I’m backkkkkkkk. Did you all miss me? I know, I know, it’s been about a year since I posted a blog about Chicago State University, but sometimes it is better to sit back, wait, and watch what happens next. Chicago State is like walking into an episode of Scandal. Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse, they do. Now, I don’t want to play catch up with you guys from the beginning of the school year until now, but I do want to say CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2020!! Although you all did not have a ceremony yet, you did it! The graduation rate at Chicago State is 14%. The odds were against you, but you survived 4 years of hard work, long nights, and the terrors of Chicago State University. 

A lot of you may be wondering if Chicago State University will be open in the Fall for the 2020-2021 school year despite the current pandemic, but CSU does plan to open their doors, but not to everyone apparently. On Monday, May 18th, the school held a virtual board meeting where they were in for a rude awakening. How inconsiderate it is for Chicago State’s baseball team to find out they are getting cut through a news Tweet on Twitter. The administration did not even have enough respect for the entire baseball team, the coach included. In case you all do not know, you have a greater chance of making It to the MLB at CSU than you do the NBA, but instead of investing more money into our baseball team who may I remind everyone has the highest GPAs out of all the sports and they contribute to CSU's already very low graduation rate, the funding will now go where, to what team, or to whose salary? 

We have students that come all the way from California and Nevada to play baseball at Chicago State with hopes of playing pro ball one day. How do I tell a senior who has one more year at CSU on a baseball scholarship that his dreams of going to the MLB is over because we may no longer have a baseball team?? CSU did not warn the players, their families or students that this was even on the table. But who did know in that department? Our lovely new athletics director, Elliot Charles. I would not be surprised if there was a connection between Z. Scott and Mr. Charles, because just like Donald Trump, President Scott fired anyone who was not her family, friend, or part of her loyal team of servants, I meant staff. Not only is CSU trying to ruin these students’ chances of going to the MLB, but they are costing families thousands of dollars who already signed a lease for the next school year here in Chicago for lodging. Not only are the students hurt and disappointed, but the parents who worked hard to send their children to school at CSU are LIVID, and if they really want to teach Chicago State a lesson, they would be preparing to sue this university for deception, for deciding their fate with no input, wasting their time and money. Need a quick fact check, read about this at https://d1baseball.com/stories/furman-becomes-second-institution-to-eliminate-baseball/ or read about it briefly below. 

President Scott, I always dedicate a paragraph to be all about you, don’t you love it? So, everyone, remember the Student Scholar Emergency Fund that we could apply for with a chance to receive up to $500? When I read the email about how the Chicago State Foundation and the staff raised money for students, I could not believe it. I was so proud of my school for finally caring about us (obviously not my car because the parking lot is not fixed), but I thought it was a step in the right direction.  Then, I found out where the money really came from. To refresh everyone’s memory, the email from Z. Scott is below.

This email states Z. Scott took the initiative to launch an emergency fund for students because of the pandemic and how hard it was hitting our communities. All students can apply for up to $500 who demonstrate the need for it. The Chicago State Foundation role was to oversee applications and determine how much the student will be awarded. You would have also thought maybe the Chicago State Foundation raised the money for the fund since President Scott stated they “developed” the fund. Then, President Scott, you had the audacity to add a link for staff and faculty to donate and says she deeply appreciates all of the advocates for students who came together to create this fund. Below, this is the amount fo funding giving to us by the U.S. Department of Education that our honest and loving President Z. Scott said her and the Chicago State Foundation put together.

With all due respect, how could you lie to us like that? See, Z. Scott, it was not the Chicago State Foundation that had a brilliant idea to raise money for students in need and set up a fund. President Scott, you didn’t lose sleep because students were forced out the dorms and some of the students had nowhere to go. This money was given to us by the GOVERNMENT CARES ACT. We received this funding based on the number of students the university has that receives the Pell Grant. CSU has a lot of international students and graduate students, so we did not get as much funding as other students with higher numbers. Students, YOU ARE ENTITLED TO THE MONEY. We shouldn’t have had to apply and been told we can get up to $500. CSU should fund everyone who was entitled to the money, their $500. See, Chicago State added the words “up to” to discourage some of us from applying for the full $500 because you thought, “oh maybe that’s too much, or maybe someone else will need it.” No, whatever is left over goes to Chicago State, and if our school President keeps blatantly lying to us, the money will go towards more lawsuits because some students STILL have not received their $500. Where is it?

Verbatim, the Department of Education NOT Z. SCOTT states, “The CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund-IHE/Student Aid provides funding to institutions to provide emergency financial aid grants to students whose lives have been disrupted, many of whom are facing financial challenges and struggling to make ends meet. Students cannot apply for assistance directly from the U.S. Department of Education but should contact their institutions for further information and guidance. Institutions have the responsibility of determining how grants will be distributed to students, how the amount of each student grant is calculated, and the development of any instructions or directions that are provided to students about the grant.”

See, Z. Scott, when you lie, you start confusing people. You had students reaching out to their student leaders confused because they thought they were entitled to a bigger fund under the Cares Act when documents were released letting the public know what schools received what amount of funding. With a screenshot of your lovely email a student asked me “I called financial aid and asked, and they mention that emergency fund is the same thing but it’s not because that was put together by community partners teachers and other people who donated. The cares act is from the government. Somebody is lying” (via Facebook messenger)

All of a sudden, the school wants to raise money. Can anyone believe that?? CSU would not even raise money for Veronica Williams, a fellow graduate student who passed away from COVID-19. Ms. Williams did her B.A. in the C.M.A.T. program here and was finishing her M.A in Geography, while taking education classes. She was a part of the Honors College, served in Student Government and was the Student Board of Trustee. Everybody knew who Veronica was on campus. The family only needed $3,200 and Z. Scott nor any of the other executive administration reached out to the family or even offered their help. It was the staff, faculty, her classmates and our student Board of Trustee who raised the money for the family of the deceased. CSU didn’t even reach out to the family to express their condolences or send someone to the funeral on the school’s behalf. Absolutely NOTHING was done to help this family or even express gratitude for all the hard work Veronica had done as a student and a worker. So President Z, you are only generous to yourself or your own pockets. The students still don’t matter to you and you show it everyday. Since this pandemic and no one on the campus to watch you, you and that provost have been reckless in your hiring and firings. We see you!!!

RIP Veronica Williams

Students, watch what our school President and her Board (not CSU's board) is doing. Chicago State University's baseball team started a petition and needs your signature. Please visit their website below, sign their petition today, and call our Senator, State Rep, and alderman.

https://csucougsbaseball.wixsite.com/savethecougs?fbclid=IwAR2lkNc_M68APBYDUXW7TanA5qTIeSZ2NEtLxqHbsoPY7ghQqvL-yADG-2I