efforts to complete their CAU education,” said President French. “Their academic and professional future is important to me and the entire Clark Atlanta University family. We care about students and want to lighten their individual and family’s financial load so they can continue their journey in pursuing and attaining their educational and professional goals.” 

Keisha Lance Bottoms Joins Clark Atlanta University-Based HBCU Leadership Institute

Posted by Vanessa Roberson
Posted on

Florida A&M University graduate Keisha Lance Bottoms will be heading back to an HBCU after signing on to be a fellow at a new institute. Learn what Bottoms will be doing at Clark Atlanta University in the article below from Eric Stirgus and Wilborn P. Nobles III at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution below.

Credit: Alyssa Pointer

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms is going back to school.

Bottoms, whose mayoral term ends in January, will be the first honorary fellow of a new effort to train people for careers as leaders of historically Black colleges and universities. The HBCU Executive Leadership Institute will be based at Clark Atlanta University, the state’s largest, private HBCU.

The mayor’s role will include speaking to the first cohort of fellows. The institute is funded in large part by the Chan Zuckerberg Foundation, which contributed $1 million toward the effort.

“For more than 150 years, HBCUs have not only played an important role in American higher education, but also in building stronger communities and world-class leaders in every sector of society,” Bottoms said in a statement. “As a proud graduate of Florida A&M University, I am excited to accept this honorary fellowship and support HBCU ELI’s efforts to ensure this legacy continues.”

Clark Atlanta’s president, George T. French Jr., also cited the mayor’s HBCU roots as one of several reasons he believes she’s well-suited for this role.

“Mayor Bottoms is experienced, intelligent, and has a strong commitment to the next generation of women leaders,” he said. “As an alumna of Florida A&M University, she continues to remind us that HBCUs can indeed create leaders who help solve society’s most pressing challenges, even in the face of crisis.”

Bottoms announced in May that she does not plan to seek reelection this year.

When asked at the time if there is a job for her that’s better than mayor of Atlanta, she said “if there is, I don’t know it … and that is scary.”

Credit: Steve Schaefer

Bottoms said in May that she doesn’t know what the future holds for her, but she joked that she was not planning to become an executive at Walgreens, which is led by her friend Roz Brewer.

There are nine accredited HBCUs in Georgia and about 100 nationwide. The average tenure of a HBCU president is about three years, about half the time span of all U.S. colleges and universities. Those involved in creating the institute hope to train people who can lead for more years. HBCUs educate about one-half of the nation’s Black lawyers, 40% of Black engineers and 70% of Black doctors and dentists.

There are 26 people in the first class of fellows. The first virtual seminar was held in June and another is scheduled for early September.

The Jackson State University Tigers Welcome A New Football Truck

Posted by Vanessa Roberson
Posted on

Football at Jackson State University started off this season with a bang, and hasn’t let up since! Deion Sanders has been bringing attention to the program as a coach, Sports Emmy winner, All-American, Pro Bowler and Hall-of-Famer. “Coach Prime” has even recruited at least two 4-star top football recruits, in addition to his own son, to fortify the team. And now, there will be something on wheels to back up the team as well. As of this week, Jackson State University got a shiny new football truck that is decked out in JSU blue and will transport football equipment. Even JSU’s new President Thomas K. Hudson came out for the special occasion. Get the exciting story from the JSU release by Alonda Thomas below!

Jackson State University President Thomas K. Hudson and Vice President and Director of Athletics Ashley Robinson helped to unveil the football team’s new 18-wheeler that will be used to transport equipment and gear to away games.

On Thursday, KLLM Transport Services hosted the 2021 Football Trucks Unveiling Event, which for the first time included a Jackson State University-themed truck. The 18-wheeler proudly features JSU football program greats through the years, including W.C. Gorden, Jackie Slater, Robert Brazile, Lem Barney, Walter Payton and Coach Deion Sanders.

During the event, Athletics Director Ashley Robinson participated in a live remote interview with SuperTalk Mississippi’s statewide radio show, “Sports Talk Mississippi.” He shared that the truck will be used to transport Jackson State’s football equipment and gear to away games. The truck will also be on display at home games for all the local fans to view. KLLM Transport Services is funding the initiative, which will include two drivers for the season.

Behind the steering wheel, Hudson inspects the interior with Robinson. The truck will be on display during home games.

“I’d like to thank KLLM Transport Services for including Jackson State University on their roster of top universities to participate in this program,” said Robinson. “Our fans will be thrilled to see the JSU Truck crisscrossing the country this season. The imagery truly reflects our program’s motto, ‘Building On Tradition, Blazing New Trails,’ and we thank KLLM for blazing this trail with us.”

Season tickets for fall football season are now on sale at the Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium ticket office or online through TicketMaster. For more information, visit www.GoJSUTigers.com.

A Dillard University Chef Is Bringing Plant-Based New Orleans Cuisine To Campus

Posted by Vanessa Roberson
Posted on

Atlanta is known to have a booming vegan scene with famed eateries like the Slutty Vegan, but what about the rest of the south? Well Chef Dennis Dunn holds his own at Dillard University, making sure students get a taste of that good New Orleans flavor. Get the full story from Tara Fitzpatrick at Food Management below.

Executive Chef Dennis Dunn

Sodexo Chef Dennis Dunn makes it easy for Dillard U students to go plant-forward and still experience the flavor of the Big Easy.

Think fast: Is it tough to imagine the etouffees, gumbo, omelets and appetizers of New Orleans-style brunch, snacks, dinner and parties without animal-based products? It doesn’t have to be. Sodexo Chef Dennis Dunn is serving Dillard University students real-deal Cajun and Creole cooking while offering tons of plant-forward vegan and vegetarian options.

