Now that the Florida A&M University Board of Trustees has selected the best of nearly 40 applicants to be FAMU's 10th president, it is time for some changes on the board.Dr. James Ammons, chancellor at North Carolina Central University in Durham, was selected on Feb. 1 by a 7-6 vote over Dr. Thelma Thompson, president of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore at Princess Anne.
But to any fair-minded observer aware of the public actions and statements of four trustees, it is obvious that the closeness of the vote was not a reflection of how difficult it was to choose between Ammons and Thompson. Instead, the votes of trustees Laura Branker, Leerie Jenkins,Challis Lowe and Jesse Tyson were more anti-Ammons than pro-Thompson.
As the public will learn soon, FAMU is in much worse shape now than it was when Bryant arrived.
continue reading:Changes needed on FAMU BOT
Snakes among us!
how did branker's beef with ammons come about? was this a love affair gone askew, branker is painting herself as a woman scorned.
ReplyDeleteWilson is right. Too much hard work has been put into your institution for a few sour folk to be sitting there exhibiting a less than cooperative spirit. I don't know whether it is something personal, or as with Tyson, just an overall lack of understanding of Academia, but these folks do need to move on, and make way for a Board dedicated to stewardship, cooperation, and respect for the larger constituency. Come on FAMU stand up and make your views known to Crist, and to your State Senator, and to The Board of Governors. Do it for your future, do it for Pharmacy, do it for SBI, do it for federal dollars that are waiting to once again find a home on the hill, and do it for Dr. Ammons. Give this man a Board who wants to understand and support his vision for restoring FAMU to the national stage. Wake up folks, you (FAMU) should be nobody's little state school that waits for small time state of Florida powers to tell you what FAMU can or cannot be. Come on, you guys used to be a NATIONAL POWERHOUSE, that garnered respect. Don't you want that back?? Don't let these folk place FAMU in a box. Support your new Prez, and by the way congratulations!! God Bless you folks.
ReplyDeleteRemember who works for whom. Ammonds would work for the Board. Not the other way around.
ReplyDeleteWhy were those the only ones that were singled out. What about Allen and Benjamin, who also voted against Ammons?
ReplyDeleteAlso, Pamela Duncan has been suspect and all up in Castell and Co's grill from the beginning. She has been an avid supporter of the "decisions" they've made this whole time. I appreciate her vote for Ammons, but her longtime support of Castell/Lowe makes me question her judgement about future issues regarding FAMU. IMHO (since we're talking about clean-up), she gots to go, too!
Anonymous said... Remember who works for whom. Ammonds would work for the Board. Not the other way around.
ReplyDelete2/09/2007 3:15 PM
Yeah and they all work for the people of Florida, i.e., me, a darn taxpayer and I dare any of those idiots to try and mess with Ammons trying to right this ship. There will be plenty more folks just like me to contend with.
It's only fair that Ammons "right the FAMU ship" because he's among the boys who screwed it up. Don't be surprised when the PAPPAS "suggestions" show up on the hill. Pappas met with Ammons at NCCU. CEO Pappas even had a Freudian slip during the presentation of the PAPPAS REPORT at the BOE meeting. She constantly referred to "Central" when she meant to say "A&T".
ReplyDeleteHmmmm... that's interesting ... Whatabout the Cardenas factor? Al Cardenas is an old south Florida friend of CVB. Is Ammons a Trojan Horse?
ReplyDeleteAmmons has already said that there's no way he's going to let the state turn FAMU into a bachelor's only university. He is adamantly oppposed to the Pappas plan and has gone on record as saying that he will fight against it.
ReplyDeleteAmmons has the same guts that Humphries had and will stand up to the Pappas plan like the Humph stood up against 3 Tier.
Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteRemember who works for whom. Ammonds would work for the Board. Not the other way around.
2/09/2007 3:15 PM
Okay, with all due respect, you sound like one of those "small-time Florida powers that be", who wants to put FAMU in a box. It's simply a stuctural framework (put forth by JEB) to have these individual Boards to supposedly look after the interest of our eleven senior institutions, but please sir or madam go and ask somebody who the chief executive is at an institution of higher learning. It is the president or chancellor, and THAT my friend is a point which I am mighty afraid some on this current board will not admit to. Kwiktee, I understand your point. FAMU needs to get back into the National spotlight through scholarly research and that sort of thing, instead of paying all these consulting firms and taking care of friends and what have you. I get it.
kwiktee said...
ReplyDelete.... I don't know whether it is something personal, or as with Tyson, just an overall lack of understanding of Academia,
I am afraid this person is misguided. For your informaion, Jesse Tyson is an MBA, so how dare you imply that he does not understand what's going on with Flrodia A&M. He has been with the same prominent Fortune 50 company for over 30 years, is a respected leader in Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity incorporated, and well respected. Maybe if we had more likke him, Florida A&M would be beter run!! And you all need to realize Mr. Ammons works for the Board. He better understand it that
Well why, if Jesse Tyson is all that and a bag of chips, didn't he know that SACs is the highest level of accreditation? Obviously he had not done his research and if you don't do your homework you make an F. He's gotta go and Crist has already rescinded his appointment.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDeleteIt's only fair that Ammons "right the FAMU ship" because he's among the boys who screwed it up. Don't be surprised when the PAPPAS "suggestions" show up on the hill. Pappas met with Ammons at NCCU. CEO Pappas even had a Freudian slip during the presentation of the PAPPAS REPORT at the BOE meeting. She constantly referred to "Central" when she meant to say "A&T". 2/09/2007 7:47 PM
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Rufus, Vincent and Chuck shouldn't you all be dusting off that resume? Better yet, aren't there some reports past due? Check your email.
