FAMU meal plan purchases up

FAMU’s meal plan purchases climbed by more than 500 in Fall 2008. The total reached just over 3,000.

This number shows that FAMU’s dining services are becoming even more popular among commuter students, faculty, and staff. Only 2,484 students live on-campus.

From Fall 2001 to Fall 2005, meal plan sales steadily dropped and bottomed out at fewer than 1,500. But since Fall 2006, they’ve risen every year, going from just under 2,000 that year to last fall’s total of over 3,000.

Beginning in Fall 2003, FAMU’s Office of Auxiliary Services added a number of new concepts to the cafeteria, including Pizza Hut and KFC. It also developed flexible meal options to attract new patrons outside of its core customer base: on-campus students.

Recent additions such as Magic Johnson’s Sub Connection, the Rattler’s Nest, Jazzman’s, and The Deli provided even more variety in FAMU’s restaurant line-up that appealed to hungry, health-conscious Rattlers.

The surge in dining service revenue comes as welcome news as FAMU faces yet another tough budget year.

You might also be interested in: Campus Rattlers eat over $50K of pizza per month.

Violence erupts at BCU after students say Dean "sucker" punched student

A melee involving 150 people including students, staff members and bystanders broke out at Bethune-Cookman University after students say a "Dean" punched a student.

Check the video here:Video here

FAMU’s enrollment hits 12,115

As predicted, FAMU’s enrollment has surpassed the 12,000 mark. FAMU’s latest student count is 12,115. That’s 267 more than fall 2008’s total of 11,848.

A key factor behind the increase is the revitalized recruitment program led by veteran Director of High School and Community Relations Rudy Slaughter, which lured 2,047 freshmen to The Hill. FAMU’s bump in associate of arts transfers, which followed a vigorous recruitment tour that reached every Florida community college, also helped the enrollment total.

The State University System of Florida is bursting at the seams. This year, UF was the only SUS member that did not experience an enrollment increase. It actually lost 2,433 students.

UF’s slip permitted UCF to snatch its former title as the largest university in the state. UCF has 52,000 students to UF’s 49,679.

Levitt takes O’Reilly to task for FOX News’ “race deck”

FAMU College of Law Professor Jeremy Levitt, one of the nation’s premier public intellectuals, recently debated FOX News host Bill O’Reilly on the question of whether racism is present in the right wing backlash against U.S. President Barack Obama’s healthcare proposals.

O’Reilly asked Levitt to offer proof that racism was a factor in the wave of criticism against Obama. Levitt cited the 400 percent increase in death threats against the president since Obama took office and signs at anti-Obama rallies that depicted the commander-in-chief as an African witch doctor and monkey.

When confronted with those facts, O’Reilly responded that only 10 percent of the country is racist. Levitt shook his head and pointed out that O’Reilly failed to offer any evidence to back up that claim.

Levitt ended with the statement: “Fox News and the far right have a race deck, and they play the ace of spades every day.”

Check out Levitt's recent column on racial animosity against the Obama administration here.

You might also be interested in: Levitt pens book on Katrina Disaster

LeRoy Vann talks with Will Ayers, Jr.

Interview by Will Ayers Jr, a fall 2008 graduate with a B.S. in Broadcast Journalism and a minor in Graphic Design. Will is a very talented multimedia journalist with a creative mind who produced, edited and shot this interview.

Alum sworn in as U.S. Ambassador

Teddy B. Taylor, who earned bachelors of science degree in political science from Florida A&M University, was sworn in Monday as the U.S. Ambassador to Papa New Guinea and the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, all of which are off the northeastern coast of Australia.

Taylor had served as the deputy assistant secretary of the State of Human Resources of the U.S. Department of State, and previously served as U.S. Consul at the American Embassy in Budapest and the U.S. Interest Section in Havana, Cuba.

Undersecretary of State Patrick Kennedy swore in Taylor.

You might also enjoy: Obama nominates Rattler for ambassadorship

100rd sets to heal the world through music

FAMU tops Tenn. State 31-12 in the AFC

(AP) --Curtis Pulley threw for 315 yards and two touchdowns to lead Florida A&M to a 31-12 victory over Tennessee State in the Atlanta Football Classic this afternoon.

Pulley was 24-for-34 and threw second-half touchdown passes of 2 and 26 yards to help the Rattlers (4-0) rally from a 12-10 halftime deficit.

Pulley's 2-yard pass to Max Purcell gave Florida A&M a 17-12 lead with 5:11 left in the third quarter. Pulley then connected with Isaac West for a 24-12 lead with 14:16 left in the game.

Tennessee State (1-3) took a 6-3 lead on Preston Brown's 9-yard scoring run with 14:54 left in the second quarter. The Rattlers pulled ahead 10-6 on Philip Sylvester's 8-yard run, but the Tigers took a 12-10 lead on Calvin McNairl's 1-yard run with 59 seconds left in the first half.

100rd brings their "A game" to ATL
And, at halftime the FAMU Marching 100 put together one of the cleanest, most creative, and entertaining shows in quite sometime.

The 100rd brought Michael Jackson to life complete with face and glove, and did a halftime tribute befitting a "king". The band's concert rendition of "Heal the World", backed by the FAMU Concert Choir, was second to none.

As one fan loudly exclaimed, " the 100rd should be arrested for what they did to TSU's band!"

You can catch clips of the Marching 100's performance here, here and here.

Williams to deliver FAMU Founders Day address

FAMU has scheduled its Founders Day Convocation for Friday, October 2, at 10:10 a.m. in Lee Hall Auditorium. The keynote speaker will be state Rep. Alan B. Williams.

Williams is the president and CEO of MW Land and Investments, LLC, a property management and business development firm, founded in 2006.