There are lot of misconceptions about Southern food in general, especially stereotypes that paint the cuisine as high in fat and bad for you, says Dunn, who grew up in Norwood, La., a small town in East Feliciana Parish about 35 miles north of Baton Rouge.

“It is way misunderstood,” he says, explaining that the flavor secrets to New Orleans cuisine lie in the seasonings and the cooking methods, not in animal proteins.

In order to create plant-based versions of the classic, “the method is the same,” Dunn says. “Let’s say for a chicken and sausage jambalaya, with mushrooms you can get the same flavor. And with a mouthful of gumbo, you’re not thinking ‘where’s the chicken?’ It’s actually yellow squash and zucchini. It’s all in how you prepare it.”

Dunn makes a veggie stock with peels, cores and other kitchen scraps, simmering it for hours as it bubbles into an easy way to flavor up plant-forward dishes (and fight food waste in the process).

Check out how he’s made going plant-based very easy for students in the Big Easy.

Judge Who Lead Desegregation Case Involving 5 NC HBCUs To Retire

Posted by Vanessa Roberson
Posted on

It’s hardly surprising, but years ago several public colleges and universities, including HBCUs, were almost hindered from receiving state funds. In fact, it was the Civil Rights Act of 1964, in addition to a determined David S. Tatel helped these schools get the funding they needed! Get the full story from Ferrel Guillory at EdNC below.

Credit: Wikimedia Commons

David S. Tatel has decided to retire as a full-time judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. A recent story on Tatel in The Washington Post focused on his influential judicial career but did not mention, as I remember, his central role in a major higher education desegregation case that resulted in strengthening North Carolina’s five historically Black public universities.

During the 1977-78 period when I was Washington correspondent for The News & Observer, Tatel served as director of the Office of Civil Rights in what was then the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare. Retinal disease left him blind, but did not deprive him of insight and initiative. He struck me as a diligent, thoughtful public official, even if reticent to disclose details during difficult negotiations with President William Friday and his chief aides in the University of North Carolina system.

“In nearly three decades on the appeals court in Washington,” the Post wrote, “Tatel’s lack of eyesight has never defined him. But his blindness — and more recently the attentive German shepherd at his side — is now woven into the culture of the courthouse where Tatel has been at the epicenter of consequential cases affecting major aspects of American life.”

The Post story simply said Tatel “revived” the HEW civil rights division. There, he became enmeshed in the Adams case that ordered federal officials to apply the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to public colleges and universities in 10 states — both to bring more Black students and faculty onto predominantly white campuses and to preserve the distinctive role of historically Black institutions.

Judge David Tatel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Photo by Diego Radzinschi/ALM

UNC officialdom argued emphatically that proposed remedies, such as moving curriculum programs to eliminate duplication, would impinge on public universities’ autonomy in academic decision-making. Meanwhile, Black leaders fretted over talk of mergers and over the potential of white institutions creaming away their top student prospects.

In his 1995 book, William Friday: Power, Purpose and American Higher Education, historian William A. Link devoted more than 100 pages to the negotiations that stretched from Richard Nixon’s presidency, through Jimmy Carter’s, and into Ronald Reagan’s. Link described the desegregation issue as the “supreme test of Friday’s university presidency.” And, he wrote, Tatel, a Carter appointee, viewed North Carolina as the “most important” state in the case because of Friday’s stature and because North Carolina “possessed the best public university system in the South.”

In February 1979, Tatel and Assistant Secretary of Education Mary Frances Berry led a team of federal officials on a three-day visit to eight North Carolina public universities, including the five historically Black campuses. Here is how Link summarized their findings:

“Tatel described the ‘reality of it’ as ‘overwhelming.’ At (NC) Central they toured a physical education building with dank classrooms and a leaky roof; the swimming pool in the gymnasium was considered too unclean to swim in. At Fayetteville, one faculty member told Tatel that if he wanted his students to conduct serious science experiments, he sent them to local high schools where the equipment was superior.”

The tour sent a bolt of lightning into the negotiations by illuminating North Carolina’s Black universities. Though the case dragged on beyond Tatel’s term and into the Reagan years, Link reported, the General Assembly appropriated more than $95 million in construction and renovation for Black universities through the 1980s, as well as brought their state funding up to the level of comparable white universities.

Fast forward three decades. North Carolina remains the state with the most public historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU). Of the 242,000 students enrolled in the UNC system in the fall 2020 semester, 34,728 were in the five historically Black universities. With more than 12,000 students, North Carolina A&T State University is the nation’s largest HBCU — and it ranks among the top four UNC institutions in research funding.

Earlier this week, The New York Times proclaimed that “historically Black colleges and universities are having a moment.” North Carolina’s institutions are sharing in the moment.

“And money is pouring in,” The Times reported. “The philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has given more than $500 million to more than 20 historically Black colleges in the past year. Google, TikTok and Reed Hastings, the co-chief executive of Netflix, have given $180 million more. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill delivered more than $5 billion in pandemic rescue funding, which included erasing $1.6 billion in debt for 45 institutions.”

Scott, the former wife of Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, has given $45 million to NC A&T, $30 million to Winston-Salem State, and $15 million to Elizabeth City State. NC Central has broken ground on a new business school, while the NC Teaching Fellows Commission has selected Fayetteville State and NC A&T (as well as minority-serving UNC Pembroke) for expansion of the Teaching Fellows Program.

