Howard University's interim president confirmed that more than 200 of the 500-plus first-year students who got unenrolled for the fall are back in. That's progress, but let's be real: it's also a messy look for a school that's supposed to be a launchpad, not a roadblock. We're not here to pile on Howard specifically. Stuff happens, systems glitch, and universities are giant machines with a lot of moving parts. But when you're talking about 500 kids showing up for orientation and finding out they don't have a seat, that's not a small oops. That's a real problem with real consequences for real people, and it's worth saying out loud.
Here's what we'd tell a student who asked us about this: don't just assume your spot is safe because you paid your deposit. We know that sounds paranoid, but this story is a reminder that enrollment isn't a done deal until you're sitting in a classroom. For every student affected, we'd say: get everything in writing, keep copies of every form, and don't be shy about following up. That's not being annoying; that's being practical. And for the schools reading this, take note. Students are showing up with the same energy we have at WSU: we're not asking for handouts, we're asking for a fair shot. We plan ahead, we expect bumps, and we still deserve better than a "whoops" after we've already packed our bags.
The bigger picture here is about accountability. Howard admitted a mistake and is working to fix it, which is more than some institutions do. But readmitting 200 students is a start, not a win. What about the other 300? Are they still figuring it out? Were they given a clear path back, or are they stuck in limbo while the semester is already rolling? We'd like to see a concrete plan for every single one of those students, not just a number to put in a press release. That's the kind of follow-through we care about. It's the same thing we'd expect from a group project: don't tell me you're on it, show me the timeline and the next step.
So here's our take: this is a reminder that systems are only as good as the people running them, and that "future me will thank me" only works if future me actually has a spot. For students, the lesson is to stay locked in and stay vocal. For schools, the lesson is simpler: you can't build a community if you're unenrolling half your freshman class and calling it a Tuesday. We'll be watching to see how many of those 300 remaining students get their names cleared, because that number will tell us if Howard actually learned something or just put out a fire. That's the detail we're keeping an eye on.
