B-CU students demonstrate for better conditions

Wildcats, feeling frustrated and ignored by the administration, took their concerns public on Jan. 23 with a demonstration. Students gathered at White Hall before marching across campus, down Lincoln Street and turned at International Speedway Boulevard. There they gathered at the statue of founder Mary

Read what B-CU students have to say about the demonstration at issuu..com

Woodie

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Raymond back home to Bethune-Cookman University. Throughout our search process, we stressed the need for a leader who understands our university’s history, traditions, and values, in addition to possessing firm athletic leadership prowess. Coach Woodie embodies each of these qualities.”

Athletic Director Reggie Theus also expressed confidence in the new coach.

"We are elated to have Raymond Woodie, Jr. return to Bethune-Cookman University to lead our storied football program,” Theus said. “We felt confident in his experience, his leadership, and his ability to embrace the spirit of our founder, Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune in this 100th year of B-CU football. We are locked in the vision for providing a championship culture through his detailed plan for recruiting academically talented student athletes, along with a sustained desire to provide a high-level experience."

Coach Ed Reed?

In late December, Bethune-Cookman University announced that “an agreement in principle” had been reached to hire NFL Hall of Famer Ed Reed as the new head coach. The announcement received a thumbs up from students and alumni, who have been disappointed in the last couple of years since the team jumped to the SWAC. In 2021 and 2022, the team had a record of 2-9.

Question: What are your thoughts about the protest and what changes do you want to see here at Bethune-Cookman University?

Louis Dandridge

“I feel like this was a good start, a good tip of the iceberg. With Ed Reed, that just like sparked the movement of us being heard. Like I said we’ve been speaking out for months, semesters, and years almost; and it’s not just our generation, it’s generations before us. I just feel like if we continue to be consistent with it, and we continue they’ll eventually get tired of us and will eventually hear. Something has to happen. Something has to change. If we were able to have a town hall meeting, we would want to invite the board of trustees or with administration or with the people who are accountable for the dorms, the café, the quad, and maintenance. We should have one good meeting. I feel

A few weeks after the Reed announcement, the former pro decided to go on Instagram Live and tell people that things were not what he expected to be when he arrived at the school and things were not right on campus. He went on to bash the school about how his office wasn’t clean when he got to Bethune, and how he and the team had to pick up trash.

College administrators took a second look at Reed and decided not to follow through with the offer. Reed did offer an apology but the damage was done. Reed said that he was disappointed in their decision and he also said that he did not want to leave the university.

The story made national news and Drake went on the Roland Martin show and said “it was his decision” to not go through with hiring Reed as head coach because “his behavior was unac-