In April 2021, the Board of Governors voted to allow the five public HBCUs to raise the cap on out-of-state first-year students to 25%, a move that responds to demand from non-residents and that would bring in more tuition revenue. Elizabeth City State, which has the state’s only four-year aviation science program, is one of three NC Promise universities with $500-per-semester tuition for North Carolinians.

Historically Black universities, of course, confront challenges arising from demographic shifts and state fiscal austerity as does public higher education generally. Still, that tour Tatel led four decades ago into North Carolina gave HBCUs a chance to survive and advance to their current spotlight moment.

Kanye West’s Late Mother Donda Honored By Morris Brown College, Where She Taught

Posted by Vanessa Roberson
Posted on

Fans of Kanye West aren’t the only ones happy that his new album “Donda” has finally dropped after years of anticipation. The HBCU community is rejoicing as well! For one, the rapper made the intentional act to set aside a whopping 5,000 tickets for Atlanta area HBCU students for the album’s listening party. However, Kanye’s album also caught the attention of an HBCU president Kevin E. James.

For one, “Donda” is the name of West’s mother, a who taught at Morris Brown College and was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Now, President Kevin James of Morris Brown even offered a special gift to Kanye. Learn more about it in the TMZ article below.

Kanye West treated his fans to a one-of-a-kind experience at his “Donda” listening event, but he also received a couple gifts after the show … including one honoring his late mother.

According to our sources … the City of Atlanta presented the rapper a plaque backstage after his performance at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Kanye was born in ATL, and the city officially proclaimed July 22 Kanye West Day.

On top of that, and perhaps more importantly to Kanye … Kevin James — President of ATL’s HBCU, Morris Brown College — was also on hand to give Ye a token of appreciation on behalf of his mom, Donda West, who taught at the school for nearly 2 decades and was Chair of the English Department.

The award presented to Kanye is called the Dr. Donda West Meritorious Service to Morris Brown College. Donda started her career at Morris Brown, which was founded in 1881 and is the only HBCU in Georgia founded by Black people.

As we reported … Kanye revealed his new album, named after his mother, Thursday night in front of a huge crowd that included Kim Kardashian and their kids, along with Khloe.

Our sources say his family was with him when he received the awards backstage, and he got super emotional about it.

The listening event also included one major surprise at the very end — a collab with Jay-Z.

N.C. A&T Sends Aggies To The Olympics For The First Time Since 1992

Posted by Vanessa Roberson
Posted on

Four North Carolina A&T State University student-athletes are heading to the Olympics, and it’s been a long time coming if you ask their determined coach. Learn more about these runners who are planning to go for gold in the 4×400 relay in the article by David Squires at The Undefeated below.

Left to right: Akeem Sirleaf, Trevor Stewart, Daniel Stokes, and Randolph Ross Jr. of the North Carolina A&T State men’s 4×400 indoor national championship relay team.

As four North Carolina A&T track athletes and their coach set off this week for the Tokyo Olympics, they are representing more than their university and their countries.

Coming from the nation’s largest historically Black college and university (HBCU), the contingent traveling from Greensboro is representing the more than 100 HBCUs, and they’ll be showcasing the results of the familylike, melting-pot atmosphere fostered by Duane Ross Sr., the Aggies’ director of track and field since 2012.

The Aggies’ 2021 Olympians are all members of the men’s 4×400-meter relay team, which finished the season ranked No. 1 in the nation.

Ross’ son, sophomore (Duane) Randolph Ross Jr., and Trevor Stewart, a senior from Lorton, Virginia, will represent the United States. Daniel Stokes, a junior from Pomona, California, will compete for Mexico, and Akeem Sirleaf, a graduate student from St. Paul, Minnesota, will compete for Liberia.

“Anytime you can put an athlete on the Olympic team, that is history in the making,” Ross Sr. said in a Zoom news conference after the Olympic Trials. “It is very hard to make the Olympic team. Trust me I know. So, I’m so excited for these guys … excited for North Carolina A&T and the city of Greensboro as a whole.”

The Olympics this week are also a crowning achievement for the elder Ross, a former Clemson track athlete who competed in the 2004 Games as a hurdler. Fittingly, it was Father’s Day when Randolph Ross qualified for the Olympics at the U.S. trials, symbolically taking the baton from his father.

“The father came out in me,” Ross Sr. said on the N.C. A&T website. “For him to do something at this level, at his age (20), he had me in tears.” 

At the Olympics, Ross Jr., who was born Jan. 1, 2001, will compete in the 400-meter and 4×400-meter relay, and Stewart qualified for the 4×400.

To cap things off, after the NCAA championships, Ross was named co-national men’s coach of the year by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. 

These Aggies are the first Olympians from N.C. A&T since 1992, when Troy Douglas and Ruth Morris competed in the Barcelona Games.

The Aggies could have had an even larger Olympics contingent, but several athletes, including alums, came up short in the trials, including Christopher Belcher, Michael Dickson, TeJyrica Robinson, Rodney Rowe, Cambrea Sturgis and Kayla White.

The Olympic trials came a week after the Aggies competed in regionals and nationals, and some athletes might have performed differently with more recovery time.

“Now that we got them to this point, we get a break,” Ross Sr. said after the trials on the N.C. A&T website. “Can you imagine what a rested Junior and a rested Trevor are going to look like at the Olympic Games?”

The spring track season was also the final session that the Aggies competed in – and dominated – the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), as most of N.C. A&T athletics move in the fall to the Big South Conference, where they will join former MEAC member Hampton University.

Ross has coached N.C. A&T track athletes 16 MEAC titles – four in men’s indoor track and field, four in women’s indoor track and field, four in men’s outdoor track and field, three in women’s track and field and one in men’s cross country. And the Aggies won four straight (2017-2020) MEAC women’s and men’s indoor championships, the first MEAC school to win four straight concurrent men’s and women’s indoor titles.