In November 2008, he was elected to the Florida House of Representatives, District 8, which encompasses parts of Leon and Gadsden Counties. Representative Williams serves on the Energy and Utilities Policy Committee, General Government Policy Council, Government Accountability Act Council, Government Appropriations Committee, the Joint Committee of Public Council Oversight, and the Joint Committee on Collective Bargaining.

Prior to being elected, Williams was an aide to Tallahassee Mayor John Marks, serving as liaison between the community and the Office of the Mayor. He advised the Mayor on appointments to all city advisory boards and represented the Mayor’s interests as a board member for the Tallahassee Visitors and Area Convention Bureau and the NASA Challenger Learning Center Board of Advisors.

For his service, Williams has been named Kappa Alpha Psi Brother of the Year, Leadership Tallahassee Board of Governors Chair (2008), Statewide Council of Advisors for Leadership Florida (2007), Ebony Magazine’s “Twenty Future Leaders under 30” (2003) and many more.

He is a member of Leadership Tallahassee; Opportunity Tallahassee; Leadership Florida; area Chambers of Commerce; United Way of the Big Bend Board of Directors; and the United States Commission on Civil Rights Advisory Committee.

Williams is married to Attorney Opal McKinney-Williams, a FAMU graduate from Miami, Fla. They have two children, Adrianna Williams and Alan-Louis Portlock Williams.

Pulley named MEAC player of the week

While the Rattler Nation has been all "ga-ga" --and rightfully so-- over punt returner LeRoy Vann, quarterback Curtis Pulley has be quietly racking up MEAC Offensive Player of the Week awards. The MEAC announced Monday that Pulley had earned the award for the third consecutive week, this week.

Pulley (QB, 6-4, 200, Sr., Hopkinsville, Ky.) completed 11 of 22 passes for 182 yards and two touchdowns in the Rattlers 48-10 victory over the Howard Bison. He also rushed 13 times for 38 yards to help FAMU extend its record to 3-0.

FAMU enrolls 2,047 freshmen

FAMU opened its doors to 2,047 freshmen this fall. That’s 164 more than last year’s total of 1,883.

“We are thrilled at the increased number of students,” Provost Cynthia Hughes-Harris told The FAMUan. “We will make certain that they have a positive college experience both academically as well as through extra-curricular and co-curricular activities.”

To help with the increased demand for classes, FAMU hired 16 new professors.

Enrollment increases are critical to helping FAMU avoid deeper budget cuts and improving the university’s classroom usage rate. FAMU's past enrollment slump, caused by the actions of an incompetent interim adminstration, resulted in funding penalties from the legislature and a poor performance on the state's classroom utilization audit.

Opinion: Fix grade inflation before tying SUS funding with grad rates

Before pushing any proposal to tie State University System funding with graduation rates, Chancellor Frank Brogan and Board of Governors need to address a problem that their predecessors failed to fix: grade inflation.

Grade inflation has plagued the SUS for decades. It began to get close attention from the now- defunct Board of Regents in the 1970s. But a 2009 study by the Fort Myers News-Press revealed strong evidence of continuing grade inflation throughout the system.

In its 2005-2013 Strategic Plan, the BOG calls for “a revised funding formula that rewards retention and graduation. The goal parallels what a number of other states are considering. Ohio, Indiana, and Louisiana’s legislatures are all weighing plans to make college graduation rates a criterion in public university funding.

If grade inflation isn’t fixed before dollars are attached to graduation and retention rates, then the problem will just get worse. Professors will be under pressure to further shrink the already tiny number of students who receive “F’s” – regardless of whether those failing grades are warranted.

Princeton University is one institution that’s leading the way for reform by adopting a new grade deflation policy. It’s capped the percentage of A’s each academic department can award at 35 percent.

If the SUS does not keep up with this example by deflating its grades, then its graduation rate numbers will be viewed with skepticism across the nation.

Any revised funding formula also needs to take account of how student income backgrounds affect graduation rates.

The severe lack of campus housing in the SUS makes college very expensive for low-income students. Housing helps students afford more credit hours by cutting down the cost of living.

Considering the scarcity of on-campus housing in the SUS it’s no surprise that UF, which has a wealthy student body, is on top of the graduation rate list. The average family income for UF students is about $105,000 and only 22.1 percent receive Pell Grants. Most FAMU students come from families that make $30,000 or less. FAMU is also the only SUS member at which most students receive Pell Grants, with a total of 65.3 percent.

It’s easy for most UF students to call their parents and get extra money for rent, car gas, and food when prices go up. The majority of FAMU students can’t do that. That's why most FAMU students have to take smaller course loads whenever the cost of college increases. Smaller courses loads hurt the university's six-year graduation rate. If FAMU had more campus housing, the cost of education would be lower and students could take more classes.

And lastly, the FAMU administration needs be timely in complying with public records requests for its annual, university-wide GPAs. There was no excuse for FAMU’s failure to provide that information to the News-Press by the same deadline that every other university met.

FAMU law’s first-try bar passage rate remains about the same

The FAMU College of Law’s first-try bar passage rate stayed about the same as the last test-taking period.

In July 2009, 50 of the 95 FAMU law graduates who took the bar exam passed on their first try, or 52.6 percent. February 2009’s first-try passage rate was 52.3 percent.

Most other law schools in the state saw their first-try passage rates return back to normal after sinking across-the-board in February 2009.

FSU led with 91.4 percent of its students passing the test on the first try. The state’s first-try average was 80 percent and the average for non-Florida schools was 75.2 percent.

Many FAMU law students take the bar exam two to three times before passing. The law school’s overall passage rate is about 77 percent.

The full list of first-try bar passage rates is available below.

Study: Grade inflation plagues SUS

Many universities tout their high six-year graduation rates as a sign of academic excellence. But these schools are often quiet about a growing problem that frequently surrounds those statistics: grade inflation.

