Fayetteville State University alumni are petitioning university administrators to open the bidding for its food services contract for fairness and transparency.
The Change.org petition has attracted 150 signatures since its launch last night, and specifically calls for an opportunity to be given to Perkins Management Services Company Inc to bid for the contract. From the petition:
FSU alumnus Michael Randall, who helped to spread the petition through social media outlets, said that the petition allows for perspectives typically unheard in the administrative process to be recognized without filter.
“I think the petition was necessary because I feel an injustice has taken place and this allows our alumni the freedom to stand up and speak out against this injustice that is occurring and hopefully to help change this situation for the better,” he said. “(Perkins Management Services Company CEO) Nicholas Perkins is one of the most caring and honest people I know. The time and effort he has given back to our community and university is a testament of his love for them both. He purchased a cleaners that was closing in our community so residents could keep their jobs and not have to drive to another community to get their laundry done. Nick established a $100,000 scholarship for the (FSU) School of Business and Economics and became the largest donor in school history after bequeathing $1 million toward the capital campaign at Fayetteville State University.”
Perkins Management holds contracts at several historically black colleges, including Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, where the company and institution have partnered to revitalize commercial development in the city’s West End. He has endowed more than $1.3 million in scholarship funds at Livingstone College, Benedict College and Fayetteville State in the last six years.
In a Facebook post, Perkins expressed thanks for the growing alumni support of the petition.
I was touched today to see so much support for my cause. While there may be some who get caught up in statistics the heart of the matter is clear. I am thankful to the FSU Bronco Family who care enough to stand up for what is right.
FSU officials told the Digest that the university is in the process of reviewing concerns from Perkins about the status of the contract.
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