“It’s an incredible feeling to be able to have the opportunity to compete in the Olympic Games,” Ross Jr. said. “It’s an even better feeling being able to also represent my school and the whole community as well. Being a member of Team USATF is something I’ll never forget.”

Stewart called the Olympics “definitely a big moment” that will project us farther into the eye view, and it’s going to be something to watch.”

Sturgis, who won the 100 and 200 meters at the nationals, said that despite the Ross’ Father’s Day moment, Ross Sr. does a good job managing the coach-star athlete dynamic.

“Even though we know that’s his dad, he still treats him like a regular athlete,” Sturgis said. “He treats him like everyone else.”

That also includes Ross’ daughter, Jonah Ross, who competed as a freshman this past season.

Sturgis, a junior from Kannapolis, North Carolina, said that as a coach, Ross Sr. is a stickler for details. Sturgis announced shortly after the Olympic trials that she has joined Adidas and will now compete as a professional, with Ross Sr. continuing as her coach.

Ross Sr. also has continued to coach Belcher, Rowe, White and others who have graduated and now compete as professionals.

“Coach Ross is the type of coach that will tell you you’re going to do something and then make it happen,” Sturgis said. “But it has to be a 50-50. You have to put in the work.

“He’s never going to give up on you,” Sturgis added, “even though you might want to give up, he’s never going to give up on you.”

She said that Ross Sr. once chastised her when he overheard her speak about longing for pizza.

“Why are you having that?” he asked Sturgis. “That’s not healthy.”

Sturgis didn’t intend for Ross Sr. to hear her desire for the fast food, but: “Well, actually, I was just saying I wanted that, and he was eavesdropping, like always.”

Sturgis, who is 4-foot-11, said Ross Sr. and the coaching staff have helped her improve her starts and “being tall when I run.”

“He has taught me to be more patient with the run, instead of just racing, in order to be more relaxed.”

In describing the newly minted Aggie Olympians, Sturgis said Ross Jr. is the serious one, Stewart is the quiet one, Stokes is the funny one and Sirleaf is the helpful one – “on and off the track.”

She cited togetherness as the strength of the Aggies program.

“The glue that makes us is everybody working together,” Sturgis said. “Even though we sometimes race each other, we’re always looking out for each other and representing our school.”

Kennedy Thorne (Class of 2019), a former Aggies middle-distance runner and hurdler from the Raleigh-Durham area, remembered how Ross Sr. created a family atmosphere.

“He does his best to foster a family environment by having team get-togethers outside of the university – orchestrating team-building games and having frequent team meetings,” Thorne said.

“Structure and order have been his desire, besides execution, for this team,” she added.

“What Ross tries to instill in all his athletes is confidence,” Thorne said. “No matter what brand we wear, or how much our team has in funds, we show up and we show our Aggie pride. That has been my biggest takeaway from the sport. Always be aware of the talent and skill you possess, and never let anyone make you feel otherwise.”

But with the coronavirus pandemic, Ross couldn’t hold the traditional in-person gatherings. Like everyone else, he resorted to the Zoom platform, where he held regular meetings, stressing the team’s structure and discipline and the importance of individual training – in the absence of competition.

In-person training resumed in September, which set the stage for the Aggies’ best season.

At the NCAA indoor championships, the Aggies’ men finished fifth, receiving the program’s first NCAA title in the 4×400. Adding to that, Ross Jr. won the men’s 400-meter indoor title.

The Aggies did even better outdoors, winning two event national championships (4×400, 400 meters) on the men’s side with nine Aggie men receiving at least one All-American honor.

Ross Jr. was among four Aggies to earn multiple first-team All-American honors (4×400, 4×100, 400 meters).

Meanwhile, nine Aggies women received at least one All-American honor, including Sturgis, who was first team in the 100, 200 and 4×100.

Besides a family atmosphere, his athletes cite Ross Sr.’s attention to detail and technical knowledge about track that convinced them to attend N.C. A&T, despite opportunities at schools that might have more money.

Ross Sr. knows where his athletes are going and what it takes because he has been there. After a professional track career, Ross Sr. began coaching as an assistant at Clemson, his alma mater, where he was a seven-time All-American, including winning the NCAA championship in the 110-meter hurdles in 1995.

Before coming to N.C. A&T, Ross Sr. served five years heading the track program at Division III Methodist University in Fayetteville, North Carolina. At Methodist, Ross Sr. won multiple regional and conference coach of the year honors, produced nine individual champions and 46 All-Americans. His Monarch teams also finished as high as third and fourth in Division III national championships.

Horne provided one clue as to why Ross Sr.’s athletes produce peak performances, describing the coach’s attitude toward the competition as, “Step on their necks and don’t let up.”

“Ross never wanted us to hold back,” Thorne explained, “whether we are five points ahead or 50, we keep pushing. No mercy rules in the sport of track and field.”

Even as Ross’ teams obliterate opponents, his softer side knows that on the Olympics stage, he’s also blazing a trail for teams he competes against.

“We understand the impact of what we’re doing for our school and our culture and not just for HBCUs,” Ross said. “We’ve been hearing this all week from schools, from the smaller conferences — about how inspirational it is. 

“We’ve known all along that we’re doing more than just winning races. And this moment is no different.”

Norfolk State Aims To Produce More Minority Lawyers With New 6-Year Program

Posted by Vanessa Roberson
Posted on

Through a new partnership with Appalachian School of Law, Norfolk State University is helping students dedicated to law accomplish their dreams in 6 years! Learn about the opportunity in the WAVY article by Regina Mobley below.