The Fort Myers News-Press recently investigated 12 years of university-wide grade point averages (GPAs) in the State University System and found what it described as “strong evidence of grade inflation at Florida and Florida State and moderate inflation at Central Florida, North Florida and Florida Atlantic.” (Click here for a spreadsheet)

UF’s average GPA jumped from 3.07 in spring 1999 to 3.30 in spring 2009. FSU had the second highest leap, going from 2.78 in spring 1999 to 3.05 in fall 2008.

UF officials are not concerned.

“If you look at the profile of our incoming students over the last 10, 15, 20 years, there certainly is an upward trend," said Steve Orlando, director of media relations. "The demand has increased so much that we've been forced to be more selective with our admissions.”

Stuart Rojstaczer, a former Duke University professor who studies grade inflation, doesn’t buy UF’s explanation and believes the school’s soaring average GPA raises a red flag.

“Some administrators and professors have tried to ascribe much of the increase in GPA since the mid-1980s to improvements in student quality,” Rojstaczer said. “Such quantitative efforts are of dubious worth because even the organization that administers the SAT test, the College Board, is unable to show that SAT scores are a good predictor of college GPA.”

Rojstaczer believes the biggest factor behind grade inflation since the 1980s is higher education’s adoption of a “consumer-based culture.”

“Students are paying more for a product every year, and increasingly they want and get the reward of a good grade for their purchase,” he said. “In this culture, professors are not only compelled to grade easier, but also to water down course content. Both intellectual rigor and grading standards have weakened.”

FAMU did not submit its GPA averages to the News-Press by the paper’s May 20, 2009 deadline. But Rojstaczer says his studies have shown that: “Non-selective public schools (typically with 15 percent rejection rates or less) with GPAs in the 2.8 range or less tend to have only modest grade inflation. Some have none.”

In fall 2008, FAMU admitted 3,518 of the 5,828 students who submitted applications. That’s an acceptance rate of about 60 percent.

Skyrocketing GPAs are not a new problem in the SUS. 35 years ago, Board of Regents Chairman Marshall Criser called the state’s grade inflation rate a “national disgrace.”

According to a 1974 BOR report that was cited by the St. Petersburg Times, “The toughest grading is at [FAMU] where only 48.4 percent of the grades were A’s and B’s in 1973, 28.3 percent were C’s and 15.5 percent D’s and F’s. FAMU also had less grade inflation.”

Alum joins Jones Walker’s Miami office

A FAMU alumna is making waves at one of the Gulf South’s biggest law firms.

D. Renee Jenkins was just hired as a special counsel at Jones Walter’s Miami office. She will specialize in business and commercial litigation. Jenkins is a 1999 magna cum laude graduate of FAMU’s College of Engineering, Science, Technology, and Agricultural from which she received her B.S. in Agricultural Business.

Jenkins is experienced in a variety of real estate and foreclosure litigation, as well as insurance litigation, insurance coverage disputes, insurance defense, and bad faith litigation. Prior to joining Jones Walker, she worked as a business litigation associate at Adorno & Yoss in Fort Lauderdale. Jenkins is a 2002 graduate of the University of Miami School of Law and also served as a judicial clerk for the late Honorable Wilkie D. Ferguson in spring 2002.

Jones Walker was founded in 1937 and provides legal services to major Fortune 500 companies; money center banks and worldwide insurers; and family and emerging businesses located in the United States and abroad. Today, the firm has more than 270 attorneys in Alabama, Arizona, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas.

U.S. Interior Dept awards $700K to renovate Sampson Hall

FAMU has received a $700,000 federal grant to renovate George M. Sampson Hall.

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced that FAMU is one of the 20 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) that will be a beneficiary of $14.25 million for historic preservation grants aimed at providing assistance in the repair of historic buildings. The Department made these funds available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for projects that will repair and preserve campus buildings listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

“The recovery funds not only will restore historic buildings on these campuses but also will provide a boost to individuals and companies performing the repairs, college communities and related local economies,” Salazar said.

Architect Magazine reports that “From 1980 through 2006, the NPS granted roughly $3 million a year to HBCUs for preservation projects, but the grants required matching funds, which many schools failed to raise. U.S. Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.) successfully pushed for increasing funding and easing the match requirements in the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.”

Sampson, a campus dormitory, was constructed in 1938. It was closed in 2003 due to various code violations. A 2003 FAMU housing study cited a number of serious problems in the building that included: nonconforming fire doors, inadequate fire alarm systems, deteriorated piping and plumbing systems, insufficient electrical systems, and inadequate fire sprinkler protection.

Re-opening Sampson will add 182 beds to campus, which is likely to give a boost to FAMU’s six-year graduation rate. Housing helps students afford more credit hours by cutting down the cost of living. Campus housing rental rates are usually much cheaper than private-owned apartments. Students also save money by using campus meal plans and walking to class instead of driving. That leaves them with more dollars to spend on courses.

You might also be interested in: FAMU seeking federal grants to help renovate Sampson and Young

Rattlers rout Howard 48-10

LeRoy Vann scored on two punt returns for the second straight week and Florida A&M beat Howard 48-10 on Thursday night. For the second straight week the Rattlers played in front of a nationally televised audience on ESPNU.

Vann, who scored on returns of 40 and 66 yards, ran back two punts for touchdowns against Winston-Salem State last week. The senior has returned seven punts for touchdowns during his career, tying a Football Championship Subdivision record set by Northern Iowa's Kenny Shedd between 1989-1992.

The Rattlers (3-0, 2-0 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) built a 34-10 halftime lead, highlighted by Curtis Pulley's touchdown throws to Kevin Elliott of 46 and 35 yards. Pulley finished with 182 yards passing.

