Page 8 - Florida Sentinel 5-29-20

Feature
Groups To Address USF Board And President About Lack Of Representation And Spending With Black People
BY GWEN HAYES Sentinel Editor
A recent University of South Florida System (USF System) report furnished to Tampa Organization of Black Affairs (TOBA) and the Satur- day Morning Breakfast Group (SMBG) showed that the USF System spent $289 thousand dollars with Black-owned companies out of $251 million dollars spent over a 9-month period, prior to COVID-19.
These stats were shared by the groups leading up to an upcoming meeting of the, Board of Trustees, its presi- dent, Steven Currall and
USF staff.
Currall was named USF’s
7th president in March 2019, and officially took the reins on July 1, 2019, following Judy Genshaft’s 20-year reign.
The members of TOBA and
SMBG have championed iden- tifying the disparities in spending in publicly funded and private companies in the Bay area for many years, USF being one of its focuses.
“The 2 groups have been
engaged with the USF System since 2011 and will continue to meet with the USF System President (now Dr. Steven Currall) and his team to col- laborate on all matters of mu- tual interest and common goals that include African Americans, among others’’, says James Ransom, Board Member and Chairman of the Economic Development Com- mittee for TOBA, and Dr.
Board Member and Vice Presi- dent of the SMBG.
Statistics tell the story, “the USF System continues to fail in its representation of Blacks in key positions of gov- ernance, leadership, tenured professorships and in its spending with Black-owned companies,” Ransom contin- ued.
“Other organizations and concerned individuals have played a role to help state a case for economic change within the USF System, as well. Some have urged the USF System to conduct a dis- parity study. In the interim, the current USF System spending data shows that the USF System must be chal- lenged over and over again.”
According to Ransom and Dr. Shannon, several years ago, an adhoc group, Citizens Who Support Equity, Fairness, Diversity and Inclusion (CWSEFDI) was formed to allow others an umbrella to address the USF System and other similar organizations that excluded Blacks.
The CWSEFDI is plan- ning to appear before the USF Board of Trustees and President to address this subject during the USF System board meet- ing on Tuesday, June 2, 2020, 9:30 A. M. at the Marshall Center.
“If you are equally con- cerned about this problem, come out and speak up!” Ran- som said.
Members of TOBA And SMBG will meet privately with USF’s president, Currall.
The CWSEFDI plans to speak about the under repre- sentation of African Ameri-
Larry
Shannon, TOBA
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