In this Sept. 10, 2018 file photo, Brandt Jean, center left, brother of shooting victim Botham Jean, hugs his sister Allisa Charles-Findley, during a news conference about the shooting of Botham Jean by Dallas Police Officer Amber Guyger, outside the Frank Crowley Courts Building in Dallas. He was joined by his mother, Allison Jean, left, and attorney Benjamin Crump, right. Guyger, who was fired soon after the shooting and charged with murder, said she mistook Jean’s apartment for her own. She was convicted in early Oct. 2019 — a rare jury decision — and sentenced to 10 years in prison. (AP Photo/Ryan Tarinelli, File)

The man who has previously represented a number of Black families whose loved ones were unjustly murdered had harsh comments for law enforcement officers as he and other Black lawyers launched an investigation into the death of a man who was killed by Pasquotank County sheriff’s deputies earlier this year. 

“We do not feel there was transparency,” said attorney Ben Crump in Downtown Elizabeth City, North Carolina as the family of Andrew Brown and hundreds in the community demanded answers on why deputies shot and killed Brown outside his home as they worked to serve drug-related search and arrest warrants. Those attorneys have since filed civil litigation after officers were cleared of criminal wrongdoing.

Former Virginia Gov. George Allen (Credit: WAVY photo/Regina Mobley)

From police reform to civil rights and voter suppression, citizens across the country are calling on minorities to represent them in a court of law.

But according to the American Bar Association, only 5% of the nation’s lawyers are Black. In a matter of a few years, that number could change.

Norfolk State University and Appalachian School of Law Friday signed a three-plus-three agreement for NSU students. Three years on the campus at NSU and three years at ASL in the southwest corner of the state equals one law degree at substantial savings.

“It’s a way of bridging eastern and western Virginia; it’s a way of bridging different areas,” said former Gov. George Allen, a trustee at ASL.

President and Dean B. Keith Faulker estimates the compressed program will produce a $10,000 saving in the cost of a law degree.

“They will attend Norfolk State for three years, then they will gain admission to ASL and they will do their additional three years there. So, it accelerates the program and it reduces their debt,” said Faulker.

NSU is proud of the partnership, and the school is proud of former Miss NSU Stephanie Morales, the commonwealth’s attorney for the City of Portsmouth.

Norfolk State University President Dr. Javaune Adams-Gaston (Credit:WAVY photo/Regina Mobley)

The William & Mary Law product is making headlines across the country for her style of law and order. Morales was a guest speaker for the governor in a recent appearance at the state capital.

“The people who come to the court system are at their lowest point and they need compassion and they need people who are willing to see their humanity,” said Morales as she expounded on criminal justice reform in a bill signing ceremony in Richmond.

Dr. Javaune Adams-Gaston, president of Norfolk State University, says Morales is one example of the role Historically Black Colleges and Universities play in producing leaders in the field of law and other professions. 

“She’s wonderful and we’re really excited to have that type of support and experience. What that tells us is that HBCU Norfolk State University is a place where people grow to become their best selves,” said Adams-Gaston.

Coppin State University Clears Over $1 Million In Student Debt

Posted by Vanessa Roberson
Posted on

Coppin State University is the latest in a long line of HBCUs like Wilberforce University and Fayetteville State University that has cleared student debts. However, the tab on this act of kindness is among the highest at $1 million. Learn more about the generous act in the Coppin State release below.

(Credit: Amy Davis / Baltimore Sun)

Coppin State University (CSU) is pleased to announce its Student Debt Relief Initiative (SDRI) which is federally funded by the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act.

In total, Coppin State’s commitment will clear roughly $1,000,000 in student balances. This unprecedented relief fund, available to students who were enrolled during Fall 2020 and Spring 2021, comes as a result of the COVID pandemic. To date, several HBCUs, and other institutions, have implemented similar initiatives.

In addition to the balance forgiveness, CSU will provide a $1200 credit to every student, current and incoming, enrolled during the Fall 2021 semester. The Fall credit provided is just above 50% of in-state tuition and will not only assist in keeping current students enrolled, and in pursuit of their higher education, but also incentivize newcomers.

The COVID pandemic caused a global crisis that disrupted educational systems across the globe. Included in the United States’ trillion-dollar American Rescue Plan, signed March 11, 2021, was $350 billion dollars toward state and local funds. Of these state and local funds $39.6 billion is budgeted for higher education institutions around the country. With this federal funding, Coppin State chose to support the community in the most direct and immediate way, to its most valuable stakeholders, the students.“The education of our community is vital, and this financial investment cannot be overstated,” president of the university and HBCU graduate Dr. Anthony L. Jenkins asserts. “Our university is proud to continuously open doors for our scholars and support their future success.”

Reputable for a proud history and deep community roots, Coppin State University remains the most affordable 4-year public institution within the State of Maryland and recognized nationally for its academic programs. While offering 53 majors that include graduate and doctoral programs, Coppin State’s impact reaches far beyond academics. With a proclaimed mission toward relevant and essential community impact, Coppin faculty and staff strive to guide its mission and resources toward results that make the greatest positive difference in society as a whole.

Savannah State University Alumna Ezinne Kalu To Play Basketball In Upcoming Olympics

Posted by Vanessa Roberson
Posted on

Savannah State University‘s own Ezinne Kalu is set to play basketball in the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, which begin tomorrow. Learn more about the Nigerian athlete in the Savannah State Athletics article below.

Former Savannah State women’s basketball star Ezinne Kalu will lead the Nigerian women’s basketball team at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics beginning next week.

