By Jonah Hinebaugh
In retaliation to the possible consolidation of USF campuses, junior marketing major Mariah McQueen started a movement to oppose it.
McQueen plans, through her “Diverge the Merge” group, to host a rally on campus hoping it will influence more students to become involved in fighting the possible end of USF St. Petersburg’s separate accreditation.
During the first meeting of “Diverge the Merge,” McQueen said she was in contact with the University Police Department to receive approval for a protest of the bill.
The group started mid-February after House Bill 423 was introduced by Rep. Chris Sprowls, R-Palm Harbor. McQueen’s first step started with a petition, which has garnered 134 signatures so far.
“I’m not giving up. I’m not going down without a fight,” McQueen said.
“Within the next couple weeks before the protest, I think we need to work hard on educating the student body,” she said.
McQueen pitched possible ideas for the rally, including music to gain attention and student testimonials on why they oppose the merge.
“We are expressing students’ concerns which haven’t been addressed as much as outsiders’ voices. We basically have the city of St. Petersburg behind us,” she said.
The rally will take place at noon on Tuesday, Feb. 27, on Harbor Walk just outside of the University Student Center.
“I think this is important for everyone to hear, not just those on campus, and I think we can all agree on that,” McQueen said.
Header photo courtesy of Mariah McQueen
