FAMU, Crestview celebrate deed transfer

The City of Crestview hosted a deed-signing ceremony on Saturday, June 26, 2010, celebrating the transfer of the city’s historic Alatex Building to Florida A&M University. FAMU intends to transform the building into a new satellite campus of the pharmacy school.

“Today we are reaching out and making dreams into realities,” said FAMU President James H. Ammons. “We must increase the number of people in the healthcare profession. I am looking forward to seeing what great things are in store and I know the best is yet to come.”

The major objective of the Crestview project is that graduates of the program will be able to alleviate the increasing shortage of pharmacist, and other health professionals, presently being experienced throughout the Florida Panhandle. Currently, students seeking health education from the area are forced to drive to Tallahassee and many travel to Auburn and Birmingham, Ala.

Sen. Durell Peaden, R-Crestview, was the driving force behind the $8.5 million project. He said he believes the new school will bring growth to the town located in Florida’s Panhandle.

“This is not the destination — this is just the journey,” said Peaden. “We need more pharmacists and they are going to be trained right here in Crestview. I knew we had to do something for the people in our little town.”

Students interested in the program will be admitted to FAMU. Lectures will be provided in real-time through video conferencing between the FAMU College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Tallahassee and the Crestview facility.

Citizens from all walks of life attended the high-spirited ceremony, which took place in front of the Alatex Building, a former garment factory. Crestview Mayor David Cadle, who served as an honorary conductor for the Marching “100” during the event, said he is excited about the joint project.

“This is really as much of an exciting day for me as it is for you,” said Cadle, a former band director at Crestview High School.

FAMU’s College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences is a leader in attracting millions of dollars for basic science and clinical research and competes nationally to attract industry and federal support for its many research and training endeavors.

Pictured: Crestview Mayor David Cadle, Sen. Durell Peaden, and FAMU President James H. Ammons.

For more pictures, visit the Crestview News Bulletin here.

Gore, teaching pool remodeling in design stage

Sweeping renovations are coming to FAMU’s College of Education.

In 2007, Sen. Alfred “Al” Lawson steered $8,301,606 into FAMU’s budget to help remodel the Gore Education Complex. That was followed by another $5,600,000 in 2008. Both appropriations came from Public Education Capital Outlay (PECO) dollars.

During a recent university forum, CFO Teresa Hardee said FAMU will use a portion of those PECO dollars to refurbish the Gaither Gymnasium Teaching Pool by fall 2010. As Rattler Nation reported last summer, the teaching pool needs to be completely reconstructed. The project will cost $2.6M.

DAG Architects, a Destin, Florida-based company, is in charge of the designs.

From DAG Architects:

DAG is directing the extensive renovation and remodeling effort to update the historic 71,366 SF Gore Education Complex facilities at Florida A&M University. Improvements to the three building complex will correct life safety, accessibility, and security deficiencies, upgrade the classrooms, labs and teaching spaces with state-of-the-art technology and equipment, and replace the roofs, and the plumbing, air conditioning, and electrical systems. In addition, the defunct Teaching Pool at the Gaither Athletic Campus will be completely refurbished. Special attention will be paid to planning how the buildings of the Gore Complex will interrelate to other buildings in the FAMU National Historic District, and to the creation of special pedestrian corridors and landscaped student gathering spaces.

See more photos here.

Four FAMU professors receive patents

Four Florida A&M University (FAMU) professors and a staff member have received patents for their inventions that range from detecting radioactive materials in luggage to treating a particular type of breast cancer.

John Cooperwood (pictured), associate professor of basic sciences in the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, has secured a patent for “Selective Estrogen Receptors Modulators,” which is a drug that can assist in the treatment of triple negative breast cancer.

Depending on the stage of its diagnosis, triple negative breast cancer can be particularly aggressive, and more likely to recur than other subtypes of breast cancer in black women.

According to Cooperwood, the Centers for Disease Control reported that 191,410 women were diagnosed with breast cancer and 40,280 died from it in 2006. White women have the highest incidence follow by black, Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, and American Indian/Alaska Native women.

