Office of
the President
This
statement was sent in response to student demands.
March 30,
2018
Dear Howard University Students,
I want you to know that I hear you, and my team and I are committed to
being responsive to your needs. Howard University has birthed generations of
student activists and we will always continue in that spirit, for it is
through raising the united voices of our students that Howard scholars have
historically created a reverberating impact across the nation and the
world.
I am listening to you, and I am challenging my team to make the changes you
are expressing a dire need to see. In addition to that, I would like to
further increase the engagement with a larger and broader portion of our
student body.
Sexual Assault/Title
IX
In the fall of last year, I sent a communication to the Howard Community
re-committing our unequivocal support for a campus free of sexual assault
and other forms of interpersonal violence. I promised to re-evaluate the
University’s processes and procedures in response to complaints or
allegations of discrimination, harassment, sexual assault and other forms
of interpersonal violence, and to place greater emphasis on prevention.
The University has thoroughly assessed our Title IX policies and processes,
gathered student, faculty and staff feedback, and unveiled a revised
Interim Title IX Policy on Prohibited Sexual and Gender-Based Harassment
and Violence and Other Forms of Interpersonal Violence which improves the
protections and the process based on current local and federal law.
The entire campus community (students, faculty, staff) has been invited to
provide feedback on the Interim policy so that it is informed by all
members of our community and supports our goal of creating an environment
that is free from all forms of sexual and gender-based harassment and
discrimination. The feedback period ends April 30, 2018. We will work
together to finalize the policy once all feedback is collected and
evaluated.
We do not promote or tolerate a rape culture.
Next month, we will be launching a sexual assault prevention and pledge
campaign, in conjunction with students, geared toward raising awareness,
provoking advocacy, and inspiring collective community action against
sexual assault and other forms of interpersonal violence.
Counseling Services
The Office of University Counseling Services takes their role to address
mental health concerns in the Howard University community very seriously.
We have nine licensed psychologists, one clinical case manager, and one
part-time psychiatrist. This exceeds the standard set by the International
Association of Counseling Centers, which recommends one full-time clinical
staff member for every 1,000-1,300 students.
We fully support emotional health issues as legitimate reasons for absence
from classes and we work closely with the Office of Student Services to
provide such accommodations when needed.
As the demand continues to rise, we will hire additional counselors to
support student counseling services.
Howard University
Police
Howard University’s Department of Public Safety is comprised of sworn
police officers and vetted contractors via City Security. The department is
operated and managed in accordance with public safety practices which are
standard in higher education, and particularly those at institutions
serving students and community members in a metropolitan environment.
In keeping with our university’s motto, Howard will always look for
opportunities to work with our students, neighbors and stakeholders to
ensure that our public safety operations reflect the highest standards of
character, compassion, and integrity.
To this end, we look forward to substantive dialog with the student body
about the formation of a public safety advisory committee, its duties and
priorities, and how it can work with the university, law enforcement union,
external agencies and the student body to ensure the continued safety of
all of our community members.
Food Insecurity and
Gentrification
Howard University has been committed to positive change since its founding.
The neighborhood surrounding Main Campus was exclusively “whites-only” when
Howard was established. That changed only when, in July 1888, Howard
students tore down the fences that separated campus from the neighborhood
at large. Howard has been committed to the Shaw-LeDroit community before it
even had those names.
For every redevelopment project, this University administration has
considered the neighborhoods in which we have long been a part.
In locations distant from Main Campus, we have returned dormitories to
neighborhood housing. In every case, we have met – or exceeded – targets
for affordable and workforce housing.
In locations near to Main Campus, we have entered development partnerships
that have turned parking lots and abandoned buildings into commercial
spaces that benefit both the University and our community, especially
through affordable and workforce housing.
In our neighborhood, we are the largest employer. As a community, we spend
more dollars here in Shaw-LeDroit than any other entity. We deliver more
health care to our community than any other institution in our city. Howard
Hospital is the only hospital in the District that provides Obstetrics and
Gynecological services to the community. All other hospitals discontinued
doing so.
The comments about food insecurity in our neighborhood are very thoughtful,
and we respect the call to action they represent. We have been working with
our clinical dietetics students to build a program to help support our
neighbors with diabetes and other health challenges, but we realize there
may be much more we can do. We would like to explore this issue with the HU
community.
It is inevitable that neighborhoods change over time. But for 151 years, we
have been committed to making it a better one for the people that live
here. And we still do.
Grievance System
There are several existing avenues for students to present concerns
regarding allegations of discrimination, sexist comments and behavior, and
other conduct in violation of University policies and legal requirements.
