The Medium post, which has since been taken down, alleged that employees of the financial aid office had stolen $1 million while getting grant money. As reported in The Washington Post back in April 2017, Howard University had put in place strict financial aid policies because of about $22 million in uncollected tuition. If the allegations are true, Hankerson had hella nerve speaking out about the student-loan debt crisis … Whole time y'all stealing money.. Meanwhile, Twitter is having a field day with Hankerson — or the “Wolf of Sixth Street,” as one Twitter critic calls him — as he also ran a fashion blog and was known to wear expensive clothes, Yahoo Lifestyle reports. Howard Students Take Over Administration Building in Protest Amid Financial Aid Scandal The Founder's Library at Howard University, Feb. 29, 2016, in Washington, DC. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. An anonymous Medium post accused Howard University law student Tyrone Hankerson, Jr. of embezzling more than $400,000 from the financial aid office. Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Facebook. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Howard faced an embarrassing financial aid scandal last spring -- the university fired six employees in its financial office for fraud, which was discovered via an internal investigation begun in 2016. “I was alerted in December 2016 that there may have been some misappropriation of University-provided financial aid funds,” President Frederick said statement on March 28, assuring students that funds embezzled from 2007 to 2016 by university employees did not result in a loss of student financial aid. By EURPublisher01. Howard University President Addresses Firing Of School Employees Accused Of Stealing $1 Million In Financial Aid Funds. Howard University‘s current president Wayne A.I. Howard students have been demanding transparency in the scandal. The findings of the investigation corroborated concerns that students say they have long been suspicious and vocal about over the years. Upon learning of the misappropriation suspicions through the routine review of the University’s Financial Aid Office, Frederick says he worked together with the school’s Board of Trustees to launch a thorough internal investigation. Howard University is facing one of what could become several lawsuits stemming from a recent financial aid scandal.Tyrone Hankerson Jr., … In the wake of the gross misappropriation findings, Fredrick also confirmed that measures for ensuring something like this “never happens again” have been put in place. “My poor mother, breaking her back to pay all my "back balances" every semester fighting to register me into classes. A blogger alleged financial aid employees misappropriated nearly $1 million just a day before the announcement. Several employees from Howard University have been terminated following the conclusion of an ongoing internal investigation that found evidence of misappropriated financial aid funds allegedly totaling $1 million. Hankerson was personally accused of … How much, exactly, he wouldn’t say. Howard University students protested on Thursday following news that six university employees were fired for "double-dipping" financial aid. All rights reserved. ©2021 FOX News Network, LLC. or redistributed. Legal Statement. While most busy college kids might spend their days in sweats, one student at Howard University was a notable exception: He's accused of stealing $429,000 in financial aid … “What I have witnessed in my role are determined students who try their hardest to find a way through.”. According to the blogger, Howard University President Wayne Frederick allegedly knew of the scandal … finaid@howard… Approval for all grant-funded financial aid are now reviewed and approved by the University’s Grant Accounting Unit prior to being awarded by the Financial Aid Office. Fun stories about food, relationships, the great outdoors and more. Market data provided by Factset. Though he’s since deleted all of his social media accounts, stylish photos of Hankerson are quickly circulating. All rights reserved. “For many of my classmates, their families simply do not have the financial resources to pay for college,” he said at a student debt forum convened by Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Maryland Rep. Elijah Cummings. “[T]he story that was posted this morning fails to explain the full scope of my 7-year experience at Howard University and is most misleading if taken out of context.”, FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS. While most busy college kids might spend their days in sweats, one student at Howard University was a notable exception: He's accused of stealing $429,000 in financial aid from 2011 to 2017 to buy fancy clothes. ©2021 FOX News Network, LLC. 6 fired from Howard in financial aid scandal 00:34. Howard University has admitted to a financial-aid scandal and has confirmed the firing of six employees on Wednesday, March 28, who were involved. Howard President Wayne A.I. Schedule Financial Aid Appointment. March 29, 2018. Wayne Frederick, the school’s president, is pictured here in 2017. Market data provided by Factset. HU President Wayne A.I. Past and present HU students took to social media in an uproar on Wednesday morning, after an anonymous story was shared on Medium that included screenshots of records supposedly serving as proof of the theft accusations. Howard University President Confirms Financial Aid Scandal In Address To School. “The audit revealed that the combination of University grants and tuition remission exceeded the total cost of attendance. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. TWITTER USERS APPLAUD DAD’S CRUSADE FOR FIRED DAUGHTER’S COLORFUL HAIR. The University immediately engaged an outside auditor (RSM) to determine whether there had been any misappropriation of Howard University funds by staff in the Office of Financial Aid or elsewhere and if so, the magnitude of that misappropriation. Black Twitter Comes for Howard University Employee at Center of Financial Aid Scandal. The announcement came a day after an unnamed blogger created a now-suspended Medium post, accusing university officials of misappropriating $1 million of student financial aid.. Students Stage Sit-In At Howard University Following Financial Aid Scandal News - 3 years ago Elijah C. Watson Elijah Watson serves as Okayplayer's News & Culture Editor. Gray started the company while still in college, after winning $1.3 million in scholarships. However, Howard collegians largely aren’t buying it. “We are frustrated to see the University’s statement being sent to the press and not addressed to students first,” the student association tweeted that day. “The investigation found that from 2007 to 2016, University grants were given to some University employees who also received tuition remission,” Frederick continued. Social media posts detailing the misappropriation of funds led to campus protests by students demanding answers from the university. Janine Puhak is an editor for Fox News Lifestyle. They are not federal funds or donor directed funds.”. Six university employees … Hankerson denied the allegations against him through his lawyer with a statement to ABC News. The six employees were fired for “gross misconduct and neglect of duties.” Since reports surfaced of the scandal, a number of Twitter users started mentioning the name Tyrone Hankerson Jr., a Howard graduate student and financial aid … In addition to a $65,000 “University Need Based Grant” to a $22,683 “Mock Trial Scholarship,” as well as a $21,000 “Trustee scholarship,” a $6,000 “study abroad scholarship,” and a $5,645 university grant, the Medium story claims that Hankerson received additional financial aid awards and massive stipends from Office of Student Life & Activities and the Student Employment program. The man who has been the subject of criticism on social media for allegedly stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars in the Howard University financial aid scandal … “As part of this process, I was alerted in December 2016 that there may have been some misappropriation of University-provided financial aid funds.”. Now, Tyrone Hankerson Jr., a former student employee, has been named at the center of the controversy. Howard University is embroiled in controversy this week, after a whistleblower alerted the public to the alleged misappropriation of $1 million in financial aid by school employees. 0. An outside auditor found last year that university employees misappropriated financial aid funding over the course of nine years. ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc. "They search high and low for scholarships, they take classes over the summer at cheaper rates so they can graduate on time, they take semesters off, and they come back, and sometimes, when all has failed them, they are left with no option but to give up," he said at the time. After an Appointment has been confirmed, key instructions will be provided based on your appointment type. Special Billing (Third-Party Contracts & Payment Plans) Refunds. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms. In an April 2015 interview, Hankerson said that his work-study position in Howard’s Office of Financial Aid has given him insight to a larger national issue. Howard University President Wayne Frederick said Wednesday that six people had been fired in … By Latifah Muhammad. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Approval for all donor-designated scholarship awards are now reviewed and approved by the Controller’s Office prior to being awarded by the Financial Aid Office. A preliminary investigation detailing a recent financial scandal at Howard University was released on Monday and reveals that the malfeasance was … Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. The Office of Financial Aid … Black Women Designers From Nigeria, Ghana & America Share Ke... Black Women Leaders Promote a Day of Action to Confirm Depar... Approval for all awards of University Grants are now reviewed and approved by the Budget Office prior to being awarded by the Financial Aid Office. By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Mishandling of financial aid funds at Howard University led to a furious response from students and alumni. Note that University grants are institutional funds used to help support students with student charges. Questions concerning Financial Aid, including Eligibility/FAFSA/Fellowships/Scholarships/Tuition Remission/Loans & Grants, should be directed to the Financial Aid Office, located in Room 205 of the Administration Building. Please adhere to all communicated instructions as failure to do so will result in a cancelation of the scheduled appointment. Frederick issued a detailed statement in response to the news, sharing specifics about the findings of the internal investigation and confirming that a total of six university employees have been fired for “gross misconduct and neglect of duties.”, “In accordance with my commitment to continuous progress, in