The Bison (0-2, 0-1 MEAC) scored their only touchdown when Casey Council scooped up a blocked punt and scored from 30 yards away with 7:22 left in the second quarter.

Photo: Vaughn Wilson

Floyd Haigler completed 10 of 24 passes for 87 yards for Howard.

FAMU's 2010 football date with Miami could be in doubt

According to the Miami Herald, Miami may be closer to scheduling another BCS opponent in a Labor Day opener in 2010, forcing the Hurricanes' planned opener with Florida A&M on Sept. 4 to not occur or be rescheduled. Further complicating the matter is that date conflicts with a Florida Marlins home game, according to baseball schedules released Tuesday.

The Marlins have no home game on Labor Day, Sept. 6. That means the Hurricanes could play in prime time that night, possibly against Florida State or Virginia Tech.

Miami isn't expected to decide if it'll participate in another Labor Day matchup for several months.

Miami visited Florida State on Labor Day to open this season.

The Marlins will continue sharing Land Shark Stadium with the Miami Dolphins and the Hurricanes through 2011.

FAMU Connection celebrates 25th anniversary

At 8 p.m. tonight the FAMU Connection will perform its 25th Anniversary show, “Celebrate: No Turning Back,” in Lee Hall Auditorium.

This popular ensemble gives a high-energy performance of Broadway show tunes, contemporary gospel and music from the “King of Pop.”

The touring ensemble was founded 25 years ago by former FAMU President Frederick S. Humphries and Ronald O. Davis, professor emeritus and former director of the theatre program, to entertain and draw to college-bound students to attend FAMU recruitment fairs.

Comprised of students from different areas of study, the group continues to travel with FAMU President James H. Ammons bringing music, dance and information about the university to high school students throughout the Southeastern Region of the nation.

According to Wells, this performance of “Celebrate: No Turning Back” will be the first of several for the FAMU Connection this year. The Connection’s six-city fall tour schedule includes performances in Atlanta, Ga.; Orangeburg, S.C.; and several cities in south and central Florida.

“In celebration of our 25th Anniversary season, we are asking former Connection members to join us on stage in all the various cities,” said Luther Wells, director of the FAMU Connection. “It will be a Connection reunion.”

100 to play postgame encore in Miami

Yesterday University of Miami officials announced that due to popular demand, FAMU’s Marching 100 will hold a special encore performance after the FAMU-Miami football game on October 10th.

When the two teams faced off in 2006, many fans cleared the stands after the 100 wrapped up its halftime performance.

The encore performance, which the Associated Press describes as “an usual arrangement,” is almost sure to keep fans in their seats and boost concessions sales.

Franklin’s leadership alleviates differential’s strain on budget

Student Body President and University Trustee Gallop Franklin’s forward thinking has reduced the strain that FAMU’s newly-approved differential tuition will have on the university’s shrinking budget.

At Franklin’s suggestion, the FAMU Division of Administrative and Financial Affairs recommended that the Board of Trustees waive the seven percent differential tuition increase for students who qualify for the need-based Florida Public Student Assistance Grant (FPSAG). Trustees approved the suggestion at last month’s meeting.

With the waiver in place, FAMU's FPSAG students won’t have to request to extra grants or loans from the Office of Financial Aid to pay for the differential. That means FAMU can use its limited financial aid budget for other important areas of student need. FPSAG students will also be less likely to take smaller course loads as a result of the differential.

Now FPSAG recipients will only face the mandatory six percent tuition hike required by the legislature, instead the total 15 percent increase placed on the majority of FAMU students.

While the Florida legislature estimated that FAMU could raise $4.4M from tuition and fee increases, President James Ammons said that number is out-of-touch with reality.

The legislature makes tuition projections based upon the unrealistic assumption that every student will take a full course load.

FAMU’s housing shortage makes college very expensive for the student body. Most students come from families that make $30,000 or less per year. But the legislature and BOT simply ignore that fact and continue to approve big tuition and fee hikes that students can’t afford. That forces most FAMU students to take smaller course loads, which slows down their progress toward graduation.

The differential also threatens to harm FAMU’s recruitment budget by making it much more expensive to provide full tuition scholarships for in-state National Achievement Scholars and other top-performing high school students who are being aggressively recruited by wealthier universities.

In 2006-2007, FAMU awarded $3,536,804 in FPSAG dollars to 2,313 eligible students.

For 2009-2010, the minimum FPSAG annual award amount is $200 and the maximum is $2,069.

LeRoy Vann shatters two Rattler records

LeRoy Vann,the All-America kick return ace and DB who turned in a spectacular performance in Thursday's 34-10 victory against Winston Salem State set two new Rattler records.

o Vann's two punt returns for a touchdown, marked the first time a Rattler player had managed that feat in a single game in school history.

o Vann now holds the FAMU career mark for punt returns for touchdowns of five (5), surpassing All-American Howard Huckaby (1986-89), who had four returns for scores - all in 1988.

o Vann's second quarter punt return for a touchdown also tied the school record for longest punt return of 95 yards, set by Leroy Hardee, versus South Carolina State in 1958.

o Thursday's “returns” for Vann: 189 yards and two (2) touchdowns on three (3) punt returns, plus 39 yards on two (2) kickoff returns.

o In the first two games of 2009, Vann has 246 yards on eight punt returns, good for a 30.75 average and two (2) TDs… He also had 113 yards on five (5) kickoff returns (22.6 average).

o Careerwise, Vann has 1,268 yards on 46 kickoff returns, with three (3) touchdowns, while recording 710 yards on 37 punt returns with five (5) TDs.

Check out ESPN SportsCenter Highlights of Vann's work, where he comes in as highlight #4.