For only the second time in the African nation’s history, Nigeria will be represented in women’s basketball on the world stage. Kalu, an American-born dual citizen, was a pivotal part of the D’Tigeress’ journey to Tokyo.

Nigeria qualified after winning the 2019 Federation Internationale de Basketball (FIBA) Africa Championship. Nigeria beat Senegal 60-55 for the FIBA title. Kalu led her team with 13.0 points, 3 steals and 3.2 assists in the championship game and was named the MVP of the tournament.

Following two wins in the Africa pre-Olympic qualifier, Nigeria closed the 2020 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Belgrade, Serbia with a 76-71 loss to team U.S.A. Nigeria will get another chance at the No. 1 team in the world. They open the Tokyo Olympics against the U.S.A. on Tuesday, July 27 at the Saitama Super Arena to open Group B play.

“If you told 21-year-old me that I’d be playing for a national team or in the Olympics I would look at you like you had three heads,” Kalu said. “That’s huge! I am just a young girl from New Jersey who went to an HBCU and now I am going to be playing in the Tokyo Olympics.”

The D’Tigeress’ are ranked No. 14 in FIBA’s World Ranking. They are one of the most successful teams the African country has ever produced. At the 2018 FIBA World Cup, according to USAB.com, they became the first African nation to advance to the medal round at a top FIBA women’s event. They are ranked No. 1 in FIBA Africa.

Kalu played for Savannah State for five years. She holds the NCAA Division I school record for most career points (2,119) and led several of the most successful women’s basketball teams in school history during her career.
 
During her time as a Lady Tiger, she was named to the 2015 All-MEAC Tournament Team; 2015 All-MEAC First Team; 2014 MEAC Preseason Player Of The Year; 2012 All-MEAC Preseason First Team; 2012 MEAC All-Conference Team.
 
In 2015, Kalu earned her bachelor’s degree in history from Savannah State. She was immediately recruited to play professionally in the European basketball league. Kalu has played for the Nigerian national team since being recruited in 2011 while a student-athlete at Savannah State. For the last six years, she’s had incredible success on both international stages.
 
She was named the 2016 Guard of the Year Portugal 1st Division; Captain of the Nigeran National Team 2016-17; 2017 Afro-Basketball Tournament Champion; 2017 Defensive Player of the Year Budapest 1stDivision; 2018 Co-Captain of Nigerian Team; 2019 MVP of Afro-Basket Tournament; 2019 Afro-Basketball Tournament Champion; 2020 Top 12 Best Player of Africa; 2020 1st Team All-French Player; 2020 1st Team All-Imports France League; 2020 Guard of the Year France 1st Division.
 
Currently, she plays for the French team Landerneau Bretagne Basket. She signed with the team in 2019 and averaged 15.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists in the 2019-2020 season.

FAMU Is Offering Students and Employees $1M In Prizes Amid Vaccination Campaign

Posted by Vanessa Roberson
Posted on

Florida A&M University is allocating $1 million in its campaign to get its students and employees vaccinated ahead of work this fall. Learn more about the prizes and more in the FAMU Forward article below by Andrew Skerritt.

Source: FAMU Forward

Florida A&M University (FAMU) has launched an aggressive campaign offering up to $1 million in prizes drawings to encourage students and employees to get vaccinated to safeguard the full return of in-person instruction and activities this fall. 

To kick off the campaign, FAMU President Larry Robinson, Ph.D., appeared in a video using the phrase “We can’t be FAM without U being vaccinated.” 

“We are committed to our fight to keep this community safe,” Robinson said. “We urge our students, faculty and staff to get vaccinated to protect themselves and the people they love as well as this University. Let’s keep the excitement and joy of returning to campus alive.”

As part of its campaign to combat vaccine hesitancy, FAMU is also offering students and employees incentives to get vaccinated. Any employee or student who gets one of the three available vaccines, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna or Pfizer, beginning July 19 becomes eligible to be entered into a drawing to win one of several prizes: $100 (Johnson & Johnson); $100 first dose of Pfizer or Moderna series; $100 second dose of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine series; $50 gift card; laptop; and iPad. The University plans to give out $1 million in prizes through the end of December, said Chief Compliance & Ethics Officer Rica Calhoun.

“We are committed to doing our part to encourage our students, faculty and staff to get vaccinated. We are showing it by offering up to $1 million in prizes,”  said Calhoun, chair of the Operational Continuity Taskforce. During July, August and September, drawings will be held weekly, she said. “Their best chance to win is now.” 

To participate online, students and employees can enter their information through the drawing portal.  At the Al Lawson Jr. Gymnasium & Multipurpose Center vaccination site, they can register using the QR code in the FAMU Mobile App or swipe their Rattler card. The Student Health Services will conduct the drawings. The first drawing will be held next week. For more information, email rica.calhoun@famu.edu

In anticipation of a full return to campus this fall, residence halls are expected to be at full capacity. Two-bed rooms were limited to one-person last year to curb the spread of the coronavirus. To make this a safe experience, the Office of University Housing is asking all students to adhere to the COVID-19 guidelines as they move in. Proof of vaccination or a negative test result is required within three days of their scheduled move-in appointment. All residents will move in August 16 – 22 from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. 

FAMU hosts free COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites on campus. Both are open to the public Monday through Saturday.

Interview: HBCU Alum Cameron Cooper Talk New Single, Who Inspired It, Black College Experience, And More

Posted by Tommy G. Meade Jr.
Posted on

We posed questions to Central State University alumnus Cameron Cooper regarding his new single Love Scars just in time for the summer. He talks about what inspired it, the mystery woman behind the track, the Black college experience, and more. Read that below.

What inspired the new single?

