Census ambassadors spread awareness

FAMU Census Information Center is joining forces with other precincts in Tallahassee on Saturday, March 20, to lead a group of volunteers in an effort to educate and stress the importance of the U.S. Census. They will target the 5,000 households in the FAMU community. At 8 a.m., volunteers will go door-to-door answering questions, handing out information, and emphasizing how critical it is for households to complete the census.

FAMU is working in partnership with the Leon County Planning Department and Marion McGee, the local Census partnership specialist. FAMU became a member of the Census Information Center Program in 2000.

“Some people have even called it a civil rights issue,” said Juanita Gatson, associate professor of geography in the College of Arts and Sciences, and director of the Census Information Center. “They call it a civil rights issue because the census directly affects decisions made in terms of funding for education, veteran services, public health, rural development, redistricting and environment. All of those things are impacted by the census.”

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, its mission is to serve as the leading source of quality data about the nation’s people and economy. The 2010 Census will help communities receive more than $400 billion in federal funds each year for things like: hospitals; job training centers; schools; senior centers; bridges, tunnels and other-public works projects; and emergency services. The data collected by the census also help determine the number of seats a state has in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Gatson noted that Tallahassee has approximately 60,000 college students. The FAMU Census Information Center established the FAMU student census ambassadors to target their colleagues, churches and community.

“I recently saw the census commercial and instantly felt the need to get involved,” said Allan Thomas, 22, a native of Fort Myers, Fla. and a business-marketing student. “It’s important, and our duty to bring awareness to the community. We often criticize each other for not participating in voting or in this case not completing the Census form, but what are we doing to change those habits.”

FAMU will implement a questionnaire assistance center in the Coleman Library from March 19 through April 19 to assist students with questions. There also will be assistance centers in the community as well as “Be Counted Sites,” where individuals can pick up a form and receive assistance with completing the census.

“We want students, student groups and churches to commit,” said Gatson. “We want everybody to come out and help us on March 20.”

HBCU merger arguments filled with faulty logic

Lisa Zhu, a senior at the University of Pennsylvania and columnist for the Daily Pennslyvanian, recently penned an insightful take on the public HBCU merger debate:

Recently, Georgia state Senator Seth Harp caused an uproar in the community of higher education by proposing that two of the state's historically black colleges be merged with predominantly white ones. Specifically, his resolution stipulates that Savannah State University and Albany State University (both historically black public schools) be merged with the predominantly white colleges, Armstrong Atlantic State University and Darton College, respectively.

Harp justifies the decision by claiming that historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are unconstitutional, and that merging them with the nearby majority-white schools would resolve financial problems stemming from the economic crisis.

Although the senator's second point may be partially correct, his assertion that HBCUs are unconstitutional is dead wrong. Unlike the "separate but equal" public-school systems of the Jim Crow era, HBCUs do not deny admission to non-black applicants nor do they offer preferential treatment for black students. The mere fact that the institution is predominantly black does not make it constitutionally invalid.

By that logic, all schools with student bodies made up of mostly non-white students should be shut down. Obviously, this line of reasoning would present quite a quandary in 2042, when ethnic minorities are slated to become the majority of the U.S. population. Furthermore, it is a bit hypocritical to make a fuss about majority-minority institutions, because the overwhelming majority of colleges and universities in the U.S. have one predominant race - white.

Continue reading here.

Keymáh returns to FAMU for “Crowns”

FAMU’s Essential Theatre and Lyceum Series will present "Crowns," a gospel-infused play, written by Regina Taylor and directed by Valencia E. Matthews.

Based on the book Crowns: Portraits of Black Women in Church Hats by Michael Cunningham and Craig Marberry, this play weaves together a variety of stories, characters, times and places as a young African-American girl tries to find her identity and place in the world. It takes grandmother and her circle of friends to teach the child about faith, fellowship and “church hat” fashion.

The play stars FAMU alumnae T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh, a critically acclaimed television actress. Her small screen credits include: In Living Color, where she created endless impressions and characters; Cosby, as Bill Cosby’s daughter, Erica Lucas; and That’s So Raven, as Raven’s mom, Tonya Baxter.

Crowns runs February 26 to February 28 in Lee Hall Auditorium. Performances are Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. with 2 p.m. matinees on Saturday and Sunday.

Meek trails as GOP primary turns ugly

While Charlie Crist and Marco Rubio wage an increasingly bitter battle for the Republican Senate nomination in Florida, frontrunning Democratic Senate nominee Kendrick Meek appears to be suffering from his party’s slipping approval ratings.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of likely voters in the state shows Meek trailing Crist by 16 points and Rubio by 20 in general election match-ups, margins that are virtually unchanged from a month ago.

While Crist, the state’s current governor, trails former House Speaker Rubio by the widest margin yet among Republican voters, he leads Meek 48 percent to 32 percent. Eleven percent prefer some other candidate, and nine percent are undecided.

Rubio now holds a 51 percent to 31 percent lead over Meek. Seven percent like another candidate and 11 percent remain undecided.

The candidates are running for the seat originally vacated by GOP Senator Mel Martinez. Last August, Crist as governor named his chief of staff, George LeMiuex, to serve the remainder of Martinez’s term, but LeMieux is not running for a full term.

Former Gov. Jeb Bush recently gave a hand to Rubio’s campaign by bashing Crist’s decision to endorse the federal stimulus package.

“Gov Crist is a talented guy,” Bush said in a NewsMax interview. “He’s about the nicest person I ever met in politics. But there's one thing he's done that I just find unforgiveable. That I'm aware of he is the only statewide political leader that embraced the stimulus package when Republicans were fighting to suggest an alternative.”

Meek’s numbers have been stalled in the low 30s for months, suggesting that he is still feeling the backlash like many Democratic candidates nationally from voter unhappiness with the bad economy and the national health care plan.

Thirty-six percent of Florida voters currently describe their personal finances as good or excellent, while 21 percent say their finances are poor. But 50 percent expect their own finances to get worse versus 16 percent who say they’ll get better.

Athough U.S. President Barack Obama carried Florida with 51 percent of the vote in the 2008 election, just 45 percent of voters in the state approve of his performance as president, with 31 percent who strongly approve. Fifty-four percent disapprove of the job he is doing, including 44 percent who strongly disapprove. This marks a slight improvement for the president from a month ago and is now roughly comparable to his overall job approval ratings nationally in the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll.

Both Republican hopefuls carry male voters by sizable majorities against Meek but win women by much smaller margins. Voters not affiliated with either major political party prefer the GOP candidates by roughly 30 points.

Mitchell elected NAA president

Thomas L. Mitchell, Sr. is the new president of the FAMU National Alumni Association. In the election, he received 607 votes (or 61.75%) out of the 983 ballots cast.

“As a Rattler who loves FAMU and feels indebted to the University for my development, employment, and the education and development of my entire family, I feel a responsibility to support and remain an advocate for FAMU,” Mitchell said while explaining his decision to run for the NAA’s top job.