FAMU to get $1.2M in stimulus funds to train healthcare workers

Florida A & M University will receive $1,222,968 in federal stimulus funds to train additional of healthcare professionals.

The money will be used for scholarships specifically for disadvantaged students. Some of the areas FAMU intends to address are public health, biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental health, toxicology, nutrition, or maternal and child health.

"This federal funding is great news for FAMU and North Florida," said Congressman Allen Boyd. "Health and education are our nation's greatest capital assets, and this funding will help us to continue to provide quality healthcare and education for the area's residents. There is no doubt that many students and families in North Florida will benefit from these stimulus dollars."

These funds have been made available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Lyons-Holmes ticket loses big

Delegates of the nation’s largest black religious organization have spared FAMU the embarrassment of having Trustee R.B. Holmes and an ex-con serve as that organization’s vice-president and president, respectively.

Disgraced former National Baptist Convention, USA, President Henry J. Lyons and his runningmate Holmes received only 924 votes (or 18 percent) of the total 5,032 ballots cast.

The new president will be the Rev. Julius R. Scruggs of Huntsville, Ala., who currently serves as the convention’s vice-president at-large.

The election landslide represented a sound rejection of Lyons and his scandalous record. Lyons previously served five years in prison for defrauding the convention’s corporate donors out of $5.2M. He used the money to buy luxury homes and jewelry and support his mistresses.

The Associated Press quoted one convention attendee as saying, "if Lyons wins, every black Baptist will be looked down on in America because of the low standards that Lyons has had in the past."

With the Lyons-Holmes defeat, Rattlers won’t have to sit through years of negative news articles covering Holmes’ exploits in a tainted church administration.

Hayes applies for WSSU AD job

FAMU Athletic Director Bill Hayes is now an official applicant for the AD post at Winston-Salem State University.

The Winston-Salem Journal reports that one source in Winston-Salem and another in Tallahassee confirmed Hayes' decision to apply for the job. It also writes that: “Two candidates interviewed extensively, sources have said, but both later withdrew their names from consideration. They were Michael Bailey, the football coach and AD at Virginia Union, and Tim Grant, a former basketball player and assistant coach at WSSU.”

In a recent interview with the paper, Hayes said that he had a “soft spot” for WSSU, where he coached football for 12 seasons during the late 1970s and early 1980s.

WSSU Chancellor Donald Reaves refused to give the press any comment about the issue.

The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference has offered WSSU membership. Reaves said the school will formally announce whether it will accept that invitation this month.

Contaminants delay FAMU pharmacy’s Crestview expansion

Crestview officials are soliciting bids to remove asbestos and lead-based paint from FAMU’s future pharmacy building in the city. Until those contaminants are gone, negotiations on transferring the building’s title to FAMU are on hold.

According to the Northwest Florida Daily News, “an environmental assessment authorized by FAMU identified roughly 60 square feet of asbestos tile and 250 square feet of drywall containing asbestos that must be removed before renovations begin.”

It will cost between $15,000 to $20,000 to clean out the asbestos. Estimates on the paint removal are forthcoming. FAMU expects Crestview to remove any environmental hazards before signing the building over to the university.

FAMU plans to spend $10.2M in order to renovate the Alatex building and has already received $2.5M from the legislature.

The Daily News interviewed a city official who estimated that “the direct annual economic impact would be between $3 million and $6 million. Most of that would be generated through spending by the school’s estimated 50 graduate students, seven to 10 faculty members and 15 staffers.”

FAMU trustee joins ex-con’s ticket in bid to lead Baptist convention

FAMU could soon face a rash of negative state and national headlines if one of its trustees is successful in today’s National Baptist Convention, USA election.

The Rev. R.B. Holmes, Jr., a FAMU trustee and former vice-chairman, is the Rev. Henry J. Lyons’ runningmate in the later’s bid for the convention presidency. Lyons previously served as the convention’s leader from 1994 to 1999. He stepped down in disgrace after being convicted of racketeering and grand theft. Lyons also pled guilty to tax evasion and fraud. The charges involved $5.2M, which included money he stole from contributions intended to help rebuild southern black churches that were destroyed by arson.

Lyons spent about five years in prison and another five on probation.

Holmes originally planned to run for convention president with Rev. James Adams of Memphis, Tenn. However, his hopes were dashed after convention officials ruled that he did not turn in his qualifying materials on time.

“After much prayer, consultation, and soul searching Dr. James Adams and I have prayerfully agreed to support the candidacy of The Reverend Dr. Henry J. Lyons,” Holmes said. “Why? We believe that Dr. Lyons has asked God, this Convention, and this nation to forgive him.”

The ticket’s platform calls for developing retirement communities, building a television/radio ministry, and supporting historically black colleges and universities.

The convention will vote on its new leadership today in Memphis. The Lyons-Holmes ticket is being opposed by the Rev. Julius R. Scruggs of Huntsville, Ala. and Rev. Jerry Young of Jackson, Miss.

A Lyons-Holmes victory is sure to attract very negative attention from the St. Petersburg Times, which has written the most about Lyons’ troubles. Last year, Times reporters and columnists raked FAMU through the coals for hiring Holmes’ brother as principal of the university’s Development Research School.

FAMU seeking federal grants to help renovate Sampson and Young

Note: This is the third and final part of Rattler Nation’s special report on “Dorms and Degrees.”

FAMU has applied for federal funds to assist it in renovating Sampson and Young Halls. If awarded, the money will go a long way toward paying the estimated $13.2M price tag required to bring those two dormitories back up to code.

The university is targeting federal dollars offered by the HBCU Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) run by the National Park Service. Since its establishment in 1966, HPF has provided millions to help HBCUs renovate historical buildings that are in dire need of repair.

