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Dr. Eva Fletcher is the newly-elected President of the fictional Georgia A&M University. Upon arriving, Eva is charged with saving the prestigious HBCU from bankruptcy and her twenty-year marriage from crumbling while managing a tumultuous relationship with her rebellious only daughter. A diverse group of freshmen also promises to keep Eva's hands full.
After winter break, Eva is hit with the news that Terrence Berry's family is demanding a public apology; Cedric has his first brush with student activism; Cecil Diamond discovers Noni's betrayal.
An outbreak of norovirus on the GAMU campus leads to the discovery of a broken refrigeration system, forcing Eva to face Terrence Berry's family a second time to request an extension for the settlement payment.
Eva meets with an SGA leader to propose a solution to Georgia A&M's looming financial crisis; Noni makes a big play to win back Cecil Diamond's trust by using her computer science know-how.
Days after being hospitalized for an epic panic attack, Eva gets pulled over illegally for driving while black; Eva's arrest video sends Georgia A&M into a firestorm; Cedric and Ebonie get caught up in resistance fervor.
Faced with an accusation of having Xanax in her system, Eva fights for justice against the arresting officer, who has a history of racial profiling; Cedric, rising to a leadership position in the SGA, unintentionally betrays someone.
Tensions rise when an anti-merger protest deteriorates into a violent clash between an alt-right group and the GAMU students; Eva is excited to meet Atlanta State's president, whose career she has always admired.
The day everyone feared arrives when the Board of Trustees announce the merger is a done deal. Cedric and Ebonie bring back the resistance track to let the Georgia University System know exactly how they feel.
Eva discovers that a trustee is responsible for contract irregularities that benefit him, personally. Cedric and Ebonie feel “Rise Up Together” needs a hook, but the only singer who can do it justice is Cedric’s ex—Bronwyn.
Students learn the building they fought to protect faces demolition due to the merger; Eva learns there's an upcoming faculty vote to remove her from the presidency; BoJohn spots the star recruit quarterback on his turf again.
GAMU's students decide to take matters into their own hands; concerned about Bronwyn's alleged pregnancy, Cedric's mother pays him a surprise visit.
