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"Mr. FAMU" Loses Title Over Grades

By Wesley Martin
Black College Wire

Photo Credit: Curtis Blue Jr./the Famuan Cyrah Hawkins, center, was elected Mr. Florida A&M University in February.

Cyrah Hawkins was elected Mr. Florida A&M University in February. But after FAMU Royal Court Adviser Nathaniel Holmes ran an eligibility check on the royal court, he found that Hawkins' GPA did not meet the requirement to hold office.

And on Oct. 6, shortly after midnight, student Chief Justice Kendra Rich stripped Hawkins of his title.

Students piled into the student senate chambers Oct. 5 for the trial of Hawkins v. Nathaniel Holmes and the royal court.

Hawkins, who was elected for the 2006-2007 academic year, appealed the writ of injunction that hindered him from performing the duties of that office.

Before the trial, Hawkins asked why the university would not want to have a Mr. FAMU present during recruitment since enrollment has declined.

After the verdict, Hawkins quickly stood and declared, "I will appeal this in the Office of Student Affairs."

For 119 years, FAMU has produced student leaders and elected officials of high esteem, said Whitney Murray, the attorney general for the Student Government Association, in the trial's opening statements. Most important, these students are leaders in the classroom, she said.

"Cyrah Hawkins has not continued the legacy of the university," said the junior political science student from Jacksonville, Fla. "The student body System of Statutes at 608.1A, 1, states, 'The following are requirements to declare for and to hold elected office: 1) The SGA President and Vice-President and Mr. and Miss Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University must have a cumulative grade point average of 2.8.'"

When the defense called Hawkins to the stand, he said that at the time of the campaign, his GPA was above 2.8.

Earlier this semester when the writ of injunction was issued, Hawkins sent the the Famuan an e-mail, which was later published, stating his GPA.

"I currently have a 2.733," said Hawkins when the prosecution asked him to read a sentence from the e-mail.

The defense argued that there were inconsistencies between the constitution and the statutes within it.

Adrian Jordan, 22, Hawkins' defense attorney, said there are only three requirements to declare candidacy.

The potential candidate must be an enrolled student, be full-time and not have been convicted of any major offenses.

But the justices did not see things Hawkins' way.

"It would be absurd for the petitioner to be allowed to serve in the capacity of Mr. FAMU with a grade point average below the par due to the language of the statutes," said Rich in the FAMU Student Supreme Court's verdict.

If Mr. FAMU becomes unable to serve, the runner-up from the spring election will fill the vacancy, according to the student body constitution.

If the runner-up is unable or unwilling to serve, a special election can be held if the senate approves with a two- thirds vote.

Last year, Tiffany Richmond, Miss Winston-Salem State University, was one of 13 students holding key titles or positions who were asked to step down at that school because their grade-point averages dropped below 2.5.

Wesley Martin, a Florida A&M University student, writes for the Famuan. Nicole Bardo-Colon contributed to this report.

Posted Oct. 9, 2006