U.S. President Barack Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act appropriated an additional $15 million to HPF for up to 45 awards ranging from $100,000 to $2.5 million.

Sampson (1938) and Young (1929) Halls were both built during the Great Depression and would benefit greatly from the stimulus grants. A 2003 FAMU housing study cited a number of serious problems in the two buildings that include: nonconforming fire doors, inadequate fire alarm systems, deteriorated piping and plumbing systems, insufficient electrical systems, and inadequate fire sprinkler protection.

FAMU closed the two dormitories in 2003 due to the various code violations.

FAMU currently has only 2,484 on-campus beds for a student body that is expected to surpass 12,000 this year. Sampson would add 182 beds and Young would add 94, bringing the campus total up to 2760.

Financing housing renovations is a big challenge in the State University System. The legislature does not appropriate funds for housing construction or maintenance. The State of Florida used to make bonds available for these types of projects in the past, but is not doing so at this time due to budget constraints. FAMU is exploring private bank loan options in addition to its application for HPF money.

Re-opening Sampson and Young would likely give a boost to FAMU’s six-year graduation rate. Housing helps students afford more credit hours by cutting down the cost of living. Campus housing rental rates are usually much cheaper than private-owned apartments. Students also save money by using campus meal plans and walking to class instead of driving. That leaves them with more dollars to spend on courses.

Back when FAMU opened the Palmetto Street South (1993) and Phase III (1997) apartment complexes, lower division students (those with fewer than 60 credit hours) began taking heavier course loads.

President James Ammons recently announced that he’d like to see Sampson and Young renovated and re-opened by 2010. The university is in negotiations with Premier Construction to carry out the project.

SUS housing shortage a big factor behind grad rate differences

Note: This is part two of Rattler Nation's three-part special report on "Dorms and Degrees."

The State University System of Florida does a pathetic job of housing its students. The Florida legislature constantly requires universities to expand their enrollments but does not pay for housing construction.

Considering the scarcity of on-campus housing in the SUS it’s no surprise that UF, which has a wealthy student body, is on top of the graduation rate list. The average family income for UF students is about $105,000 and only 22.1 percent receive Pell Grants. Most FAMU students come from families that make $30,000 or less. FAMU is also the only SUS member at which most students receive Pell Grants, with a total of 65.3 percent.

It’s easy for most UF students to call their parents and get extra money for rent, car gas, and food when prices go up. The majority of FAMU students can’t do that. That's why most FAMU students have to take smaller course loads whenever the cost of college increases. Smaller courses loads hurt the university's six-year graduation rate. If FAMU had more campus housing, the cost of education would be lower and students could take more classes.

UF and FSU are also the two public universities that have the highest six-year black graduation rates (70.8 and 68 percent respectively in 2007). Both have decreased the cost of educating black students at their institutions. The Gators permitted their black freshman enrollment to drop by 27 percent in Fall 2008 while the Noles let theirs go down by 15 percent.

An important question needs to answered: Are UF and FSU strategically placing a high percentage of their dwindling black student populations in on-campus housing? If those two universities have big percentages of blacks in on-campus housing, that would be another important factor behind their high six-year graduation rates for African Americans. Housing cuts down the cost of living and helps students afford more credit hours.

Florida’s newspapers don’t ever look at this issue when they compare black graduation rates across the system.

Click on graphic to enlarge.

Data Sources: Ed Trust and Campus Explorer.

What's wrong with the 100rd?

We've all heard of the big elephant in the room that no one is willing to talk about, right? Well Saturday there were 420 elephants in Bragg Stadium that not many people are willing to talk about publicly. Those elephants, dressed in orange, occupied all of section "Q".

First, there was the poorly conceived "drill" and downfield march that, at times, left whole clumps of "orange elephants" lost and way out of line. What we saw Saturday WAS NOT a precision drill", but more of a casual we'll just show up "we're the orange elephants" you gotta love us drill. Precision was no where to be found.

Then there's the lack of energy, intensity and basic marching by the elephants. Do the orange elephants even march anymore?

Did anyone notice how the entire tuba section just seem to walk off the field never lifting a knee until it came their individual time to jump up and split?

Rumor has it the elephants were just handed the show to practice on Thursday. But whose fault is that?

"Precision in MARCHING, Perfection in MUSICIANSHIP, and so on and so on," should be much more than part of the orange elephant's motto, but would better demonstrated at every performance.

The show wasn't a complete mess, the concert selection and dance routine was "fire", and the orange elephants sounded really good. But the drill and the overall show concept didn't seem well thought out. The orange elephants can do better.

Here's a look at the competition. Notice the energy and intensity and how the transition from one aspect of the show to the other flowed well.

Housing gives boost to HBCU six-year grad rates

Note: This is part one in Rattler Nation’s three-part special report on “Dorms and Degrees.”

The historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) that exceeded the national average six-year graduation rate in 2007 (53 percent) tended to have something in common: they housed the majority of their students on-campus.

Arkansas Baptist has perfect grad rate

Arkansas Baptist College, a private Little Rock institution that serves about 600 students, led all HBCUs with a perfect 100 percent six-year degree baccalaureate completion rate. It houses 56 percent of its student body on campus.

President Fitz Hill also calls attention to the fact that the college offers “one of the most affordable tuitions in Arkansas.” 79.2 percent receive Pell Grants, which shows why it’s important to keep attendance costs low.

Spelman, Morehouse, Howard, and Fisk’s on-campus housing percentages ranged from 52 percent to 97 percent. All those institutions have six-year graduation rates that meet or exceed the national average. However, family income levels also play a very important role at those schools’ graduation rates. At all those colleges, less than half the student body receives Pell Grants. That means that those students’ parents are in a better position to help them pay for credit hours and finish quickly.

