A University of North Georgia cadet suspended for taking an embarrassing photo of a school official appealed his suspension Wednesday.
Dante Harris asked to be allowed back in the fall.
The university suspended Harris, a junior cadet attending UNG on a $70,000 military scholarship, for taking and sharing a photo of the assistant commandant, retired Major Richard Neikirk, standing in front of a urinal with his shorts pulled down, buttocks visible.
Local police also charged Harris with crimes, one a felony, related to the photo.
Harris was a standout at Columbus High School, despite being virtually homeless when his mother kicked him out his senior year. He was one of 42 students to win the military scholarship in 2014, which pays for his tuition, room, food, books and uniforms. It also entitles him to National Guard weekend drill pay, the GI Bill, pay for attending Army basic and advanced training and Army ROTC contract pay.
The two semester suspension will not affect his scholarship, said Amber Massey, a Columbus woman who serves a mother-like role for Harris.
Massey took Harris under wing during his senior year of high school. She found him a home, helped him register for SNAP (formerly food stamps) and encouraged him to apply for the UNG scholarship. She said Harris has to appeal because he won’t have money to live on without the benefits he gets through the GI Bill and drill pay. Harris returns to Columbus every summer because his scholarship does not apply to summer semesters.
Massey also worries about Harris’ ability to find a job with pending charges. Police charged him with unlawful eavesdropping or surveillance, which is a felony, and transmission of photography depicting nudity, a misdemeanor. He faces up to six years in prison and a fine of $51,000.
Harris has been arrested and released on bond but has not been indicted. If convicted, Harris would also lose his commission as an officer in the Georgia Army National Guard, a spokesperson said.
University officials initially recommended a four semester suspension but cut that in half after a disciplinary panel hearing Apr. 19. They noted he had no prior disciplinary history and seemed truly remorseful.
Massey said, “We’re grateful for everything, but we’re asking (UNG) to let him back in the fall.”
She is already receiving offers of support, however, that could pay some of Harris’ bills while he is suspended.
Floyd Hale, an Atlanta mediator, wrote to Massey in an email offering $10,000 for Harris’ needs until he gets back into school.
“I challenge others to join me in helping Ms. Massey and Dante achieve his great potential,” he wrote.
Hale told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution he was familiar with the problems Harris’ faced, having worked in food pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters and the Atlanta Legal Aid Society, an organization that provides free civil legal services to low-income clients.
“I’ve seen many young people struggling with the problems (Harris) faced in childhood,” he said. “I was amazed at how successful he was in overcoming them.”
As of Wednesday, Massey had also raised $855 through a GoFundMe account for his “rent, food, utilities, health insurance, and other expenses during this time away from school,” according to the account’s webpage. GoFundMe, which pulls a 5 percent fee for each donation, hosts fundraising campaigns for a variety of needs, such as medical and educational expenses.
Massey expects UNG’s provost to respond to the appeal within seven days. Harris can then appeal to the university’s president, whose decision is final. Niekirk can also appeal the decisions, Massey said.
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