After being the longest-tenured HBCU president in history, students and alumni are calling on Hampton University President William R. Harvey to “retire or resign.”
A petition on change.org states, “It is time for a change at Hampton University! William R. Harvey has repeatedly failed those who he pledged to serve as the President of our Illustrious Hampton University.”
It goes on to list student complaints, which include his abnormally long 42 years in office, conflicts of interest between what is best for students and what is best for Harvey personally and professionally, “outdated and discriminatory policies,” and a slew of other issues.
The petition had over 7,200 signatures at time of publication and the number of signees was steadily growing. It further stated students would no longer be silent to protect Harvey’s reputation because they want the school to stop suffering.
Listen to GHOGH with Jamarlin Martin | Episode 72: Jamarlin Martin
Part 2. J. Edgar Hoover, the first director of the FBI, may not be around but his energy is present in new Black politics.
“For far too long, our school has operated on the principle of keeping Hampton’s issues out of the public eye. … If our concerns are not acknowledged and addressed, Hampton University will continue to see a steady decline in admissions and donations,” the petition said.
Though the petition has since been updated, HBCU Buzz reported it acknowledged “Hampton University has grown tremendously in the 42 years … Harvey … served as President.”
However, it referenced outdated “standards” like “Hampton’s Business Pro Attire which discourages women from wearing pants and flats” and “the School Of Business’ Leadership Application Program, which prohibits students from having loc’ed hairstyles,” which prove Harvey has not changed progressively with the times.
Hampton students also have another petition calling for the resignation of athletic director Eugene Marshall Jr. for releasing what they deemed “a culturally insensitive and downright ignorant statement.”
Marshall drew students’ ire when he ended a tweet with “All Lives Matter.”
