Tougaloo Students interested in civic responsibility and social change

To whom it may concern,

The scholars are deeply troubled by the ongoing issues surrounding our project stipends. We wish to emphasize that our concerns are entirely our own and are not influenced by our directors or instructors. Any retaliatory actions against them would be futile, as they have not been involved in organizing or discussing this petition.

Our participation in these programs is predicated on the expectation of fair compensation, as mutually understood between the Tougaloo College administration, Faculty, and us, the students. As diligent college students, we excel academically, but we also face financial responsibilities such as bills and rent, amongst other things. Our involvement in these programs, while enriching, prevents us from pursuing other sources of income, making these stipends essential for our financial stability throughout the year.

Despite assurances that our stipends would be disbursed on multiple occasions, including the most recent promise of Thursday, February 29, 2024, we have yet to receive them. We understand that there have been changes in leadership, but we firmly believe that the needs of the students should always be the top priority of the institution and its administrators. Regrettably, we have not observed this prioritization; instead, we have witnessed retaliatory and petty behavior towards faculty and administrators who have voiced support for student concerns. Furthermore, after our first grievance letter, we received retaliation emails from Academic Affairs, claiming to withhold our degrees and transcripts for professional schools. How can we rectify our balances without the stipend we have been receiving each semester? 

We are deeply disappointed by this situation and feel misled about the date of receipt of our stipends and the reasons for the delay. We demand clear and concise information regarding the status of our stipends and expect nothing less. We have heard explanations regarding existing balances, yet our accounts show no changes, and those without balances have also not received their stipends. This uncertainty and lack of transparency are unacceptable.

Though our main issue was previously discussed, these are not the only issues being experienced by students. As of right now, the college is experiencing issues of significantly low enrollment, low morale, financial exploitation of and frequent retaliation against students, issues with dorm maintenance, specifically with mold in the bathrooms and constant water issues, constant hiring of administrators, but lack of professors, financial mismanagement, grant misappropriation and malfeasance, and budget shortfalls. 

Therefore, we, the students interested in civic responsibility and social change, demand the immediate resignation of Provost Josiah Sampson, Assistant Provost John Smith, Vice President Donovan Coley, Pacey Bowens, Dr. Shenicka Harrison, Dr. Pam England, and Dean Sharon Alexander. We expect our stipends to be disbursed by the close of business today. Failure to do so will result in us escalating our concerns to the Tougaloo College President, the Board of Trustees, the TCNAA, and news media outlets until our grievances are addressed and our demands met. To make matters worse, Sampson, Smith, and Coley are all from St. Augustine University, which recently lost its accreditation. This leads us to ask for a third party investigation into all grant activities and financial mismanagement of the aforementioned leaders and former VP Dr. Daphne Chamberlain.

We hope that you understand the extent of our frustration with the inefficiency of this administration and their failure to prioritize student needs. Tougaloo College has a proud history of advocacy and speaking out for what is right, and as scholars, we will continue this tradition.

We are soon facing SACCS review and possible loss of accreditation if these issues are not resolved. We have no confidence in the aforementioned leaders to competently, ethically, and effectively manage the day-to-day operations of the college from losing accreditation. It is imperative for the future of our Beloved Eagle Queen that this significant deficit in leadership be immediately rectified. 

In Solidarity,

The Tougaloo students interested in civic responsibility and social change