The Trouble w/ Housing at Howard

There seems to be a lack of institutional support, yet there is much institutional strain; moreover, the brunt of the strain seems to be upon the shoulders of the students and the faculty. This strain has a real life impact.

Now, in front of the administration building, a symbol of power, in a testimony, a Howard lecturer for the English department and new mother shares her troubles getting approved parental leave.

“I received misinformation for how to apply for a parental leave, everywhere else we have learned have clear policies, but there is no documentation at Howard…I formally applied for my family leave in May, my request sat in the Provost office for over five months…it was downright frightening to wonder if our newborn babies would lose health care in the first fragile months of their lives…my salary stopped until the Provost responded to my request.

In a student testimony, Atara, a sophomore theater major, shares how this rally awakened her eyes to the realities of her teachers.

“For the longest time, I was living only in my own experience. But what I realized, I was starting to pick up on the conversations with my professors, I would see them every morning and my professors already look dog tired…It was rough because after some time I started realizing the faculty that I enjoyed being around stopped showing up because they needed to go somewhere that cared about them…

The strain that Howard University bestows upon their community is quite heavy. Faculty are left scrambling in order to support their families and students bear witness to teachers having to leave because of the lack of support which, in turn, leaves the students to feel unsupported as well. It is all a slippery slope.

It was not too long ago where Howard University was summoned to respond to the crisis of their students. Now, they are called to atone for the crisis of their faculty. If it’ s one thing the Howard community will do is unify because it takes social movements to make social change. After last semester, Howard can no longer be inconspicuous; there is a demanding community with their eyes focused on the actions of the administration. The following weeks will tell what’ s to come. But, in the meantime, seek the stories of the faculty and listen just as they ’ ve done for Blackburn.

Howard University, we see you.