“I want to provide positive leadership that will increase membership in the association, increase alumni giving and facilitate some of the changes that are absolutely necessary if the association is to provide the quality support that FAMU needs and deserves.”

A Tallahassee native, Mitchell attended FAMU from 1956 to 1961. While pursuing his degree in education, he played basketball and highstepped in the Marching 100. After graduation, he became a member of the Harlem Globetrotters from 1961 to 1964. Later, Mitchell served as FAMU’s director of alumni affairs from 1979 to 1990 and then directed the Black Male College Explorers Program from 1990 to 2007.

His three children are all FAMU alumni.

College restructuring possible

With looming budget cuts, FAMU’s administration might opt to reshape the institution’s college structure. The college reorganization effort that President James Ammons led at North Carolina Central University could serve as a model for a similar one at FAMU.

When Ammons came to NCCU in 2001, the College of Arts & Sciences had two-thirds of the student population. Ammons restructured it into three separate colleges (see description on the left).

“Why should an institution do this?” NCCU Provost Beverly Washington Jones asked in the Durham Sun-Herald. “No. 1, a growing student population. And if your emphasis is on the quality of education and assuring you're looking at retention and graduation and the advising of these students, it's going to be important that you create a structure that will support and augment the support of our students.”

Currently, FAMU’s College of Arts & Sciences has more than half the university’s student population.

If FAMU pursued the restructuring path, it would not be the first State University System of Florida institution to take this step. Florida State University recently merged its colleges of Communication and Information into one: the College of Communication and Information. In the FSU College of Arts & Sciences, the geology department will be suspended as a separate department but could be merged with meteorology and oceanography into a new Earth & Atmospheric Sciences unit.

FSU is laying off tenured and tenure-track faculty members as it continues to restructure its colleges. If FAMU divided the College of Arts & Sciences into two or more separate schools, it would likely mean fewer adjunct instructors, tenured professors, and department chairpersons.

Here’s what became of NCCU’s former College of Arts & Sciences:

College of Liberal Arts: Aerospace studies, art, global studies, history, military science, modern foreign languages, music, and theatre/drama.

College of Behavioral & Social Sciences: Criminal justice, human sciences, physical education and recreation, political science, psychology, public administration, public health education, social work, and sociology.

College of Science & Technology: Biology, chemistry, environmental/earth/geospatial sciences, mathematics & computer science, and physics.

Source: NCCU Undergraduate Catalog, 2008-2011.

BOT complicit in protecting Holmes

Under-the-table politics and general passivity on FAMU’s Board of Trustees have obstructed the process of holding the Developmental Research School’s (DRS) administration accountable.

Trustee R.B. Holmes, Jr., brother of DRS Superintendent Ronald Holmes, has wanted the board chairmanship ever since he received his appointment in 2001. But every time he’s sought the position, he’s come up short on votes.

With the exception of Art Collins, past BOT chairs attempted to placate Holmes after they won the election. Jim Corbin gave Holmes the Student Affairs committee chairmanship. Challis Lowe gave Holmes the presidential search committee chairmanship. Bill Jennings supported Holmes for vice-chair.

Last summer, Holmes failed to gather enough votes to even be competitive against Daryl Parks’ expected bid for the chairmanship. The possibility of Parks being elected chair was a threat to both Holmes and Jennings because he could not be pressured to placate either one of them.

At the last minute, Jennings (who did not originally plan to run for reelection) jumped into the chairmanship race with Holmes’ support. When the board convened for its election meeting, Jennings recognized Holmes to speak first. Holmes quickly nominated Jennings for chairman and Parks for vice-chairman (preempting any chance for Parks to be nominated for the top position).

Although Holmes lost the vice-chairmanship and did not receive another committee chairmanship, word has spread on campus that there’s an understanding that his brother will not be summoned before the BOT to answer tough questions about the increasingly bad situation at DRS.

DRS has spun out-of-control under Ronald Holmes. The school dropped from a “C” to “D” grade on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test last year.

Holmes failed to boost DRS’ student numbers enough to bring in the money required for this year’s budget. Enrollment only reached 544 this year after Holmes projected 600. The new DRS building is designed for 764 students.

At first, Holmes planned to lay off nine teachers to help him balance the budget. However, Provost Cynthia Hughes-Harris swooped in to save the jobs before Holmes could start swinging the ax.

The bad budgeting and poor recruitment program have forced Holmes to ask the school’s stakeholders for $175,000 by March 31st. DRS is running short on money to cover basic operational costs.

FAMU’s board has yet to ask Holmes to appear at a meeting and face tough questions about what he’s done to DRS. The BOT audit committee has not done any special reviews of DRS to get answers on whether the budget is being spent as efficiently as possible.

FAMU's trustees are sitting on their hands while the students, parents, and teachers of DRS continue to suffer.

FAMU alum receives Key to Tampa

Last month, Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio surrendered the Key to the City of Tampa to an unwieldy group of pirates during the Gasparilla Pirate Invasion. Yesterday, she willingly handed it over to the hottest sensation in late-night Tampa television.

Iorio presented talk show host Motown Maurice with the ceremonial Key to the City during the filming of The Motown Maurice Show.

On January 23, Motown Maurice began broadcasting The Motown Maurice Show on MyNetworkTV affiliates with the intention of reinventing Tampa as a competing market for late night television shows through his own creation: a high-energy late night talk show with “an old school twist.”

“Motown has such incredible energy and drive,” said Pamela Robinson, owner of the Law Offices of Pamela Y. Robinson P.A. and exclusive sponsor of The Motown Maurice Show. “I have no doubt that his show will put Tampa on the map for late night television.”

With a truly entrepreneurial spirit, Motown has already created his mini media empire in the Tampa Bay area. Motown graduated from Florida A&M University with a Bachelor of Science in broadcast journalism and soon launched his wildly successful open-forum discussion, Wide aWoke Wednesdays, at the University of South Florida.

The Motown Maurice Show developed from the success of Wide aWoke Wednesdays and has featured such guests as Bern Nadette Stanis from the ‘70s sitcom Good Times and Tommy Mikal Ford from the ‘90s sitcom Martin.

According to Motown, “We want to continue reintroducing over three decades of culture, one late night show at a time.”

The Motown Maurice Show airs on Fridays at 1 a.m.

Coleman joins FAMU foundation board

The FAMU Foundation recently announced the appointment of Hosetta B. Coleman to the board of directors. Her four-year term will expire on December 31, 2012. In her new role as board member, Coleman will be responsible for working with the foundation in the fiduciary management of its assets and its direct support to the mission accomplishment of FAMU.

Coleman currently serves as senior vice president and director of human resources for Fifth Third Bank (Tampa Bay.) She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Tuskegee University and an MBA from the University of Phoenix. Additionally, she holds a Senior Professional in Human Resources designation.

