Don’t call it a comeback! School is back in session at Howard University (HU), and already, the historically Black university located in the nation’s capital is on the search for a new leadership. The school’s current president, Ben Vinson III, announced he’s stepping down at the end of August… and you’ll never guess who’s set to replace him.
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Former Howard President Wayne A. I. Frederick served in his position until 2023. That’s when Vinson III took over. Two years have passed, Vinson III is out and Frederick is reportedly back in as the interim president, according to Howard’s The Dig. If you know anything about Frederick’s 10-year tenure, then you had to expect the HU community to have plenty of thoughts about his temporary return.
From 2013 to 2023, Frederick ran Howard as the highest paid president in HBCU history– all while students complained about financial struggles, mold in dorms and more. This, on top of the 2021 student and faculty protests against the administration, plagued Frederick’s time at Howard. Now, he’s back, and no one was ready for that news!
“Wayne’s back. That was not on my bingo card,” @BrashGentleman tweeted. Unsurprisingly, he wasn’t the only Howard alum left in disbelief over the news. @jhardy555 took to X simply saying, “Ain’t no way…”
Other folks on the app were furious about Frederick’s return. “I can’t stand Weezy [Frederick] for a myriad of reasons,” @tysavetheday said on TikTok.
“Wayne [Frederick] spinning the block is crazy but Ben [Vinson III] stepping down and it hasn’t even been 5 years is craziER,” @sunxshn added on X. Many folks made note of Vinson III’s relatively quick presidential tenure, declaring something has got to be wrong.
Vinson’s administration got wrapped in a financial scandal earlier this year, as we previously reported. Hundreds of students flooded social media after surprise tuition bills appeared on their accounts just before the fall semester.
“I’m sorry, but the WHOLE ENTIRE board at @HowardU needs to be replaced,” @CoachM_Wooten tweeted in response. “How you have a whole school of business and can’t conduct business in an ethical way.
HU Board of Trustees chair Leslie D. Hale said in a statement, “On behalf of the Howard University Board of Trustees, we extend our sincere gratitude to Dr. Vinson for his service and leadership as president.” She added, “We extend our very best wishes to him in his future endeavors.”
To Vinson III’s credit, Howard became an R-1 research institution under his leadership, we previously reported. This was on top of high-profile faculty joining the faculty like “1619 Project” author Nikole Hannah-Jones, historian Ibram X. Kendi and author Ta-Nehisi Coates. Back in November, Howard also hosted former Vice President Kamala Harris’ election night watch party. Still, folks on TikTok were quick to brush off Vinson III’s successes.
“He [Vinson III] demonstrated his lack in leadership skills by not addressing the major challenges facing the students,” @msj54_wrkjlmthi said on TikTok. “I guess he’s not equipped to handle the many issues and unanswered questions surrounding the debts for students.”
So now, Frederick’s return is set to usher in a familiar era at the prestigious university. @zpierson77 tweeted Howard “brought Frederick back oh that school about to go downhill so fast.” Others close to the HU community joked about nicknames for the former president. “Weezy F Frederick and the F stands for ‘FOREVA,’” @javrrivera wrote.
Vinson III is set to complete his term on Aug. 31, 2025. Frederick will officially join back on Sept. 1.
The Root’s Phenix Halley is a class of 2024 Howard University graduate.
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