I was in the studio driving myself crazy, listening to beats all day. And when I finally came across this one. I instantly fell in love with it. I just vibed with it for a couple of days and especially the intro of the song. It brought back memories of being on both ends of the spectrum, breaking hearts and being the one broken. 

I also knew I wasn’t the only one to feel like this before. I wanted to make a relatable song before we get to the point of dogging other women. And women having hot girl summers, it’s the past relationships that make us emotionally de attached. And like I said, I been at the end of both so I could talk about it. 

Who inspired you/who influenced you to make a song like Love Scars?

Well, all my exes inspired the song. Like I said, being the one hurt and being the one doing the hurting, I just went back to specific moments and reflected. My fiancé influenced the song. We chat about all my past relations we talk about my moments when I was just reckless and getting everything out of my system while I was in college and after college. 

There are island vibes to the song — what made you want to take this route instead of something popular?

I’m a fan of music, period, so I like experimenting. And any artist will tell you that’s how you develop your sound as an artist. You grow every day. And with this single, I wanted to challenge myself to be as venerable as possible. And I wanted to do something different. And this was the right moment and song to do it on. 

When is the last time you recorded a song, and how have you grown with this track compared to the last one?

I record every day. I finally got an in-house producer and engineer to send my songs and get them mixed and mastered at any given time. I’m growing every day my range, my topics. I’m going against the grain. With every song I write.

Is there a mystery girl behind the track? Care to tell us a bit more about her?

She’s not a mystery, and she would kill me if I kept her as one. She’s my fiancé, a rider, and holds me down. She supports everything I do. Sometimes I have my Kanye rants at home, and she sits there and listens. She is my best friend. We both are so ready to go to war for one another it’s crazy. 

Talk to us about the Black college experience.

Man, I don’t know where to begin. From the friends to the faculty to the different cultures, it was refreshing to be on a campus-like mine.

Shout out to “The Central State University.”

The relationships you build with people go a long way. Mentors came at any age while you were on campus. Lit is the best way to describe the Black college experience. I had rough days, and randomly somebody could sense it and extend an olive branch to help me get my mind right.

I was a part of a modeling team named Evolution T., and I kid you not. Nobody made you feel less than it was all love. I advocate anybody who says they are going to college to look into HBCUs because the experience you get from them is just unique. I could write a book about my experience, and I would have to make volumes because it’s so much to talk about regarding the matter.

Anything else that you would like to add?

Just stay locked. I want everybody to see my movement and rock with me on my journey. Because I’m not just doing it for me, I want to leave messages like y’all, not the only one going through but let me show you I’m going to talk about it. It might not hit with everybody, but somebody is listening, and vice versa, somebody understands. 

I got music coming out!

Follow Cameron Cooper on Instagram @1official.cam_ and Twitter @CameronR._Cooper.

Howard University’s PharmD Program Earns Eight-Year Reaccreditation

Posted by Vanessa Roberson
Posted on

The Doctor of Pharmacy degree is very popular, but not one many HBCUs offer. Thankfully, now Howard University will be able to after a new award of accreditation! Learn more about it in the release from Howard below.

Source: Rattler Nation

Howard University’s College of Pharmacy has received national reaccreditation from the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) for the Doctor of Pharmacy program, which awards the highly sought-after PharmD degree.

This latest round of accreditation marks the first time the College of Pharmacy was granted ACPE’s full eight years of reaccreditation, which will last until June 30, 2029. Previously, the College of Pharmacy had been awarded a six-year reaccreditation period.

“This reaccreditation sets our course until 2029,” said College of Pharmacy Dean Toyin Tofade, PharmD. “Howard University College of Pharmacy strives to be a premier setting for teaching, learning, research, leadership and service locally and globally. So much has been achieved over the past four years, and there is still much more to accomplish.”

For their work on reaccreditation, Tofade expressed gratitude to the co-chairs of the self-study, Oluwaranti Akiyode, assistant dean of student affairs, and La’Marcus Wingate, director of assessment and associate professor in the Department of Clinical and Administrative Pharmacy Sciences, both of whom worked under the leadership of Muhammad J. Habib, associate dean of academic affairs for the College of Pharmacy.

Howard University College of Pharmacy has been in existence for more than 150 years and will welcome about 50 students entering the PharmD program this academic year. Approximately 68 percent of the students in the newest cohort are female; the average age is 25. Overall, there are 289 students in the College of Pharmacy, a total that includes PharmD students, as well as students in the Nontraditional Doctor of Pharmacy (NTDP) and the Ph.D. programs. For information on applying, visit here

 “Congratulations to Dean Tofade, the faculty, staff and students. I am doubly proud as a faculty member in the College of Pharmacy and as an administrator,” said Provost and Chief Academic Officer Anthony Wutoh. “This is an outstanding accomplishment, and I applaud the dedication and teamwork of our great faculty, staff, students and alumni who worked together to contribute to this outcome.”

The PharmD program is a four-year professional degree program and is required before taking the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination. The degree provides students with the necessary foundational, pharmaceutical sciences, social, administrative, public health and clinical skills to be practice ready. This training represents the broad responsibility pharmacists have in the health care system. Fourth-year students in the Howard program have access to international rotations with 18 different partners in 16 countries across six continents.

Howard University’s College of Pharmacy Dean Toyin Tofade, Pharma (Credit: Howard University)

The Howard program prepares students to become leaders in the profession. About 30 percent of Howard pharmacy students pursue a regulatory affairs career; 30 percent pursue community positions; and more than 20 percent pursue graduate school, own a business, or work in a hospital or with managed care companies.