Coleman founded Tampa Bay’s National Association of African Americans in Human Resources (NAAAHR) Chapter and is still actively involved in the organization. She is an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the Development Leadership Council for the Center for Autism and related Disabilities at the University of South Florida and the Community Board for the Junior League, Tampa Bay. Coleman is a previous board member of the Centre for Women, Inroads, Tampa Bay Committee for the Arts, and currently serves on the Hillsborough County Community Action Board. She is a native of Tampa, married, and has two daughters.

Franklin reelected SGA president

On Thursday evening, Gallop Franklin, II became the first FAMU Student Government Association (SGA) president to win reelection since Tallahassee attorney Daryl Parks.

Franklin received 972 votes in the run-off election against challenger Kristopher Gibson’s 865.

The win came despite Franklin’s intense unpopularity with some members of SGA's legislative branch. In November, the Student Senate brought negative press to FAMU by launching a dead-end attempt to remove Franklin. Senators approved impeachment against him by a nine to 16 vote. The impeachment did not go anywhere due to the fact that the Student Supreme Court, which hears impeachment cases, did not have quorum.

Franklin’s tenure as student body president has had its ups and downs. He faced criticism over the selection process for the Homecoming concert promoter (who was later arrested after attempting to storm into 90.5FM’s studios) and the choice of performing artists.

However, Franklin has made progress in his quest to help low-income FAMU students who are struggling with skyrocketing college costs. He received a positive response for his more than $30,000 “student stimulus package” developed to provide students with money for book vouchers, study materials, and graduate school entrance exam fees.

As one of FAMU’s 13 university trustees, Franklin also successfully persuaded his fellow board members to waive the seven percent differential tuition increase for students who qualify for the need-based Florida Public Student Assistance Grant (FPSAG). 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.

In other election news, Kindall “Sunshine” Johnson was elected Miss FAMU, receiving 1128 votes over Jilyian Kelly.

The Miss FAMU run-off election almost did not happen, as the student electoral commission disqualified all the candidates. However Dean of Students Henry Kirby, acting on the behalf of Vice President for Student Affairs (VPSA) Roland Gaines, overturned the decision after finding the electoral commission violated the election code itself.

Misconduct and rule violations committed by past electoral commissions have led VPSAs to reverse many other disqualification rulings that occurred in previous years.

Apathy remains strong despite weak budget

Despite FAMU’s increasingly dire budget outlook, leadership bodies such as FAMU’s Board of Trustees, faculty senate, and faculty union still have not mobilized behind a number of policy ideas that could produce millions and save jobs.

In his “State of the University Address” on Monday, President James Ammons announced that the Florida Legislature is a discussing a possible 15 percent across-the-board in the public higher education budget. If implemented, it would rip $13.4M from FAMU’s recurring revenue. FAMU has already lost $26.6M in recurring revenue since 2007, but still managed not to lay off any permanent faculty members.

Florida is facing a $3B budget deficit in 2010-2011. While FAMU used about $4.7M in federal stimulus dollars to avoid laying off many university employees, the looming shortfall means next year's stimulus dollars won't stretch as far as this year's did. This is a big problem for FAMU because it doesn’t have the same ability as institutions such as the University of Florida to simply replace stimulus dollars with tuition revenue.

347 employee positions are being paid with stimulus funds that run out in 2011.

The bad budget situation is being made worse by the lack of leadership on FAMU’s Board of Trustees. Trustees continue to discuss options such as furloughs and layoffs but have yet to adopt creative options such as out-of-state student fee breaks, which FSU’s BOT is using to bring in millions.

Even worse, the faculty senate and faculty union still are not asking tough questions about why the BOT has failed to approve out-of-state fee breaks and other moneymaking options being used across the State University System. Those campus organizations have also been absent from the ongoing legislative debate on reversing the statewide decline in tax revenue.

Professors and staffers have not shown up in any significant numbers to support Sen. Al Lawson during the legislative committee meetings at which he’s attempting to close sales tax loopholes and create millions for higher education. They have also remained silent on bipartisan proposals such as Sen. Evelyn Lynn and Rep. Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda’s bill to streamline the process of collecting sales taxes from purchases made over the internet. Florida TaxWatch estimates that the state fails to collect as much as $2B annually from remote sales.

Although Gov. Charlie Crist also wants to increase the SUS budget, he will need citizens to lobby the legislature to approve his $300M Seminole gaming compact to help him do it.

Many FAMU employees are content to simply sit back and say: “I’m not doing a damn thing until the university reduces administrative salaries.” These individuals don’t seem to understand that they’re not the only workers who have problems with what public university administrators are being paid. Professors at UF and Florida State also complain about administrative salaries at their institutions, as well. However, none of the groaning about administrative pay stopped those institutions from laying off faculty and staffers. It didn't work at UF and FSU and it won’t work at FAMU.

Money talks. The FAMU workers who want to save their jobs only have a few months left to help the university find new sources of money to accomplish that goal.

All Miss FAMU candidates disqualified

On Tuesday night, a spokeswoman for FAMU’s student electoral commission walked out from the Student Activities Office covered in a dark green hood and orange jacket. Standing close to the door, she announced the list of newly elected officials and run-off candidates.

Then, shouting in a quick breath as she bolted back into the building: “And all the Miss FAMU candidates have been disqualified!”

The news provoked near pandemonium among the hundreds of spectators. Outraged students screamed: “What?” and “Oh My God!”

While chaos is not uncommon in FAMU’s student elections, a mass disqualification of all the candidates in a university-wide race has not happened in recent memory.

Each year, electoral commission disqualifications are challenged before the Student Supreme Court and Vice-President of Student Affairs (VPSA). Past VPSAs have overturned many such decisions, citing gross misconduct and rule violations on the behalf of the electoral commission itself.

This year is set to be another one full of election appeals.

Kindall "Sunshine" Johnson (pictured) received the most votes of the three Miss FAMU candidates, with 1399. Jilyian Kelly and Amber Scott received 1052 votes and 851 votes, respectively.

In other election news, two Tallahassee natives are in a run-off for the student body presidency. Incumbent Gallop Franklin, who received 1536 votes, is seeking a second-term against challenger Kristopher Gibson, who received 1281 votes.

Over 3,200 students voted in the election.

2005: Wright compares Castell’s critics to crack dealers

Back in 2005 the Rev. Joseph T. Wright, pastor of Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church, wrote an angy letter to the Tallahassee Democrat complaining about the “verbal abuse by some so-called ‘intellectual’ professors” against then-FAMU Interim President Castell Bryant.

“What is the difference in watching a gang-banger sell crack to children versus listening to educated adults use sophisticated, well-polished words to attack their boss and openly attempt to discredit her authority?” Wright wrote.

Wright must have slept through his high school civics classes. Otherwise, he’d know the answer to his own question. Freedom of speech is protected by the U.S. Constitution. Selling crack is not.