Anonymous said...I am afraid this person is misguided. For your informaion, Jesse Tyson is an MBA, so how dare you imply that he does not understand what's going on with Flrodia A&M. He has been with the same prominent Fortune 50 company for over 30 years, is a respected leader in Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity incorporated, and well respected. Maybe if we had more likke him, Florida A&M would be beter run!! And you all need to realize Mr. Ammons works for the Board. He better understand it that
ReplyDelete2/10/2007 4:20 AM
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Two points of clarification. An MBA doesn't mean you aren't stupid, i.e., George W. Bush, and now Jesse Tyson. Yelp he asked three stupid questions during the interview process followed by groans from the audience. Oh yeah, the brother just became an Alpha a hot second ago.
He has already proven he's not a leader by following Castell and Lowe and by asking those dumb arse questions they gave him.
He gets ab "No Vote of Confidence." Bush graduated from Yale and you know how the world views him.
No way can you that Tyson is not smart. He was smart enough to get on this board, which is just a pork barrel of opportunity for friends to take care of friends, and Jesse took advantage of his South FLA connection. So in a sense, he is getting the last laugh. He didn't understand accreditation, because HE DOES NOT CARE!!! Don't you get it? He's getting his, and sister you better get yours. If you have someone better suited to serve on the board, why aren't they on it?
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ReplyDeleteIGNORANT
As an Alpha, I can state affirmatively that Jesse Tyson is an embarassment the fraternity. During the BOT presidential interviews, he clearly demonstrated that he is not a man with the intellectual skills of brothers like Martin Luther King, Jr., Thurgood Marshall, or Frederick S. Humphries.
ReplyDeleteTyson is another opportunistic, thick-headed scoundrel in the tradition of James Corbin and the others who've brought nothing but destruction and confusion to FAMU.
Gov. Crist was right to rescind Tyson's appointment. Tyson is a clueless pretender who will soon be kicked to the curb along with all the rest of the riff raff that's been holding FAMU back.
Good riddance!
kwiktee said...
ReplyDeleteWake up folks, you (FAMU) should be nobody's little state school that waits for small time state of Florida powers to tell you what FAMU can or cannot be....
Well what I want to know is just who are these mysterious "state of Florida powers that be"? Are you referring to PAPPAS or what? 'Cause if you know something that needs to be shared, please do so !! - Concerned Rattler 79'
[i][b]As an Alpha, I can state affirmatively that Jesse Tyson is an embarrassment the fraternity.[/b][/i]
ReplyDeleteI have MUCH love and respect for a frat brother who will call it like it is, especially when it involves another frat brother. This is what's called being moral and principled.
iPamela Duncan stays. Just replace Branker and Lowe and we'll be straight
ReplyDelete6:08, I agree. Time for Spring Cleaning.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...Pamela Duncan stays. Just replace Branker and Lowe and we'll be straight 2/10/2007 6:21 PM
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Streetcommittee says Pam Duncan may change her vote on March 8.
I say get rid of her two-faced arse along with the rest of the hater bunch.
Don't forget the role she played in the audit debacle last year as the audit chair and how she covered up the Castell's $10.4M deficit; aided in the firing of Mike Brown and stabbed Corey Alston in the back.
Pam is worst than Branker because at least Branker ain't hiding her hate.
Pam gets a thumbs down.
Has Laura Branker resigned yet?
ReplyDeleteI was at the board meeting when Dr. Ammons was chosen to lead FAMU and I agree with that vote 100%. I also stood and spoke with two board members one of whom has only been at two board meetings. He stated that he and I quote "had been gotten a whole lotta e-mails from someone at the FAMU NAA concerning voting for Ammons and that it was annoying”, he then laughed with the other member and then the NAA President walked up and he began to tell the story again and add, “well who ever it was got who they wanted” and it had to be brought to his attention that the NAA member he was referring to was the President whom he was now talking to, and about. He looked like an idiot! MBA does not equal COMPETENCE! Furthermore, please know that not one member of any other state board of trustee at FSU/UCF/SFU/UF etc. has a member who does not know all the leaders of the major stakeholder groups i.e. Boosters, National Alumni, Foundations and any and all Major Donors! It is a disgrace that he sits on our board and I wouldn’t care if he founded Alpha Pi Alpha (no disrespect to the Alpha Organization) and founded BP himself it does not have anything to do with his ability to understand the complex issues of FAMU! Or at the very least do his homework and know the history of the University and its stakeholders who have given to the University and not simply been given a seat on its governing board. Now anyone who can argue with that is a damn fool!
ReplyDeleteYou are right he is the worst kind of fool. The kind that doesn't know when to STFU. His services are better used somewhere else. Now he's calling people in South Florida who he thinks has some influence to make calls to support his reappointment to the BOT via the Governor's Office.
ReplyDeleteGuess who these people are? Folks Castell has referred him to, the South Florida crew.
Has Laura Branker resigned yet?
ReplyDelete