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Famuan Staff Members Walk Out Over Pay Holdup

By Sidney Wright IV
Black College Wire

Because of Florida A&M University's failure to issue paychecks to the staff of the Famuan, the student newspaper, several staff members are on strike.

The staff members walked out after a Sunday meeting with Dean James Hawkins and Journalism Division Director Dorothy Bland of the School of Journalism and Graphic Communication and the newspaper's co-advisers James Stephens and Valerie D. White.

Photo credit: Dionna King/the Famuan Valerie White, co-adviser to the Famuan, and journalism student Sidney Wright IV, its former editor, helped plan the HBCU National Newspaper Conference at FAMU. The Famuan staff walkout took place the day after the conference ended.

During that Feb. 18 meeting, the administrators attempted to answer questions as to why the students had no paychecks and explained to them how crucial their role was.

"Obviously, it is an individual decision," Hawkins said.

"Each person has to decide that for her or himself. I would hope the students would consider the service they're providing the FAMU community while making their decision."

As reported on Feb. 9, a host of adjunct professors, teaching assistants, student media and interim workers that include graduate assistants had yet to receive a paycheck this semester.

Pam Bryant, FAMU public relations coordinator, said then that incomplete or inaccurately filled out paperwork by a particular college or employee could possibly be the source of the problem. However, she also said, "The problem could certainly be related to budget issues. We just don't know."

Hawkins said he would request on-demand payments for the students of the Famuan first thing on Monday, Feb. 19.

If granted, those checks would provide compensation for the students immediately instead of waiting until the next pay period.

Hawkins' plan, however, did little to calm some of the angry staff members.

"While the Famuan staff understands we provide a service to the community, it is unfair to have to work for free," said Driadonna Roland, a 20-year-old broadcast journalism student from Detroit. "It's not about the money at all. That's not why we do our jobs. It's just disrespect."

Roland, who serves as copy desk chief at the Famuan, said the lack of a paycheck is especially insulting because of the extra hours that staff members already put in and are not compensated for.

Samantha Long, the deputy online editor, said her decision to strike was based on principle.

"I've never seen an instance where you get people's attention by not being defiant," Long said. "If I would have sat there and pretended like everything was OK, it would have been a slap in my own face."

Long said she understood why the Famuan still had to go press. "I understand that we have advertisers and we have to honor those contracts. I think that printing just enough pages for the ads, and squeezing stories around them is a good compromise. I just refuse to be a part of it."

A few staff members did decide to stay on the job. Robbyn Mitchell, the business editor, said her decision was mainly based on habit.

"I'm continuing to work because I can't see myself doing anything else on a Sunday night, and I don't want to think of how the University would be if there was no Famuan," said Mitchell, a 21-year-old newspaper journalism student from Washington.

Editor in Chief Alaythia C. Burkins echoed that sentiment.

"I'm in full support of my staff, but I remain here because the student body still needs their news and information," said Burkins, a 24-year-old business administration student from West Orange, N.J. "I think everyone had to do what's right for themselves and their situation."

Burkins wrote a column in the Famuan saying her own lights had been turned off. She concluded, "Maybe the revolution won't be televised — many of us couldn't afford to watch it anyway. But at least it will be printed, thoroughly and accurately."

Sidney Wright IV, a student at Florida A&M University, is former editor in chief of the Famuan. To comment, e-mail [email protected].

Posted Feb. 19, 2007