The reverend went on to say that any employee who publicly expressed a problem with one of Bryant’s decisions should leave FAMU. This came after Castell had destroyed the recruitment program and trampled over shared governance.

“When you desire to openly criticize your boss, please first resign and don’t bring reproach or embarrassment to the institution that butters your bread and has educated your children,” he said.

Wright added that “maybe it is time to encourage the students to boycott the classes of some professors who advocate this type of gang-banger behavior.”

Ironically, Wright later supported disgraced Rev. Henry J. Lyons’ 2009 bid for re-election to the presidency of the National Baptist Convention, USA. Lyons 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.

So let’s get this straight: Castell and Lyons are good role models, but professors who exercise their constitutional rights are demonstrating “gang-banger behavior?”

It looks like Wright is the one who needs to stay far away from FAMU’s students.

Rivers: Public HBCUs under attack for role in Obama victory

In a recent Orlando Sentinel op-ed, FAMU alumnus Larry O. Rivers weighed in on the HBCU merger debate. He believes the merger proposals are more about election politics than budget constraints:

Every major civil-rights victory elicits a backlash; and, few are as overtly discriminatory as reactionary state laws and practices designed to put black voters "back in their place." The South's history is full of examples. Poll taxes, literacy tests, grandfather clauses and whites-only primaries followed the 15th Amendment. Gerrymandering diluted the influence of heavily black population areas after the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Faulty felon purge lists disenfranchised thousands of eligible black voters in 2000, obstructing a wave of increased black election turnout partially sparked by court rulings that had led to new majority black congressional districts in 1992.

And now, following the inauguration of America's first African-American president, a backlash is brewing against a critical stronghold of his black Southern support base: historically black colleges and universities.

HBCUs occupied a prominent place in President Barack Obama's election strategy.

Back when many wealthy political donors considered his candidacy a long shot, he raised sizable contributions from his appearances at HBCUs such as Howard, Florida A&M, Hampton and Xavier.

Obama also led rallies at North Carolina Central, South Carolina State and Mississippi's Jackson State ahead of his Democratic primary wins in those states.

In the general election, three Southern states with vigorous HBCU "get-out-the-vote" initiatives — Virginia, North Carolina and Florida — went from red to blue.

Even in the southern states that Obama lost to GOP nominee John McCain, the rise in black turnout — widely mobilized from HBCU campuses — presented a serious problem for many Republicans locked in tight legislative and congressional elections.

Recently, two powerful GOP officeholders in Georgia and Mississippi (states Obama picked up in the primary) introduced proposals to weaken their states' public HBCUs. Georgia state Sen. Seth Harp wanted to merge two HBCUs, Albany State and Savannah State, with nearby predominantly white schools. Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, the politically ambitious chairman of the Republican Governors Association, asked his state's lawmakers to strip Alcorn State and Mississippi Valley State of their autonomy and make them extension campuses of Jackson State.

The timing of these propositions was no coincidence. Another huge black voter turnout for Obama in 2012, coupled with the reapportionment processes driven by the 2010 Census, could trigger shake-ups in numerous Southern legislatures and congressional districts.

Continue reading "Obama backlash fuels HBCU merger proposals" here at the Orlando Sentinel.

Holmes passes hat for $175K

Poor budgeting and lackluster recruitment efforts continue to take a heavy financial toll on FAMU’s Developmental Research School.

Superintendent Ronald Holmes, brother of FAMU Trustee R.B. Holmes, distributed a letter last month informing DRS stakeholders that the school needs $175,000 by March 31st.

Holmes cited the increased operational costs DRS incurred as a result of its recent move into a new $30.6M building as the reason for the money crunch. According to The FAMUan: “Bills for utilities, telephone, postage and copiers are estimated to be 41.8 percent higher than last year. Miscellaneous things such as lawn services, security and administrative fees are projected to be 100 percent higher.”

The letter asks 175 DRS supporters to contribute $1,000 to meet the $175,000 goal.

Holmes’ failure as a recruiter accounts for a big part of DRS’ current budget troubles.

Despite the fact that DRS has a brand new state-of-the-art building and the Leon County School Board recently shut down an entire middle school (Belle Vue), Holmes could not boost DRS’ student numbers enough to bring in the money required for this year’s budget. Enrollment only reached 544 this year after Holmes projected 600. The new DRS building is designed for 764 students.

At first, Holmes planned to lay off nine teachers to help him balance the budget. However, Provost Cynthia Hughes-Harris swooped in to save the jobs before Holmes could start swinging the ax.

The dire budget situation comes in the wake of spiraling test performance at the school. Even though Holmes was touted as a test prep specialist when he was hired, DRS dropped from a “C” to “D” grade on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test last year.

As Holmes looks for ways to balance the budget, he should begin by returning his $110,000 per year salary. It damn sure doesn’t look like he’s done $110,000 worth of work.

Rattlers who are sick and tired of the Holmes brothers’ shenanigans should also contact Gov. Charlie Crist and let him know how you feel about what they’re doing to FAMU.

In good hands: Friday-Stroud appointed permanent SBI dean

Sybil C. Mobley, the founding dean of FAMU’s School of Business and Industry, left huge shoes to fill. But ever since Shawnta Friday-Stroud’s appointment as interim dean last year, many SBIans have felt that she’s the right woman to carry Mobley’s torch.

President James Ammons agrees. Today, he announced that Friday-Stroud will serve as SBI’s permanent dean.

Friday-Stroud is a professor of management. After graduating from SBI with her B.S. and M.B.A., she earned her Ph.D. in business administration/management from Florida International University. In 2003, she was featured in the Black Issues in Higher Education as a “Standout Scholar.”

She has scholarly publications and consulting experience with public, private, and civic organizations in the areas of strategic planning, mentoring, leadership development, conflict management, and diversity training. In addition to her refereed publications, she has self-published two books, Take A.C.T.I.O.N.® and Cultivate Your S.P.I.R.I.T® , which offer professionals and individuals a simple holistic process for accomplishing more of their personal and professional goals in less time with less effort and stress.

Recently, Friday-Stroud chaired the leadership team for FAMU’s successful reaffirmation process with the Southern Association of Colleges of Schools.

The new dean has an ambitious agenda for SBI that includes expanding baccalaureate offerings within the school.

Dental school could be placed in vacant state building

If the FAMU administration acts quickly, it could cut tens of millions from the anticipated start-up costs of the proposed College of Dental Medicine.

Numerous state departments are moving out of their old downtown buildings and relocating to newly constructed office complexes in south Tallahassee. State agencies, such as public universities, get the first opportunity to lease or buy any state-owned building that becomes vacant.

State Sen. Al Lawson recently told The FAMUan that FAMU could place its dental school in one of those unused, or soon to be unused, state properties. By opting to lease and renovate an existing building, FAMU would not have to spend tens of millions to purchase new land or build a new facility from scratch.

