In Novemebr of 2008, students demanded change in their academic lives at Shaw University. Led by Jarrel Johnson and Eugene Johnson, students staged a silent protest in Estey Hall. From the protest, they hoped to gain a more challenging curriculum and make professors more accountable for their expectations.
Student Body President, Shaunte Brown has been very involved in making sure that the concerns of the students are heard by the administration. As a result of the protest, Brown says, “The Administration and the Board of Trustees have a greater understanding of the students needs and concerns and they know the students expectations.” Many changes have been made including random attendance checks on the students and faculty to make sure everyone is showing up to class when they are supposed to. The attendance policy stated in the student handbook is also being strictly enforced this semester. Shaw University also plans on adding two more majors to the curriculum, criminal justice and pre-medicine to accommodate more students and they are working on accumulating more grants for special programs. Senior Katrina Braxton, says that she has seen a few changes academically this semester. “The learning objectives for each course and a grading rubric are more clearly defined in the syllabus so that there are no discrepancies between the teachers and the students.” Fellow senior Jarrel Johnson, is not as pleased however with the changes being made so far. He is happy that teachers are being held more accountable for coming to class, but he hopes a clearer plan of a more challenging curriculum will come soon.