Attorney: FAMU releases hold on degree of graduate who posted controversial photo
After posting what appeared to be a photo of her posing nude in front of the Rattler statue on Florida A&M University’s campus July 30, Miami rapper Terica Williams faced social media backlash and most importantly, a hold on her newly earned master’s degree in counselor education.
But now, it appears Williams and the university have come to a resolution.
FAMU reversed its decision to continue holding Williams’ degree after five months, and recently ruled in her favor, Miami attorney David Kubiliun confirmed this week to the Tallahassee Democrat. The update was first reported Nov. 18 by Miami television station, NBC 6.
“There was no evidence to corroborate the violations,” Miami attorney David Kubiliun said of the possible student conduct codes Williams was accused of violating by the university. “Ultimately they came around and made the right decision.”
Williams posted the photo, which went viral, on her public Instagram account on July 30.
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FAMU officials, led by Vice President for Student Affairs William E. Hudson Jr. responded by saying the university would investigate the action to determine if it violated student code of conduct, including violation of the Student Code of Conduct and disruptive behavior.
In the meantime, the university withheld her degree and issued a hold on her account, which effectively froze her transcripts.
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In a hearing held Sept. 13, Kubiliun and another Miami attorney Scott Egleston, both representing Williams, argued the university was violating her First Amendment right of free expression by withholding her degree for the photo that has generated over 60,000 likes on Instagram.
The initial social media post prompted an investigation by the FAMU Police Department. Investigators determined Williams wore a thong over a nude body suit and the grad student was not actually nude in the posted image, Kubiliun said. Therefore, she was not violating any Florida laws or statutes, said Kubiliun, a partner and chair of the White Collar and Criminal Defense practice group at Greenspoon Marder LLP.
“That picture she posted on her Instagram was photoshopped,” Kubiliun told the Democrat.
Kubiliun declined to provide details of the September hearing or provide any subsequent final resolution from FAMU. Egleston did not respond to a request for comment.
In response to an inquiry from the Democrat, a FAMU spokesman said the university would not be providing a comment, citing federal and state privacy laws.
In the meantime, Williams is reflective about the whole incident, and prides herself on being a FAMU graduate.
“I think that my picture opened up a lot of conversation and dialogue,” Williams, 24, told the Democrat. “I hope that a lot of people see it as me being my authentic self and still being successful.”
Williams said due to the hold on her degree, she was unable to be considered for internship positions with counseling firms without an official transcript.
Now with her degree intact and her transcripts released, Williams plans to proceed with her licensure process to become a clinical mental health counselor. She previously earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from Florida International University.
“I am a proud FAMU alumni,” Williams told the Tallahassee Democrat. “Going to FAMU changed my life. I will always love FAMU.”
Contact Democrat writer Alaijah Brown at ABrown1@gannett.com and on Twitter at @BrownAlaijah.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU to award Terica Williams degree after campus nude photo controversy