Florida State University moved quickly to place bids for four state buildings that became available last year: Firestone, Warren, Winchester, and the Bloxham Annex. FAMU chose not to compete for those facilities.

A fifth property, the big Bloxham building (see picture below), is still available for the time being since FSU did not bid on in it. The Leon County School Board has expressed interest in Bloxham for years, but hasn’t had enough money to buy or lease it. The school board actually had to close a middle school, Belle Vue, due to recent budget constraints.

Another more modern facility, the Doyle Carlton building (see picture above), will soon become vacant as the Department of Revenue completes its relocation to the Capital Circle Office Center in Southwood. While a 2008 Department of Management Services study recommended that the state keep Carlton, the Florida government could still be open to leasing it if FAMU asks.

In addition to housing a dental school, vacant state buildings could also be renovated into apartments for dental and pre-dentistry students.

Rattler and fiancé win dream wedding

FAMU alumnus Jasmine Harris and her fiancé Gabriel Sheffield, an Alabama A&M University graduate, are the winners of Essence Magazine’s “Will You Marry Me?” contest for 2010.

Jasmine and Gabriel met at an after work party. The two work in different divisions of Lockheed Martin’s Manasas Park, Virginia offices. They eventually became a couple and she soon accepted his engagement ring in front of Essence Magazine’s cameras in Destin, Fla.

According to Essence, Jasmine and Gabriel “will receive a wedding gown from My Fair Wedding's David Tutera's own line, $10,000 dollars to spend on their dream wedding, cakes courtesy of Amazing Wedding Cakes, wedding consultations with Diann Valentine, and an amazing honeymoon in Maui!”

FAMU football schedule 2010

Jukebox pulling away from 100rd in ESPN poll

The Human Jukebox of Southern University is pulling away from the FAMU Marching 100 in EPNU's fan poll voting. The bands were each taking turns in the #1 spot earlier this week, before Southern began pulling away on Thursday.

At press time, Southern lead by 14,000 total votes and more than 400 first place votes.

In order to regain the first place spot, Rattlers are encouraged to vote as follows: #1 FAMU, #2 Edward Waters, #3 Clark , #4 Albany, and #5 Johnson C Smith. Voting this way will prevent unintended points going to our top competitors.

FAMU loaning NASA lunar and meteorite samples

Genniver C. Bell, dean of FAMU’s College of Education, and Edith G. Davis, an assistant professor in the College of Education, recently announced a loan agreement with National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for lunar and meteorite samples. These samples will be used in labs and classes to educate FAMU students in the College of Education in the area of science as well as students in the community.

“Our focus is to train our students to be great science educators in the College of Education,” said Bell. “With this loan agreement, we want to broaden students’ knowledge in the sciences and for them to experience something they wouldn’t ordinary experience.”

Bell said that this is Davis’ first year in the College of Education.

“She is doing a wonderful job in engaging our students,” said Bell.

Davis also is the first African-American female in the country to become a geophysicist. She received a B.S. in geology/mathematics from the University of Miami, a M.S. in geophysics from Stanford University, an MBA from the University of Texas, and the doctorate in science education and research from Baylor University.

Students at FAMU Developmental Research School had an opportunity to see and touch some of the lunar rocks and samples.

“I found this very interesting,” said Aaron Baker, a junior at FAMU-DRS. “Sometimes it’s hard to grasp neutrons, protons, and negative and positive charges but the way she (Davis) presented, it was fun.”

During the announcement, Davis did a song that she uses in her classroom to help students to understand the atmosphere, the biosphere, matter, neutrons, protons, etc. She said learning should be fun.

“I had great, phenomenal teachers and great parents,” said Davis. “My mother was a science teacher. I love making science come alive.”

Breanna Benjamin, a student at FAMU-DRS, said that Davis made it fun and that she would like to have Davis as a teacher.

“I feel she is a teacher that could take your weaknesses and make them stronger and take your strengths and make them even stronger,” Benjamin said.

According to NASA’s website, the disks (samples) must be secured, while not in use, in a safe or vault-type safe or cabinet with a bar and combination lock. The disks must be under constant surveillance of a certified user while in use. Davis has been certified to handle the lunar rocks for nearly eight years.

100 captivates Super Bowl XLIV audience

Magee, McElroy finalists for AD

FAMU has two finalists for its director of athletics post. An announcement on the new AD could come as soon as next week.

Derrick Magee
Magee joined the University of Cincinnati department of athletics in October of 2008 as the chief business officer. He develops and monitors the budget performance and strategic planning for the department of athletics and Fifth Third Arena, which encompasses UC's 18 sports and 15 administrative and support areas.

In addition, he oversees and coordinates the department's business, personnel, and payroll operations, which has more than 120 employees. Magee is also responsible for preparing all University, BIG EAST Conference, NCAA, and public financial reports and surveys for the department.

Since graduating from college in 2000 with a bachelor's degree in physical education/sport management from Florida A&M, Magee has developed a diverse resume that includes experience as a coach, teacher, and administrator in varying areas of business, including the high school, college, and professional ranks.

Magee went Cincinnati from the University of the Pacific where he was the school's assistant director of athletics for finance and internal affairs since 2006. Prior to Pacific, he worked as a management financial training consultant with the Denny's Corporation and before that as a public school teacher and coach for the Ceres ( CA) Unified and the Jefferson County (FL) School Districts from 2002-05.

Out of college, Magee was the athletics business manager and an assistant men's basketball coach at Florida A&M from 1999-2001, before moving on to the NBA's Orlando Magic as a business development intern in 2002.

Magee is currently working on his doctorate in higher education administration through the University of the Pacific.

Mary McElroy
McElroy most recently served as Southern Methodist University's senior associate athletic director for compliance.

McElroy came to SMU from Georgia State University, where she served as director of athletics for three years. At GSU, McElroy successfully launched a football program which will begin play in 2010. McElroy also led Georgia State through a smooth transition to the Colonial Athletic Association in 2005.

In 2006, the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators (NACWAA) named McElroy as the NCAA Division I-AAA Administrator of the Year.

McElroy's athletic management career began in 1992 at the Naval Academy, where she worked her way up to assistant athletic director and senior woman administrator. McElroy previously spent time working at Georgia Tech, first serving as director of compliance before being promoted to senior associate director of athletics and senior woman administrator.

She is a former Marine Corps Captain and holds a master's degree in management at Georgia Tech in 2000.

FAMU off NCAA probation

The National Collegiate Athletic Association announced today that Florida A&M University's 4-year probation has ended.

FAMU President James H. Ammons was notified by letter from James A. Elworth, the NCAA Assistant Director of the Committee on Infractions. Elworth wrote, that the FAMU Athletics Department probationary period ended on January 31, 2010.

“This has been a difficult time for us in some respects. All though we have achieved success in our athletic programs during this probationary period, we now have this behind us and I fully expect as we go forward, that we will remain committed to compliance with the NCAA,” said Ammons.