“This higher mortality has been shown to be linked to the triple negative form of breast cancer that tends to occur early, under the age of 50, and is more aggressive,” said Cooperwood. “We have several lead compounds in a patent (US patent 7,687,486) that show some promising results on cell culture level against estrogen dependent and triple negative forms of breast cancer.”

Another patent was received collectively by Elliott Treadwell, Ph.D., and Ely I. Leon, Ph.D. They invented the “Threshold Ceronkov Detector with Radial Segmentation.” This design may be adjusted to detect radioactive materials in luggage. High schools may also benefit from general science and astronomy courses that teach students how to detect ever present cosmic and heat rays from a parking lot or lab.

Moeub Lanh, assistant director for Human Resources, was issued a patent for his invention titled the “Finger Flag Assembly.” It is a product that is attached to the finger and is easily removable. It can be used as a flag holder since it has a detachable pole connected. This product is small enough to be carried in a wallet, billfold or a pocket.

Lanh later made an improvement to this invention receiving another patent. This version of the product attaches to writing utensils, car antennas and other narrow items.

Seth Y. Ablordeppey, Ph.D., received a patent for “Haloperidol Analogs,” or new drugs derived from haloperidol for the treatment of mental illness and especially schizophrenia. Unlike its predecessor, the new drugs are designed to treat schizophrenia without producing movement disorders similar to Parkinsonism. In addition, initial tests suggest the new drugs may not produce weight gain which can lead to type II diabetes, a characteristic of the most recent treatment option for schizophrenia. Thus, the new agents have the potential to replace the antipsychotic drugs currently on the market without producing the debilitating side effects associated with them.

Marching 100 to host annual Band Camp

The FAMU Marching “100” will host its annual Band Camp from Monday, July 12 through Saturday, July 17. The “100” will lend its talent to hundreds of the nation’s best high school band students.

A myriad of students from throughout the United States arrive for the week-long camp in order to prove their dedication to service and excellence by emulating the style of the world-renowned Marching “100.” The participants will showcase their new skills and moves to the FAMU family and the Tallahassee community at the annual band camp parade scheduled for Friday, July 17, at 1 p.m.

Each year, the parade features a variety of community schools, organizations, and local participants for a unique and enjoyable celebration.

The parade route will begin at Bragg Memorial Stadium traveling north on Wahnish Way; turn right on to Gamble Street; then right on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., and end on “The Set” at the viewing stand.

Band participants will continue to showcase their new skills at events throughout the week. An ensemble concert is scheduled for Thursday, July 16, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and a symphonic concert is scheduled for 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Both concerts will be held in Lee Hall Auditorium.

The Super Summer-Fest Finale Performance is scheduled for Saturday, July 18, at 10 a.m., featuring a pre-game and halftime show in the traditional style of the Marching “100.”

Other scheduled events include a talent showcase in Gaither Gymnasium at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, July 14; an ensemble concert in Lee Hall Auditorium at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 15; and a symphonic band concert in Lee Hall Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 15.

FAMU receives Alatex deed today

At 10:00 a.m. this morning, FAMU will receive the deed to Crestview, Florida’s Alatex building. Officials from FAMU, the City of Crestview, and state government will attend the signing ceremony. The Marching 100 will also perform.

In December, the Crestview City Council approved the Tallahassee-based Cason Environmental & Demolition Service company’s bid to remove asbestos and lead-based paint from the Alatex building. State law required those contaminants to be removed before the building’s title could be transferred to FAMU.

According to the Crestview News Bulletin, the cleanup cost $98,450. FAMU will spend $7M to renovate the facility. The project is expected to bring $3M to $6M into the city’s economy each year.

FAMU’s Crestview Education Center will be an interdisciplinary campus. According to the authorizing legislation, the center will offer "instructional programs leading to the PharmD; B.S. or M.S. nursing; master of public health and doctorate of public health; and health care management, health administration, occupational therapy, and physical therapy."

The Crestview center will be FAMU Pharmacy’s first degree-granting satellite location. The pharmacy school’s campuses in Jacksonville, Miami, and Tampa do not offer full degrees. They are used as clinical training divisions for advanced students.

FAMU plans to launch the Crestview pharmacy program in fall 2011 with 40 students.

Two FAMU students win trip to World Cup

FAMU students Justin Smith and Alisa Routh will experience the culture and adventure of the world’s biggest sporting event, the FIFA World Cup courtesy of Coca-Cola. The two will travel across the globe to South Africa on June 25.