February 2015, I initiated a proactive review of the Howard University Office of Financial Aid to ensure the office was providing the best support to our campus community,” president Frederick said in the statement. Howard University students are looking for answers after several university employees were fired for alleged financial aid embezzlement. “When the truth comes out, it will be confirmed that I followed all rules and protocol with the approval of the, then, financial aid officers in any grants, scholarships or awards given to me as a student who attended class all year round and traveled abroad,” the statement said. "Yet, dude got a smooth $430K w/o being noticed. Some were quick to mock Hankerson, but others were sickened by the injustice of the situation. "The Tyrone Hankerson situation upsets me to the core bc there has been MANY times during my dealings w/ Howard I sat up at night & cried HARD bc financial aid played w/ my livelihood," another Howard Law alumni wrote. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. 5 Machine Washable Rugs Designed To Withstand The Heaviest T... Simone Biles And John Legend On Their Impactful Partnership ... Meet George! A Howard University law student is suing the school, alleging it allowed him to become the scapegoat for a financial aid scandal gripping the institution. I want reparations.". “This clearly is a betrayal of our trust and should’ve been addressed to the Howard Community months ago.”, WALMART TO REMOVE COSMOPOLITAN MAGAZINE FROM CHECKOUT LINES. Students of the historically black university in Washington, D.C. are protesting on Friday over the incident, as well as a larger scandal alleging financial mishandlings which came to light just recently, NBC Washington is reporting. Hankerson Jr allegedly scammed $429,000 from … Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. As a result, some individuals received inappropriate refunds. Howard University admits to 9-year financial aid scandal ‘Our demand is an answer’ — 50 years since Howard University protest Ex-officials call for commission to investigate Capitol attack “I immediately informed the Board of Trustees, and together we moved swiftly to begin an internal investigation. The anonymous revelation (which has since been removed), paired with the overwhelming response from both the student body and alumni, prompted an almost immediate response from the University’s leadership. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. An … On March 27, an anonymous writer by the name of “Veritas 1867” (in a likely nod to the school’s motto and founding year) posted a bombshell report to Medium claiming that $1 million in financial aid was diverted between 2013 and 2017. As a result, six Howard University employees were fired for “gross misconduct and neglect of duties” after the school had found that student financial aid money had been misappropriated. On Wednesday, Howard University President Wayne Frederick confirmed that financial aid officials had indeed misappropriated funds earmarked for low-income students between 2007 and 2016. As Blavity notes, if the allegations are true, Hankerson was brazen to slam the student-loan debt crisis a few years ago when he was a graduating senior. March 29, 2018 Several employees from Howard University have been terminated following the conclusion of … On March, 29 shocking news broke of six Howard University officials fired over participating in embezzlement scheme. I'm disgusted,” one Twitter user wrote. Revisions to the current review and approval process for financial aid funding prior to being sent to the Financial Aid office are as follows: University management is also “in the process of hiring for all remaining open positions in the Financial Aid Office and enhanced training on policies and procedures will be provided both to new hires and continuing employees.”, With regard to the terminated employees, president Fredrick says the University “will refer this matter for criminal prosecution, as appropriate.”. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Howard University President Investigated His Financial Aid Office & Six People Were Fired for … Two individuals allegedly involved in the scam were identified by name: Brian Johnson, former associate director of financial aid, and law student Tyrone Hankerson Jr., who purportedly received roughly $429,612 in grants and various scholarships through his undergraduate and graduate years at the school. Frederick confirmed Wednesday that members of … Rihanna approved. Howard University students protested on Thursday following news that six university employees were fired for “double-dipping” financial aid. In Illinois, some well-off parents found a loophole to get financial aid geared toward low-income families. ... How the college admissions scandal hurt families with disabled students. Samira Wiley And Lauren Morelli Introduce Daughter. The writer suggested that Howard University President Wayne Fredrick and his administration have been aware of this fraud since May 2017, and points out that at least seven senior-level financial aid officials “have either resigned or been quietly removed” since then. If true, such large grants for a single student are bizarre, as costs to attend the private institution in 2017-2018 tuition round out at $43,501 between tuition, mandatory fees, and room and board, according to their website. A group of Howard University students say they've taken control of the school's administration building and won't leave until their demands -- …