The mission of the Howard University College of Pharmacy is to provide pharmacy education of excellent quality to students possessing high academic, scholarship and leadership potential, with particular emphasis upon the recruitment, retention and graduation of promising African-American and other ethnically diverse minority students.

ACPE reviewed Howard University’s self-study and conducted an on-site evaluation on April 13-15, 2021. 

Virginia Union Football Poises For Comeback Game After Almost 2 Years

Posted by Vanessa Roberson
Posted on

Virginia Union University‘s football team can’t wait to get back on the field. It’s been nearly two years, and a game in August will revive the players’ spirits. Learn about VUU’s comeback in the Richmond Times-Dispatch article below.

Credit: Virginia Union University

Virginia Union hasn’t played a football game since Nov. 9, 2019, which makes Aug. 5, 2021, a noteworthy date. That’s when the Panthers report to their Lombardy Street campus for preseason camp that will lead into their Sept. 4 opener at Hampton.

Division II VUU was among the numerous college football programs below the FBS level that postponed their 2020 fall seasons because of the pandemic. For the same reason, VUU also did not play spring-semester games, though many Division II and Division III teams, and most FCS teams, did.

The Panthers held 15 spring practices, as the NCAA allowed. The rhythm of those was interrupted by a COVID pause.

Alvin Parker, entering his third season at VUU with a 15-5 record, on Friday expressed optimism about a more typical year of football about to start, though the path to its doorstep was atypical.

“The biggest thing for us has been roster management, so we can keep the team together that we had,” said Parker, whose 2019 Panthers began the season with a win at FCS member Hampton and finished 7-3. “Big-time decisions had to made by kids because we had a lot of guys who chose to come back for fifth years.”

Those determinations by upperclassmen, often reached in response to NCAA legislation that allowed fall-sports athletes in 2020 an extra year of eligibility because of the pandemic, reduced the size of VUU’s incoming class of recruits. The roster size needed to remain comparable to past years.

A second-wave effect of the pandemic may be seen again in four years, Parker noted, when programs throughout the country have few seniors because this year’s group of freshmen was relatively small.

The partnership between football coaches and financial aid officers is particularly important in Division II. Football works with a limit of 36 scholarships often shared by a large group of players also attending school on other kinds of financial aid. Forming any football roster is the annual equivalent of completing a complicated puzzle. In Division II, it’s a three-dimensional puzzle.

Virginia Union football coach Alvin Parker (Credit: Joe Mahoney/Times-Dispatch)

The layoff has increased the appetite for competition and appreciation of the sport for the Panthers, in Parker’s estimation.

“They’ve seen it can be taken away from them in any second,” he said.

The VUU staff will use the first few days of preseason camp to gauge the strength-and-conditioning level of the players, and then proceed cautiously. Parker said the initial plan is to generally approach preseason practices in a way that’s comparable to past seasons.

That is subject to change, as is everything. The last year taught all football coaches the need to embrace flexibility.

“Like anything else, there will probably be a few bumps in the road, but I think everybody will accept that, knowing that you’ll at least get a chance to play this year,” Parker said.

VUU’s preseason rank in DII is No. 25, according to Lindy’s Sports Magazine. The only other CIAA team appearing in that poll is No. 15 Bowie State.

The Panthers this season will break in Willie Lanier Field at Hovey Stadium, VUU’s rejuvenated football facility. Since the 2019 season, VUU replaced the grass with a $1.2 million FieldTurf surface and named it for Willie Lanier, the Pro Football Hall of Famer who graduated from Maggie Walker High (Class of 1963) and went on to star as a linebacker for Morgan State and the Kansas City Chiefs.

JSU Coach Deion Sanders Ends Interview After Disrespect

Posted by Vanessa Roberson
Posted on

Jackson State University coach Deion Sanders has always been clear about his ambition, his athleticism, and his title. Recently, a reporter had to learn the hard way that how you address Coach Prime is not to be played with. Learn more about the recent snafu in the Sports Illustrated article by Joseph Salvador below.

Jackson State University Coach Deion Sanders shouts instruction to his team during their game against Edward Waters at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium Sunday, Feb. 21, 2021. Jsu Edward Waters

Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders took issue with when a reporter referred to him by his first name during SWAC Media Day on Tuesday. 

Sanders, who finished 4–3 in his first season as a head coach, asked that reporters not refer to him by his first name after he was called Deion by the Clarion Ledger’s Nick Suss. 

“You don’t call Nick Saban, ‘Nick.’ Don’t call me Deion,” Sanders told Suss, per the Clarion Ledger’s Langston Newsome. “If you call Nick (Saban), Nick, you’ll get cussed out on the spot, so don’t do that to me. Treat me like Nick.”

The Clarion Ledger reported thatSanders walked out of a SWAC Media Day event after he was referred to by his first name a second time. But Sanders addressed the situation later that day via Twitter. 

“Never walked out of media day,” Sanders said in a Tweet. “I prolonged my time to answer another question and the person thought it was cute to address me the way he did so I dropped the call and went to the next outlet.”

Following the Tweet, Sanders posted a video of the interaction on Instagram that features Sanders taking off his headset while on a video call and walking off. He also added the song Walk It Out at the end of the video.

Suss mainly covers Ole Miss but crosses over several beats from time to time. This was his second time covering Sanders at SWAC Media Day, per the Clarion Ledger.

“When I interview people, I call them by their first name,” Suss said. “Whether it’s someone I’ve been working with for years or someone I’m talking to for the first time. This is true of the coaches and players on the Ole Miss beat, the coaches and players at Mississippi State and Southern Miss when I help out covering their teams and, as recently as January, even Sanders, too.”