FAMU was placed on NCAA probation on February 1, 2006 for the following infractions:

Sixty-seven student-athletes competed even though they did not complete the required 24 credit hours in a given year.

Thirty-four student-athletes competed despite not meeting NCAA progress-toward-degree requirements.

More than 100 student-athletes practiced and competed before completing required NCAA paperwork.

Twenty-two practiced and competed before their high school transcripts were reviewed and before they received certification of their academic eligibility.

One student-athlete was allowed to compete despite not choosing a major before her third year of enrollment.

One student-athlete competed without meeting minimum grade-point average requirements.

The committee also found that during the 2004-2005 season, the football team exceeded the 20-hour weekly limit on athletically related activities. However, due to poor record keeping, the exact dates and amounts of excessive practice were not available.

In assigning penalties, the committee considered the institution’s corrective actions, including enhancements made to its compliance and educational programs. It also considered conference-imposed penalties, including the return of $175,000 in revenue sharing and vacation of contests and conference championships where ineligible student-athletes competed. The institution’s self-imposed penalties also were considered.

Legislature might act on dental school without BOG

Despite Florida’s severe dentist shortage and paltry number of black dental students, the Board of Governors has dragged its feet in scheduling a vote on FAMU’s proposed College of Dental Medicine. State lawmakers might soon take up FAMU’s request for $1.5M in dental school planning funds without the BOG’s formal recommendation.

Sen. Alfred “Al” Lawson told The FAMUan he’s working to get the planning money into the Florida Senate’s budget.

“[The Board of Governors members] don’t feel like FAMU needs a dental school at this time,” Lawson said. He added that the BOG seems to think that “this is not the best time because the economy is really tough, and universities are already having problems with funding.”

Florida’s ongoing budget problems didn’t stop the BOG from approving an expensive new doctor of pharmacy program at the University of South Florida designed with explicit intent of competing against FAMU’s own College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

The legislature still holds all the cards when it comes to establishing new health professional programs in the Sunshine State.

Even though the BOG can approve new programs, it has no authority over the state boards which grant health professional licenses. Those boards are all part of the Florida Department of Health, which operates under the laws passed by the legislature. The state’s health boards will only grant licenses to students from legislatively-certified programs.

Although the BOG has not recommended a dental school, FAMU can still ask the legislature for certification to train dental students who will be eligible to receive licenses from the Florida Board of Dentistry.

During the days of the Board of Regents, FAMU had to go above the board’s head and get legislative approval for Institute of Public Health and the restoration of the College of Law. The BOR objected to both proposed programs.

Jones Hall in the midst of a $9.5M renovation

After years of wear and tear, Jones Hall will undergo a long overdue renovation.

Jones Hall housed most of FAMU’s physical science laboratories, classrooms, and faculty offices from the time of its construction until the recent completion of the Frederick S. Humphries Science Research Building.

The remodeling plan seeks to correct deficiencies in Jones Halls’ major systems, as well as interior finishes, building security, and the building envelope.

The project scope includes: restoration of the building’s envelope, major overhaul or replacement of the existing HVAC systems, mechanical equipment, plumbing (including laboratory gases), upgrading of electrical wiring and elevators, fire doors, fire alarm and sprinkler protection systems to meet code, cable TV and internet connections, replacement of existing services and switchgear, and correction of life safety and ADA standards. Some roof and window replacement may be necessary due to the poor condition and lack of thermal efficiency.

Jones Hall (constructed in 1953) previously received renovations in 1974 and 1993. The estimated construction budget for the new project is $9,500,000. It is scheduled for completion by July 2010.

Motorists buy 21,594 FAMU tags

The Florida Division of Motor Vehicles sold 21,594 FAMU specialty license plates in 2009. FAMU’s sales figure beat out a number of notable competitors that included: the Miami Heat, USF, UCF, Orlando Magic, FIU, and Florida Marlins.

FAMU ranked #24 overall in tag sales. UF claimed the top spot, with 120,858 tags sold.

Leon County residents bought the largest number of FAMU tags, purchasing 4,547. Duval residents bought the second highest number with 1,949. Miami-Dade was the third top-selling county with 1,725.

FAMU tag sales have steadily risen over recent years. The DMV sold in 20,961 in 2008, 20,659 in 2007, 20,616 in 2006, and 20,356 in 2005.

A FAMU tag costs $25.00 (plus registration fees). The money from tag sales goes to “academic enhancement” at the university. According to the most recent report available from the DMV’s website, FAMU received $515,450.00 in 2006-2007 when motorists bought 20,616 of its tags.

FAMU has participated in the specialty license plate program since 1987.

View the full list of tag sales here.

FAMU mourns loss of alumni president Alvin Bryant

Alvin Bryant, president of the FAMU National Alumni Association (NAA), died Friday afternoon after a lengthy illness.

Bryant, a 1959 graduate of FAMU, was a board certified surgeon who lived and practiced in Hampton, Virginia. He was also a retired Major General of the United States Army. A life member of the FAMU NAA, he was founding president of the Hampton Roads Chapter of the FAMU NAA and a member of the powerful Northeast Region of the FAMU NAA since 1967.

FAMU President James Ammons said, "in my eight years as a college president, I have not worked with a more dedicated and supportive national (alumni) president.

"He (Dr. Bryant) served as president during one of the most turbulent periods in FAMU’s history and will be remembered for mobilizing alumni to help restore FAMU’s legacy and reputation. He loved his alma mater."

"He showed tremendous support by sending hundreds of students from the Hampton area here. Our hearts and prayers go out to members of his family. The FAMU community will miss him. This is a great loss for the university” Ammons added.

Bryant's mantra as alumni president was “Money, Management, Membership, Political Savvy and effective Governmental/Public Relations”. As president, worked behind the scenes with the Florida political power brokers on behalf of FAMU.

In a statement, State Senator Al Lawson said “Bryant was a friend to many, a mentor, and an icon. He was a renaissance man, eloquent, fearless, and peerless in his pursuit of fairness and equality. He exhorted all of us to strive for excellence, stand fast for justice and yield to no one in the pursuit of a quality education or the most sacred principles of democracy."

"Nothing was too hard for him (Bryant) to accept as a challenge, and nothing was too hard for him to overcome. We lost him, but not his words or his message of hope and courage." Lawson said.

"I know of no one who loved his alma mater more or gave as much to Florida A&M University as Alvin Bryant,” Lawson said.

Some of the major initiatives undertaken by the FAMU NAA under Bryant were the ongoing One Million Dollar (scholarship) Campaign, FAMU Church Day, and the Band Instrument Drive. During his tenure the alumni raised over $750,000 for FAMU.

Funeral Arrangements
A wake for Dr. Bryant will be held on Friday, February 12,2010, at the Second Baptist Church East End, 3307 Chestnut Avenue, Newport News, VA. It will begin at 6:00 p.m. A military funeral services will be held, the following day in Hampton.