We invite the engagement and participation of students as we constantly
seek to improve services and the educational environment for students and
all members of the Howard University Community. Existing processes include:
- Title IX - Gender based discrimination or
harassment is explicitly prohibited in our Title IX policy, and
allegations are subject to investigation and review through the Title
IX office. This includes any intentional or unintentional act that
results in an individual being excluded from participation in, denied
the benefits of, or subjected to discrimination or harassment under
any academic, extracurricular, research, occupational training, or
other education program or activity, based upon the individual's gender,
gender identity, gender expression, non-conformance with gender
stereotypes, or sexual orientation. The Title IX Coordinator is Ms.
Candi Smiley, and she may be contacted at 202-806-2561.
- Additionally, within each School/College, the Dean
maintains the ultimate responsibility to assure that faculty and
administrators abide by University policies, including policies
assuring the rights and protections of students. Concerns regarding
faculty use of offensive language and/or behavior that may be
discriminatory should be reported to the Dean of the School/College.
If the current grievance system is not working, we
commit to reviewing the system and making necessary changes to ensure it
functions as it should.
Tuition and Access
to Salaries
Howard University recognizes that paying for college is a significant
burden for students and families. That is why Howard has kept its prices
lower than any other comparable institution, raises tuition only by the
least amount necessary to keep the University solvent and able to function,
and provides substantial levels of financial aid to help students and
families pay their student charges.
Howard’s undergraduate tuition is 43% lower than the average for all
nonprofit doctoral universities, according to the College Board, and 25%
lower than the average for all four-year nonprofit American universities.
Howard University tuition is $20,000 lower than other national universities
with similar rankings in the U.S. News & World Report rankings. Howard
tuition is also significantly less than peer HBCUs.
Howard would like its charges to be even lower, but the reality is that it
is not possible for us to do so and still provide the high quality of
education that is expected from our students. Howard must compete with
other universities for faculty, and with other employers for other kinds of
workers. The University must offer competitive wages and benefits in order
to attract and retain good employees and educators. By law, the University
is not free to reduce the salaries of tenured faculty at will, nor is the
University free to reduce the salaries of the many Howard employees who are
in collective bargaining agreements, at will. In addition, Howard must also
cope with rising costs for employee health benefits, for energy and
utilities, for supplies and equipment, and for technology.
Howard is not a for-profit institution. It is non-profit. Every penny of
revenue received by the University is spent to cover annual costs for
labor, equipment, supplies, technology and facilities maintenance. As long
as these costs go up, Howard must find a way to increase its annual
revenues just enough to match the annual increase in costs.
Under mandatory policies that have been enacted by the Howard Board of
Trustees, any contemplated changes in Tuition or other Student Charges must
be brought before the University’s Tuition and Rate Advisory Committee
(TRAC) before being voted on finally by the University’s Board of Trustees.
TRAC Is chaired by the Provost and is comprised of the Deans and
representatives of the Faculty Senate and the Student Association. Thanks
to the TRAC process, any change in student charges that is proposed by the
Administration must be explained and justified to the Deans and to
representatives of the University’s faculty and students.
A Howard University student is also present, and attends, the Budget
Advisory Committee (BAC) meetings, where the University budget is
thoroughly discussed and reviewed.
Housing
The policy on our website states that students under 21 who are first- or
second-year students are required to live on campus. This does not mean
that those students automatically receive housing, however we prioritize
their housing request. Students must complete the housing selection process
and register for classes.
Although we would love to provide University housing to every student who
may request it, our capacity and inventory does not permit us to do so. To
ensure that we can house as many students as possible, they have to enroll
in the housing process. All students who submitted room requests in the
allotted time frame now have received housing assignments for the coming
academic year. Housing assignments will be available for review on Friday,
March 30, 2018.
Our residence halls meet the District of Columbia standards as set forth by
the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs. As it relates to
capacity, DCRA Chapter 14, Section 402.3 states “Each room used for
sleeping by two (2) or more occupants shall be a habitable room containing at
least fifty square feet (50 ft2) of habitable room area for each occupant.”
The residence hall units with multiple occupants meet or exceed this
standard.
I look forward to meeting with student leaders to hear your voices, and to
our continued town hall meetings where my team and I get to answer
questions from our campus community at large. Your concerns are valid. We
are listening. We are committed to jointly making changes to move Howard
Forward.
Excellence in Truth and Service,
Wayne A. I. Frederick, M.D., MBA
President
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