Smith, 20, a junior mathematics major, and Routh, 20, a junior public relations major, are the winners of the Coca-Cola “Open Happiness Tour,” a video contest that sought creative and inspirational answers to the question: How does the Coca-Cola RAIN program inspire you?

Smith and Routh will join 19 other student winners from 12 historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). They will spend five days soaking up the South African culture and learning more about Africa’s water crisis. During their visit, the students will meet with executives from Coca-Cola South Africa, who will share what the Company is doing in support of the RAIN project as well as learn about other initiatives throughout Africa, including HIV/AIDS and malaria prevention, access to education, job creation and humanitarian assistance.

In addition, the students will learn first-hand of the extreme need for potable water when they visit a local orphanage whose water system is in dire need of repair. The company will make a donation to assist with the repairs of the water system and, once the project is completed, the orphanage will have clean running water for cooking, bathing and other necessities.

The students also will have the opportunity to explore more facets of South African culture when they take a trip to the Nelson Mandela National Museum, go on a Safari and attend a FIFA World Cup match. The students will get another perk during their time in South Africa – meeting with actor Idris Elba, whose father is from Sierra Leone and mother is from Ghana. Elba will spend time with the students throughout the trip, discussing water stewardship and its importance to Africa and his passion for the World Cup, as well as providing his unique perspective on the local culture.

“I look forward to sharing my love for Africa with the students,” said Elba. “Through experiencing Africa’s rich history and the wonderful diversity of its culture, the students will be amazed and enriched. I hope they grow to love Africa as much as I do.”

Elba is best known for his roles in HBO’s series The Wire, Tyler Perry’s Daddy’s Little Girls and Ridley Scott’s award-winning film American Gangster.

Logan, founder of Oberlin’s jazz studies dept, dies at 69

FAMU alumnus Wendell Logan, who built the Oberlin Conservatory of Music's jazz studies program from the ground up died on June 15, 2010, in Cleveland, OH. He was 69 years old. Logan who went to Oberlin in 1973 has been credited with making the program one of the most respected jazz studies programs in the United States.

At the time of his death, Logan was Professor of African American Music and Chair of Oberlin’s Jazz Studies Department. An exponent of both jazz and art music, he was an important compositional presence within his musical generation. Throughout his distinguished career as composer, performer, and educator, he received numerous commissions and won many awards, including four from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Lakond Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, a dozen or so ASCAP awards, three Ohio Arts Council grants, and, in 1991, the prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship and the Cleveland Arts Prize in Music.

"This is a tremendous loss to our community and the world of music,” said Dean of the Conservatory David H. Stull. “Wendell Logan’s profound impact on our lives, and his work as an artist and teacher, will continue to influence generations of young musicians. He leaves a legacy of courage, accomplishment, artistry, and humanity that will be a permanent inspiration for us all.”

When asked for the three words that best described him, Logan himself replied: “Fair, honest, compassionate.” He also revealed what inspired him to become a musician, and what kept him inspired on discouraging days:

“The spirits came and got me. On discouraging days I know that things will always be better. Bettah Days are Comin,’ as the spiritual goes.”

He was born in Thomson, Georgia and first studied music with his father, a professional musician. He was exposed to the Southern cultural milieu of spirituals, the blues, jazz, and gospel music. He also heard performances by touring musicians and groups such as James Brown, “Fats” Domino, and “Little Richard” Penniman. As a boy, he enjoyed playing with Tinker Toys and Erector Sets, which fueled his interest in “putting pieces together,” as he says. Later encouraged by his music theory teacher, Mrs. Johnnie Lee, he finally chose composition as his musical path.

In his second year of studies at Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1962, Logan heard Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite and was exposed to 12-tone music for the first time. Realizing the exquisite craftsmanship behind Firebird, he then earnestly committed to becoming a composer. In pursuit of this goal, he studied with Olly Wilson and Johnnie V. Lee at Florida A&M, and then began graduate work in composition at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, where he studied with Will Gay Bottje.

Logan earned a Master of Music degree from the Southern Illinois in 1964, all the while playing the trumpet with jazz groups and concert bands and arranging music for both. He later completed his Ph.D. at the University of Iowa in 1968.