ECSU leads all public HBCUs

Elizabeth City State University in North Carolina topped all public HBCUs with its 50.7 percent six-year graduation rate. It houses 59 percent of its students. 69.9 percent of its students receive Pell Grants.

At a recent HBCU conference in the nation’s capital, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan highlighted ECSU as an example of an HBCU that offers a strong model for others to follow.

Unlike the Florida legislature, North Carolina lawmakers pay for housing construction at public universities such as ECSU. ECSU is also leasing rooms at the “Microtel” motel close to campus in order to provide even more beds for students. The university adjusted its shuttle routes to serve the motel and provided microwaves and refrigerators for the students living there.

FAMU performs comparatively well

FAMU actually performed well among the HBCUs that have very little housing. FAMU only has enough beds to house 20 percent of its students on campus. But even with that problem, it managed to post a higher six-year graduation rate than many other HBCUs that have more campus beds and lower percentages of Pell Grant recipients.

While speaking to HBCU presidents, Duncan warned that “just like other institutions of higher education, HBCUs cannot explain away big differences in graduation rates simply by reference to the usual suspects. The management practices of those colleges have to be part of the explanation -- and part of the solution.”

Below are two examples of common practices that many HBCUs will have to address in addition to housing shortages.

Poorly thought-out tuition policies

FAMU is an example of an HBCU at which the Board of Trustees is harming the graduation rate with its poor policy decisions. FAMU’s housing shortage makes college very expensive for the student body. Most FAMU students come from families that make $30,000 or less per year. But the BOT simply ignores that fact and continues to approve big tuition and fee hikes that students can’t afford. That forces most FAMU students to take smaller course loads, which slows down their progress toward graduation.

Open-admissions policies

Texas Southern University, which has an 11.6 percent six-year graduation, needs more than just additional campus beds. That’s why the university ended its previous open-admission policy last year.

Now all Texas Southern applicants are required to graduate from high school with a minimum 2.0 GPA and take the ACT and/or SAT (no minimum score). Students who graduate in the top 25 percent of their class will be automatically admitted. Any student who does not meet the University’s minimum requirements will still have the opportunity to enroll at the after successfully completing a conditional summer academic program.

These changes are sure to raise Texas Southern’s graduation rate in the future.

Data Sources: Ed Trust and Campus Explorer.

Click on chart to enlarge

17 year-old arrested in campus shooting incident

Police arrested a 17-year-old boy Sunday morning at a residence on Tram Road on three counts each of felony battery using a deadly weapon, firing a weapon in public and crimes against persons, said FAMU Police Chief Calvin Ross. Two other people were taken into custody but not arrested.

The incident left a FAMU football player, and as many as two other people, injured after the FAMU v. Delaware State football game.

Ross said the arrest was made possible because of witness cooperation and help from the Tallahassee Police Department. He said the investigation is continuing and more arrests are possible.

Florida A&M University football fans shouldn’t be afraid to come to home games, said Ross. “People should be alert but certainly not fearful to the point that they avoid games.” “This is at best isolated. The involved parties had no affiliation with FAMU except for the victims.”

A stray bullet shattered a bone in the wrist of Rattler running back Lonvontae Page, said head football coach Joe Taylor. Page was released from Tallahassee Memorial Hospital on this afternoon but is expected to have surgery Wednesday.

The injury will keep him out all season, Taylor said. Page, a sophomore, started at running back Saturday night and had 20 carries for 61 yards against Delaware State. He also scored a touchdown. FAMU won 21-12.

Meanwhile, members of the FAMU community expressed shock and sadness over the shooting, which happened about 10:10 p.m., more than an hour after the game.

Rattlers snag win in front of 17,209

The FAMU Rattlers managed to do something it hasn't done in its last four tries --- beat the Delaware State Hornets 21-12. The Rattlers managed to pull this off in front of a home crowd of 17,209.

The Rattlers' opening night attendance placed it about sixth among HBCUs behind Miles v Tuskegee (26,215), Virginia State at Norfolk State (24,325), Alabama A&M at Tennessee State (23,871), North Carolina A&T at Winston-Salem (22,000), and Prarrie View at Texas Southern (21,775). The attendance was particularly good considering the absence of a marketing push from the the athletic department.

In part, FAMU may have been on the receiving end of football crazed fans who also came to town to see Monday night's FSU v. Miami game. Still 879 fewer people walked through the Bragg Stadium turnstiles than did for last year's season opener against Alabama State.

As of this Wednesday, FAMU had sold less than 200 opening game tickets outside of its season ticket sales.

Given the high-hopes everyone has for the Rattlers sales could have been stronger with some kind of marketing push.

RN Special Report: Dorms and Degrees

Beginning Monday, we’ll be running a special three-part report on “Dorms and Degrees.” Join us for a comparative look at the relationship between student housing and graduation rates at HBCUs and State University System of Florida institutions.

And as always, we’ll take an in-depth look at possible solutions to the problems covered.

“Dorms and Degrees” – a Rattler Nation special report – coming up Monday through Wednesday.

Rattlers unveil new battle flags in 21-12 victory

Pharmacy students study in Jacksonville

From WJXT Jacksonville:

While the campus of Florida A&M University is in Tallahassee, students from one of their most notable programs study in Jacksonville.

The FAMU College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Studies places students in clinics in the area.

Growing up, Jenna Ezenwa, a student in the college's program, wanted to be pediatrician. "And then I realized in my 11th-grade year that I was squeamish, so I changed my major to pharmacy," Ezenwa said.

When it was time for her to look for a college, FAMU, a historically black college, was the perfect fit.

"We have an excellent program," said Dr. Frank Emanuel, professor of pharmacology at FAMU. "We can compete with any college of pharmcacy in the state or nation for that matter."

Emanuel said the six-year doctors of pharmacy program is competitive.