Full details on the funeral were not yet available.

Brown joins Jacksonville Sharks

Jacksonville Sharks coach Les Moss announced the addition former FAMU Rattler All-American Levy Brown to his team's roster as a defensive back.

Brown (5'11, 195 lbs), a Miami native, played prep football for perennial powerhouse Miami Northwestern High. His prep accolades warranted a scholarship to Florida A&M where Brown was a three-year started. Brown's career as a Rattler saw over 200 tackles and 18 interceptions. Brown was named as an All-American in 2002 and again in 2003. After matriculating at FAMU, Brown spent time with the San Diego Charges in training camps.

Brown joins the Sharks as a three-year Arena Football veteran, most recently with the New York Dragons . Brown began his career with the Florida Firecats of the Arena Football 2 (af2) league in 2006 where he recorded nearly 70 tackles and eight interceptions. His sophomore year, Brown had more than 130 tackles and 14 interceptions. His stellar statistics and all-around dominating presence earned him the 2007 Defensive Player of the Year for the league.

Brown's 2007 season with the Firecats demonstrated a promotion to the Arena Football League was well overdue. In 2008, Brown signed a contract with the New York Dragons. While with the Dragons, Brown was selected to the 2008 AFL All-Rookie team. Brown lead rookies in tackles (93.5) and passes defended (13). He also stole six passes from opposing quarterbacks and had a 52-yard kick return for a touchdown.

The Jacksonville Sharks are members of the Arena Football 1 (AF1) league.

FAMU lands scholar-musician from Gainesville

Remember the name Benjamin Obafemi Osoba. This 17-year-old senior in the IB program at Eastside High School in Gainesville is destined to become one of FAMU’s newest stars.

Osoba, who President James Ammons recently awarded a Life Gets Better Scholarship worth $80,000 over four years, plans to major in engineering and minor in music performance.

At Eastside High, he is an “A” student with a 3.85 unweighted GPA. He serves a drum major in the school’s marching band, president of his chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers and president of his chapter of the Southeastern Consortium for Minorities in Engineering. Osoba is also active in his school’s Spanish Honor Society and the National Honor Society.

The youngest of three children, he is a talented musician who plays a number of instruments that include the drums and saxophone. He shares those skills in his position as minister of music in the Walking with Christ Youth Ministry at Redeeming Faith and Anointing Church in Gainesville. His parents, Babajide and Teresa Osoba, are the pastors.

Osoba also volunteers at Gainesville’s Magic Moments Learning Center and tutors at Caring and Sharing Learning Center. In his spare time, he enjoys playing basketball.

Read more about Osoba in the Gainesville Sun here and here.

OT: Miss. HBCU merger plan hits roadblock

The Mississippi Legislature turned a cold shoulder to Gov. Haley Barbour’s proposal to merge the state’s three historically black universities. Neither the House nor Senate took up the plan in committee. The deadline for committees to vote on bills and send them on for further consideration was Tuesday.

While the merger plan can still be brought up during the session, its failure to make it out of either chamber’s committee process shows that it has very little support at present.

The Greenwood Commonwealth’s editorial board applauded the legislature’s decision, writing: “Let’s put this highly emotional, racially polarizing, politically distracting idea to rest and focus on realistic ways to cope with the financial hurt that this economic downturn is putting on Mississippi’s entire university system. Consolidating universities -- with perhaps one exception -- is not going to happen. What could be done, though, is the consolidation of so-called “backshop” functions -- purchasing, payroll and insurance -- and not just at the historically black universities but throughout the entire system. Faculty also could be shared between universities that are in fairly close proximity. And, as the universities themselves have been forced to discover, programs with few majors should be eliminated.”

The Jackson Free Press, an alternative weekly, called out Jackson State University President Ronald Mason for failing to be open about his support of the merger idea. The newspaper broke the story about Mason’s secret efforts to float his own merger proposal to state officials.

“Mason is the real surprise in this equation,” the Free Press editorial board wrote. “If anyone should be expected to get the sensitivity over this issue, it is the president of the state’s largest HBCU—an African American himself. But the way he chose to sneak around the halls of the Legislature—with a very unprofessionally prepared proposal, to boot—shows that he has no situational awareness on this issue. And that raises concern about where else that tone-deafness translate on his campus.”

Football nabs eight transfers

FAMU football had an exciting National Signing Day, nabbing eight transfers in its recruitment class. The list includes Willie Ferrell (pictured), an Ole Miss transfer who played for FAMU DRS.

Shelley Anthony
Anthony is a 6’3 295 OL from Sandy Creek HS/WKU- The transfer from Western Kentucky Anthony is expected to compete for the starting position at the center this upcoming Spring.

Saf Ahmad
Ahmad is a 6’3 270 OL from Miami Norland HS/FIU- He is a transfer from FIU. Ahmad is expected to compete for starting Guard position this upcoming spring. He was a three-year starter and team captain as a senior. He didn’t allow a sack as a prep senior. 2006 Second team All Dade County selection by the Miami Herald.

James Poe
Poe is a 6’4 240 HB/TE UCF/Freedom HS- 3 star transfer from UCF. Poe is expected to compete for a starting position this upcoming spring. He attended Georgia Military College before coming to UCF. He was also recruited by West Virginia, Louisville, Florida, East Carolina and Iowa.

Eric Watts
Watts is a 6’2 215 LB Wolfson HS- 3 star transfer linebacker from the University of Illinois. He is expected to come in and compete for starting LB position this spring. Recruited by Illinois, Ole Miss and South Florida.

Joshua Newkirk
Newkirk is a 6’3 240 LB WSSU- is a transfer from WSSU. Newkirk is expected to come in and compete for a starting linebacker position this spring. A native of Richmond, Va., he is a 2006 graduate of Meadowbrook High School where he was an All-District and Academic-All District selection as a senior.

Steven Robinson
Robinson is a 6’3 300 OL Lincoln HS/UCF- He is a transfer offensive lineman who is expected to come in and compete for a starting position this summer. He earned four letters in football for head coach Kyle Rice at Lincoln High School . Ranked as the No. 25 offensive guard prospect in the country by ESPN.com. He was also recruited by Clemson, Georgia, Minnesota, South Carolina and USF.

Jarien Moreland
Moreland is a 6’5 320 OL Glades Central HS/UCF- He is a transfer offensive lineman who is expected to come in and compete for starting position this summer. He also received recruiting interest from Florida State, LSU, Miami (Fla.), Pitt and USF.

Willie Ferrell
Ferrell is a 6'2" - 235 lb LB from FAMU High. He is a transfer from OLE MISS. He is a 4-star linebacker. He was rated the No.33 linebacker in the nation and No.75 player in Florida as ranked by Rivals.com. He was a PrepStar and SuperPrep all-Region selection. Scout.com ranked him the No.13 linebacker in the nation. He earned first team Class 2B All-State honors from the Florida Sports Writers Association as a senior at FAMU DRS. He is a two-time Tallahassee Democrat All-Big bend selection. He totaled over 300 tackles as a junior and Senior and was a 2009 Nike All-American under FAMU DRS coach Ira Reynolds.