Prior to teaching composition, African American music, and jazz ensemble at Oberlin, Logan served on the faculties of Florida A&M University, Ball State University (Muncie, Indiana), and Western Illinois University (Macomb).

His wife, Bettye Logan, with whom he celebrated 48 years of marriage on May 26, survives him, along with two children, four grandchildren, and two brothers.

New Polkinghorne will become campus gateway

DAG Architects, a Destin, Florida-based company, has produced an early design for FAMU’s new Polkinghorne Village. The apartment complex, which has been closed since 2004, sits next to the Student Services Center and Bragg Memorial Stadium.

FAMU estimates the project will cost $63 million and be finished by Fall 2012.

From DAG Architects:

The facility is intended to create a new campus gateway and promote positive patterns for future campus development. Based on a mixed use model, the design includes approximately 800 beds, several community rooms on each floor, and provides university use spaces at ground level.

Besides the spaces contained within the buildings, the buildings themselves shape a series of courtyard spaces culminating in a central plaza envisioned to become a hub of campus activities. These exterior spaces coupled with a large green space behind the dormitory provide great opportunities for student interaction and campus events.

See more photos here.

Opinion: Don’t dump Holmes on COE faculty

Rattler Nation has learned that there is already under-the-table maneuvering among some FAMU Board of Trustee members aimed at helping Developmental Research School (DRS) Superintendent Ronald Holmes remain on the university’s payroll in the event that his contract is not renewed by June 30th.

The dirty dealing is driven by fear that Holmes’ highly publicized management fiascos at DRS will prevent him from landing another six-figure job outside of FAMU. Holmes failed to recruit enough students to meet his projections for the 2009-2010 budget and had to ask FAMU for a $425,802 bailout.

Angry DRS stakeholders are also complaining about the lack of leadership the superintendent’s office has demonstrated throughout the process of preparing students for the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT). Many want Holmes to leave no matter what the next FCAT school grade turns out to be. DRS dropped from a "C" in 2008 to a "D" after Holmes' first full year in office in 2009.

There is already word that Holmes might be dumped into a faculty position in the College of Education.

FAMU’s administration should strike that idea off the list of options for Holmes. Holmes’ appointment in 2007 was a public relations nightmare and FAMU doesn’t need to attract more negative news coverage.

Bill Maxwell and Ron Matus at the St. Petersburg Times had a field day when Holmes was hired and would probably love an opportunity to write another round of critical headlines about the university. The Holmes supporters who want to subject FAMU to more of that public embarrassment by keeping Ronald at the university do not care about FAMU’s reputation.

And how in the hell would “Professor Holmes” be an asset to FAMU’s college and graduate students? How do his experiences as an administrator qualify him to be an "authority" in the field of education? Why would FAMU want a professor who could not remember the title of his own dissertation when he was asked by the College of Education’s former dean?

The smartest thing a student in one of Professor Holmes’ classes could do is listen to him and then do the exact opposite of what he says.

FAMU should not treat its College of Education like a dumping ground.

Ammons: FAMU priced out-of-state students out of an education

At the June 1 Board of Trustees meeting, President James Ammons admitted that FAMU took a giant step backwards years ago when it decided to raise its out-of-state tuition rate well above what most non-Florida students can afford.

“We have priced our out-of-state students out of an education,” Ammons told the trustees. “There was a time when our out-of-state tuition was lower than in-state tuition in many states.”

Ammons further explained that many out-of-state students have a hard time paying for school because they come from low-income backgrounds.

“Many come here for one year and then have to leave,” Ammons said.

Most FAMU students come from households that make $30,000 or less per year.

FAMU gives freshmen first priority in campus housing. However, the university only has enough beds for about 21 percent of its student body. After their first year, most out-of-state students struggle to pay for the high cost of off-campus in addition to the rising price of tuition. That forces many of them to either reduce their course loads or drop-out of college.

As part of an effort to increase FAMU’s graduation and retention rates, Ammons recently announced that he plans to grant $3.8M in tuition waivers to out-of-state students next year. He hopes the waivers will give returning out-of-state students more money to buy larger numbers of credit hours and complete their degrees more quickly.

