DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Students make a push for answers in a board of trustees meeting that, at times, got heated on the campus of Bethune-Cookman University.

Students want to know why the acting president and provost, William Berry, was not chosen by the board to become president in the fall.   

The the president of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, also known as SACS, who give Bethune-Cookman University their accreditation, was at the meeting. 

Students also attended the meeting, eager to make their voices heard. 

What You Need To Know

  • Bethune-Cookman University had their board of trustees meeting January 16
  • At the meeting, students pressed the board about why acting president and provost, William Berry, was not chosen by the board to become president in the fall
  • Also at the meeting,  president of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, also known as SACS, who give Bethune - Cookman University their accreditation

“We’re standing firm and we’re not moving until our demands are met,” student Eternity Bradshaw said.

Bradshaw is the president of the Student Government Association at Bethune-Cookman University. 

She said she wants SACS to look into the board of trustees. 

“We’re just asking that you’ll investigate this board. We’re asking for the resignation of trustee Adams, trustee Branch, Gibbons, Gamble, and Rhodes as they violated the acts of integrity, the principles of integrity,” Bradshaw said. 

The students want William Berry to be the next president. 

“The search committee recommended Dr. Berry, the search firm recommended Dr. Berry, another independent group that set up the presidential profile and interviewed him, took him through testing, asked various questions, they also recommended him,” Chairman of the board of trustees for Bethune-Cookman University Belvin Perry Jr. said. 

Even with those recommendations, Berry could not gather enough support. 

According to the board of trustee’s memorandum released in October, Trustees Crossman and Brown were absent and did not participate in the vote. 

Trustees Jennifer Adams, Jeff Branch, Pete Gamble, Deveron Gibbons, and Courtney Rhodes voted not to advance Berry as president. 

Students present are looking for transparency and answers as to why the board didn’t select William Berry. 

“It made me feel proud to be leading a group of students like that who are brave enough to step into a room with such powerful people,” Bradshaw said. 

As for what’s next, that’s still to be decided. 

“Where we go from here, that’s for the board to decide,” Perry Jr. said. 

In 2018, SACS placed Bethune - Cookman on probation. 

At the time, they said the university failed to demonstrate compliance with the governing board characteristics, financial resources, financial responsibility, and control over finances. 

Perry Jr. wants to make sure the mistakes of the past don’t repeat themselves. 

“I have no concern at this time about the loss of accreditation or even going on probation. My concern is are we truly listening to the voices of the students, faculty, and staff,” Perry Jr. said. 

Students credit Berry to the university’s growth. 

The board of trustee’s memorandum said that during Berry’s tenure, enrollment grew to over 3,000 students, including one of the largest freshmen classes with over 1,400 students.   

“If Dr. Berry was named president, none of this would have happened. We would have successfully continued that upward trend that the university was in since he’s taken over as acting president,” Bradshaw said. 

Perry Jr. says as the university moves forward, they will continue to listen to faculty, staff, alumni, and community members. 

As for who could become the next president, that’s still unknown.