Dental school consultant brings strong experience

As FAMU continues its planning process for a College of Dental Medicine, it is receiving guidance from a national expert in the field.

Howard L. Bailit, a professor emeritus at the University of Connecticut’s School of Medicine, is advising FAMU as a consultant. He received his Doctor of Dental Medicine from Tufts University and went on to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard University.

Throughout his career, Bailit’s held numerous leadership positions in the field of community health, including: Chair, Department of Health Administration and Policy, Columbia University School of Public Health (1982-1986); Head of Behavioral Sciences and Community Health, University of Connecticut Health Center (1967-1982); and Director, University of Connecticut Health Center Health Policy & Primary Care Research Center (1996-2005).

In his current position as an emeritus faculty member at UConn, Bailit is focusing on research that explores the development and evaluation of delivery system innovations for underserved populations and community-based dental education programs.

One of his grant current projects is entitled: “Pipeline, Profession & Practice: Community-Based Dental Education.” It is a six year national demonstration program designed to reduce disparities in access to dental care. The 15 participating dental schools are recruiting more underrepresented and low-income students, having senior students and residents spend an average of 60 days in patient-centered community clinics providing care to underserved patients, and preparing students to care for a diverse group of patients.

Bailit’s research interests and experience fit well with the potential FAMU dental school’s proposed mission of training dentists “from underrepresented populations to serve underserved populations.”

FAMU’s grad rate above FAU’s; close to USF's

Many FAMU opponents say that the university should be not able to add any new graduate or professional programs, like a dental school, until it raises its six-year graduation rate. But, institutional research data shows that FAMU is doing well compared to other public institutions that have even more doctorate programs.

In 2008, FAMU’s six-year graduation rate was 41 percent. That was only seven percentage points below the University of South Florida’s rate, which was 48 percent. The national average was 55 percent.

In a recent St. Petersburg Times article, USF officials said that the high level of financial need among their students is one problem that hurts their six-year graduation rate. 49.64 percent of USF’s Class of 2008 took out loans to help pay for their education. At FAMU, 83 percent of the Class of 2008 took out loans. Most FAMU students take smaller course loads when the cost of college goes up, which slows down their progress toward graduation day. But despite that challenge, FAMU’s six-year graduation rate reached the 40s along with USF’s.

USF, like the University of Florida and Florida State, is classified as a “Research University (very high research activity)” by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The fact that USF has a six-year graduation rate below the national average did not stop the Board of Governors from recently giving it the green light to launch new doctoral programs in pharmacy, history, government, and sociology.

Florida Atlantic University’s six-year graduation rate is 39 percent and its Carnegie classification is “Research University (high research activity).” The BOG has not used FAU’s graduation rate as a reason to question the need for more graduate programs at that university. Last year, BOG members actually praised FAU’s overall academic performance when they appointed former FAU President Frank Brogan as the new SUS chancellor.

If USF can get new doctoral programs with a graduation rate that’s only slightly higher than FAMU’s, and if Brogan is qualified to lead the entire SUS despite the fact that his former university’s graduation rate is lower than FAMU’s, then there’s no reason that FAMU’s current graduation rate should prevent the BOG from approving its dental school proposal.

Sources: FAMU, USF, and FAU Common Set Data and Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System reports.

Obama appoints Robinson assistant commerce secretary

Add U.S. President Barack Obama’s name to the list of people who think FAMU has some of the very best professors in America.

Larry Robinson, FAMU’s vice-president for research and a professor of environmental sciences, is Obama’s nominee for the position of assistant secretary of commerce (conservation and management), in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce.

According to a 2009 memo by Jane Lubchenco, under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator, the assistant secretary for conservation and management is responsible for driving "policy and program direction for NOAA's stewardship responsibilities, including ocean resource management, coastal management, and protected resources.

With Robinson’s appointment, FAMU joins an elite club of American universities that have faculty members working in the Obama administration. Others include: Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Stanford, and Duke.

Robinson will come to his new post with a superb track record of research and administration in the area of environmental studies. Since 2001, he has served as Director of the NOAA Environmental Cooperative Science Center (ECSC) headquartered at FAMU, which is a multi-institutional consortium of predominantly minority-serving institutions which conducts research, education and outreach to improve the scientific basis of coastal resource management.

From 1997 to 2003, Robinson directed FAMU’s Environmental Sciences Institute where he led efforts to establish B.S. and Ph.D. degree programs in 1998 and 1999, respectively. Between 1984 and 1997, he served as a research scientist and a group leader at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). He also served a brief stint as FAMU’s acting CEO in 2007.

Robinson attended LeMoyne-Owen College in 1975, graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in chemistry from Memphis State University in 1979, and earned a Ph.D. in nuclear chemistry from Washington University in St. Louis in 1984.

Duncan proposes $98M boost for HBCU budget

After taking a firestorm of criticism for an earlier decision not to renew a multimillion dollar federal grant program for historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), the White House is now recommending a dramatic increase in funding for institutions founded to provide much-needed opportunities for African Americans.

During a recent appearance on TV One’s Washington Watch, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan told host Roland Martin that he’s proposing a $98M boost in recurring, baseline federal appropriations for HBCUs. This comes in addition to plans to extend the $85M per year HBCU grants in the College Cost Reduction and Access Act (CCRAA) for another ten years.

HBCU’s currently receive $233M in baseline federal funding per year. In September 2009, Duncan said he wanted to increase that amount by $50M. The current $98M increase figure represents a near doubling of that previous number.

In an early version of his budget proposal, U.S. President Barack Obama denied a request to renew the HBCU CCRAA grants. The funds are designed to help HBCUs with their “academic resources, management capabilities, and physical plants.” It appropriates a total of $85M per year toward this purpose.

However, Obama changed his position after hearing intense grumbling from the black blogosphere (Rattler Nation included) and passionate pleas from the prominent HBCU advocacy bodies such as the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education, United Negro College Fund, and Tom Joyner Foundation.

As Rattler Nation reported in June 2009, FAMU stood to be the biggest loser if the HBCU CCRAA grant wasn’t extended. In 2008, FAMU netted the largest HBCU CCRAA grant: $2,002,165. FAMU is using the money to upgrade Enterprise Resource Technology, library multimedia, and instructional technology.

Duncan said the proposed funding boost reflects the Obama administration’s belief that HBCUs are critical to America’s future.

“I said from day one we desperately need HBCUs not just to survive, but to thrive,” Duncan told Martin. “Half – half of our African-American teachers nationwide come out of HBCUs. That’s our pipeline. And so this is a huge commitment that the President is making… We’re going to make sure many more students can go through.”