Howard Nursing Faculty, Students in Conflict

Twenty-four hours after Howard University nursing students took to the streets with picket signs and a list of demands, meetings are underway to address their issues. Both the dean of the College of Pharmacy, Nursing and Allied Health Sciences and Howard University President Sidney Ribeau met with students to work toward a resolution of their call for a better education and a responsive administration. Approximately 50 nursing students marched down Sixth Street recently to end their silence about problems they were facing with their educational curriculum. Photo by Jazelle Hunt/The Hilltop Nursing students protest In response, the school held a town hall meeting on Wednesday evening, Nov. 12, with Dean Beatrice Adderley-Kelly who came prepared to deal with the concerns. Wednesday evening also saw a meeting with Ribeau and Howard University Student Association officials aimed at resolving student issues. According to HUSA Vice President Kellen Moore, the meeting with Ribeau tackled the list of demands presented by the nursing students at Tuesday’s protest. Although not all of the demands on the list –– such as the ineffective teaching methods of professors –– could be handled by the administration, Moore said he feels confident that they have begun to pave the way for reasonable solutions. In addition, the meeting worked toward prioritizing the students’ concerns.At the town hall meeting, students and administration participated in an open dialogue. HUSA General Assembly Vice-Chair Corey Briscoe, who attended the protest as well as the meeting with Ribeau and the town hall, felt the meetings were necessary to resolving the issues. “It is now time for the college’s administration, faculty and students to work together to ensure the success of the program,” Briscoe said, “for the outcome depends on everyone meeting in the middle and upholding their responsibilities.” According to Briscoe, many students were frustrated to the point of tears at the town hall meeting, but their frustrations were heard by Adderley-Kelly. This outcry is not the first of its kind. In 2007, The Hilltop reported that nursing students walked out of examinations, which threatened accreditation, in protest of the shoddy education they believed they were receiving.