Fisk students protest over new university policy that would kick some off campus

Fisk University students began a multi-pronged protest Thursday over a new policy that threatens to kick some of them off campus in a matter of days.

Students wore black and occupied part of Cravath Hall, a building where student organizer AJ Macon said many members of the school’s administration work. They said the intention is “to let (administration) know that we are the students here of this university, and without us, there is nothing.” 

Students have activated because of a new Fisk policy requiring students to pay off their accounts or enroll in a payment plan if they owe a large balance. Those who didn’t got purged from their classes last week. 

In a statement released Friday afternoon, Fisk’s interim president Frank L. Sims wrote, “Allowing students to defer their financial obligations not only undermines the University’s ability to meet its fiscal responsibilities but also the student’s ability to successfully matriculate from the University.”

Several students told WPLN News they received little to no notice about the policy. In the same statement, the university said it announced the change in December 2022. But there are some discrepancies between that message and the policy enacted this semester. 

The December email describes a change that would not have allowed students with a balance exceeding $1,500 from a previous term to enroll or receive a room assignment at Fisk this fall. It also does not appear to address how much money students can owe on the current semester’s tuition and fees.

Screenshot of an email sent to Fisk students in December 2022.

In contrast, an email sent to students last week described two rounds of an academic purge: one for students who owed money from a previous semester and another for those who owe money for the current semester. WPLN News asked the university to clarify these discrepancies and did not receive an immediate response.

Screenshot of an email sent to Fisk students in August 2023.

Junior Lauryn Maxie is among those who got removed from their classes. She said she usually pays her account off by the end of the semester. 

“And now, they’re giving me days,” she said. “And, you know, I understand that you need your money or something. But how are people supposed to come up with thousands upon thousands of dollars out of thin air?” 

Maxie said she’s fortunate enough to come from a family that can help her stay at school this semester.

But according to data from U.S. News & World Report, more than half of Fisk undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Those go to students who demonstrate exceptional financial need.

Alexis Marshall WPLN News

AJ Macon (left) and Tamaya Kimble (right) stand outside Fisk’s gates.

Tamaya Kimble said she doesn’t come from a wealthy background, and the new policy is weighing on her. 

“It’s very much … like draining to know that I will either have to pay these thousands of dollars by X amount of time, or essentially be homeless,” Kimble said.

She said she’s a four-hour drive from home in southern Illinois.

“Fisk has never done anything like this before,” Kimble said. 

After a town hall meeting last week, Fisk administration allowed students who were purged to return to class, for now. But a new deadline is looming: Sept. 8. Students say even the payment plan option — which requires a 15% down payment and a $60 fee — has some scrambling to come up with large sums of money. 

“The administration is doing everything in their power to support students in their efforts to meet these obligations and every office from financial aid to student accounts is available to meet with students individually,” wrote Interim President Sims on Friday.

Students who fail to meet the deadline will be purged again, have their meal cards deactivated and have to move out of their dorms by Sept. 10.

(The university had initially said students could remain on campus until Oct. 10, but clarified in a follow-up email that that had been an error.)

An excerpt from an email sent to students

In addition to the sit-in, some students are boycotting the school cafeteria and classes. AJ Macon said this will be an ongoing effort. 

“It’s today. It’ll be tomorrow. It’ll be Tuesday if need be,” they said. “It is until this school is willing and understanding to listen to us, to meet our demands and to do what they need to do as a university to protect us and to ensure that we are getting the education that not only we are paying for, but we deserve.”

Macon said this kind of civil disobedience is what graduates of Fisk are known for.

“I think it is truly just in the spirit of the students. I think you come here. And sure, you might complain and you might be angry and you might be stressed. But one thing you’re going to do is have that heart of protest, and you’re not going to be scared to do it.”

Student demands

Students protesting Thursday are also promoting an online petition that has gathered nearly 300 signatures. Here’s a full list of what they’re demanding:

• Delaying the course purge until Nov. 1, 2023
• More transparent communication
• Quality room and board
• Comprehensive campus security
• No retaliation against those who protest or petition
• Clarity about how and when the university will address their concerns

https://www.instagram.com/p/CwlhaDvR6fb/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

WPLN News attempted to interview students from the protest site but was barred from entering campus. Fisk University has not responded to multiple requests for comment.

Update: This story has been updated to include screenshots of emails from Fisk University that were sent to students.