Students Mount Protest Over Dormitory Conditions at Historically Black Shaw University

Students at historically black Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina, recently held a protest in the lobby of the administration building. More than 100 students gathered to protest what they said were deplorable conditions in student dormitories. Some dormitory rooms, built for two students, now have five occupants. Students said the dorms were infested with mold, the bathrooms are rarely cleaned, and some plumbing fixtures do not work. Some of the students in the protest wore duct tape over their mouths with the words “rats” and “ants” written on them.

University president Clarence Newsome met with the students and told them he will work to address their concerns. But he added that some of the problems were due to the fact that as many as 500 Shaw students had not fully paid their bills for the current semester.

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