"Students usually have a 3.5 grade point average," Emanuel said. "In order to get into the program, they have to make about a 1200 on the SAT."

But in the end, graduates get hired.

After earning their bachelor's degree, students spend an additional two years getting hands-on experience in Tallahassee, Tampa and Jacksonville.

Although the campus is on the Southside off of Art Museum Drive, students intern all over the city.

Ezenwa studies at the Agape clinic on the Northside.

"The drug interactions that a patient may be having that you just didn't notice initially," Ezenwa said, "catching things that other physicians or other pharmacists didn't catch."

It's a difficult skill to master, but Emanuel said the hard work is worth it.

"We go out to the high schools and do career development programs," Emanuel said. Emanuel often recruits minorities in the Jacksonville area, turning them on to a career that can have big rewards. In spite of the economy, health professionals stay in demand.

For Ezenwa, who'll graduate from the program in 2010, that's reassuring.

"It definitely gives me peace of mind because you know that the store I'm working at now will probably offer us a position," she said.

The Jacksonville campus is relatively new to the area. It's been there since 2001 and now is trying to establish its presence by recruiting local high school students into the program.

FAMU places well in “public good rankings”

FAMU placed well on a new collegiate ranking list that challenges the methodology used by the U.S. News & World Report and instead, focuses on how well universities serve the “public good.”

FAMU received the 55th spot on the Washington Monthly College Guide’s list of the best national universities.

It was 3rd among Sunshine State universities, behind only UF (45) and the Florida Institute of Technology (53). The remaining ranked Florida institutions were: FSU (121), the University of Miami (130), USF (151), FIU (177), UWF (178), Nova Southeastern (210), Barry (227), UCF (228), and FAU (242).

FAMU came in 4th among historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). South Carolina State (6), Jackson State (22), and Howard (52) were the only HBCUs that managed to secure higher spots.

The Washington Monthly rankings deemphasize what the publication calls “crude, easily manipulated measures like alumni giving rates, class size, and that vague survey of reputation” that are the focus of the U.S. News’ list of top colleges.

Instead, it looks at three areas that measure a university’s contribution to the “public good.” They are: “social mobility (recruiting and graduating low-income students), research (producing cutting-edge scholarship and PhDs), and service (encouraging students to give something back to their country).”

“America’s best colleges are those that work hardest to help economically disadvantaged students earn the credentials that the job market demands,” said Washington Monthly’s editors. “They’re the institutions that contribute new scientific discoveries and highly trained PhDs. They’re the colleges that emphasize the obligations students have to serve their communities and the nation at large.”

FAMU was highlighted for being the Florida university with the highest percentage of students serving in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC). In that category, FAMU placed 22nd in nation.

CILJ showcases FAMU scholar’s book on Katrina

The FAMU College of Law’s Center for International Law and Justice (CILJ) will sponsor a "Meet the Editors and Authors Panel Discussion" to commemorate the Fourth Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina today from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The discussion will center on the highly acclaimed book titled “Hurricane Katrina: America’s Unnatural Disaster” (University of Nebraska Press, 2009) edited by Jeremy I. Levitt and Matthew C. Whitaker. Levitt serves as associate dean for International Programs and distinguished professor of International Law at FAMU’s College of Law. Whitaker serves as an associate professor of History, Philosophy and Religious Studies at Arizona State University.

Commenting on the book, famed intellectual Cornel West stated, “Professors Levitt and Whitaker have produced the book on Katrina we’ve all been waiting for. Don’t miss it!”

The panel will include noted professors from the University of Miami, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Florida International University and Northern Illinois University.

FAMU places 800 students in off-campus housing

The FAMUan reports that FAMU has placed about 800 students in off-campus apartments. Administrators also renegotiated the Venom Express busing contract with the city in order to provide routes that are convenient for those young men and women.

During freshman move-in week, FAMU’s housing shortage made big headlines. The housing department received about 3,300 applications for its 2,484 beds, meaning that 816 prospective students could not live on-campus. Officials capped the waiting list at 200.

The off-campus housing locations include University Courtyard, Adams Pointe, and Down Under.

Franklin, Hayes prepare for inauguration

Gallop Franklin II and Calvin Hayes' inauguration as student body president and vice president, respectively, is scheduled for Thursday, September 3, at 6 p.m. in Lee Hall Auditorium. The SGA Inauguration Ball will follow from 8:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom.

Franklin, a pharmacy student from Tallahassee, previously served as freshman and sophomore class president, a student senator, and a member of the FAMU men’s golf team.

Hayes, a public relations student from Orlando, served two terms as president of FAMU’s NAACP, represented the freshman and sophomore classes in the student senate, and wrote as a correspondent for The FAMUan.

The two have a variety of ambitious goals for this school year, including: subsidizing graduate and professional school standardized exam fees for students, creating student call center to solicit more alumni contributions, attracting more corporate sponsorships for the Marching 100, and establishing a campus wide mentor-mentee program for students in specific majors.

As a member of FAMU’s Board of Trustees, Franklin has become an outspoken voice for creative new policy ideas geared toward enhancing college affordability and creating additional revenue.

Campus Rattlers eat over $50K of pizza per month

Ever since FAMU brought Pizza Hut Express to its dining services lineup in 2003-2004, the restaurant has been a big success. Last year, its menu items brought in an average of just over $50,000 per month to the university.

KFC was the second best seller, with a total of about $50,000 even monthly.

Not to worry – FAMU students, faculty, and staffers liked healthier choices as well. The Rattler’s Nest, which serves fresh home-cooked meals, and The Deli, which offers made-to-order sandwiches, both made over $40,000 per month each.

Jazzman’s, the Sub Connection, Grill 155, and Food for Thought all sold $20,000 or less monthly.