However, tuition will increase by eight percent for new out-of-state students.

Besides hurting the graduation rate, out-of-state tuition increases have also placed a strain on the university’s athletic recruitment budget. The more that out-of-state tuition rises, the more it costs for FAMU to provide scholarships for out-of-state student-athletes.

FAMU’s out-of-state student numbers continue to get smaller as the tuition price gets bigger.

Back in Fall 2000, when the average price for out-of-state full time enrollment was $8,542, FAMU had 3,065 out-of-state students (25.20 percent of the student body). In Fall 2009, when the average price for out-of-state full time enrollment was $14,030, FAMU only brought in 1,793 out-of-state students (14.6 percent of the student body).

Happy father's day!

RN recognizes all the Rattler fathers out there who take the time to be more than a father to their child, but put in the work to be called daddy! Happy father's day!

Law students selected as Florida Bar Foundation legal aid summer fellows

Three FAMU College of Law students were selected to participate in the 2010 Florida Bar Foundation Legal Services Summer Fellowship Program. Second-year law students Sopi Mitil and Johnathon Wright and first-year law student Matthew McLain are among 15 percent of all applicants chosen to participate in the 11-week program over the summer, which began May 24, and continues through August 6. The Florida Bar Foundation received 270 applications from in-state law students and 60 applications from out of state law students. A total of 40 students were selected to participate this year.

Mitil was placed with the Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association, a bar sponsored, general legal services provider serving indigent clients primarily in Orange County. Depending on the assignment, the fellow could work in the areas of family, juvenile, housing, immigration, public benefits, consumer law or juvenile law.

Wright and McLain were placed with Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida with branches in Orlando and Kissimmee. This is a large, federally funded general legal service provider where the fellow will work with a variety of public benefits matters in Orlando on assisting with fair housing, public housing, private landlord-tenant, and linked family law matters in Kissimmee.

Boyd refuses to discuss the $1.5M in federal farm subsidies he's received

Congressman Allen Boyd, the majority owner of Boyd Family Farms Inc., has received more that $1.5 million in federal farm subsidies for his farm though the funds were provided by a subcommittee in which is a member.

According to the Panama City News Herald, the Monticello Democrat also sits on the agriculture subcommittee that has influence over a portion of the the government's primary agriculture policy bill, known as the Farm Bill. The bill includes millions in subsidy payments to private farmers and is supposed to act as a "safety net" for small farms that sometimes are subject to financial struggles.

According to the non-partisan Environmental Work Group, since 1996, Boyd's farms have averaged more than $120,000 in subsidy payments annually. This adds up to a total of over $1.5 million in federal farm subsidies since he's been elected, placing him in the top 3 percent of farmers receiving subsidies nationally, and 12th among more than 5,300 farms in his district that received subsidy money over this period.

Federal farm subsides aren't private funds, but your tax dollars paid to farmers. It seems that Allen Boyd hasn't been shy when it comes to receiving a substantial share of your tax dollars -- his farm ranks among the top 3 percent nationally.

The News Herald adds, that Boyd's "Tuten Cattle Farm" has also received $20,000 in subsidy payments.

The News Herald also did an analysis of average annual contributions to Mr. Boyd and learned that he received more than $199,416 from agriculture interests, his second largest contributor behind only finance, (surprise) insurance and the real estate sector.

Boyd has been attacked on YouTube by a group calling themselves the "Florida Whig Party" (below).

After being on camera for more than 30 minutes, in a conversation with the News Herald, Allen Boyd grew concerned about being taped as the conversation turned to farm subsidies. Watch the encounter below (following a brief ad).

FAMU wins $10K grant from Home Depot

On Wednesday, Home Depot announced that FAMU won a $10,000 grant in its “Retool Your School” competition.

FAMU competed in a field of 57 historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) across the nation. It was one of ten that won a $10,000 minor grant. The others were: Bluefield State College, Fisk University, Hampton University, Howard University, Mississippi Valley State University, Morgan State University, Tuskegee University, Virginia Union University and Wilberforce University.

Elizabeth City State University in North Carolina took the top prize, a $50,000 grant.

FAMU plans to use its grant to install cisterns for catching rainwater off campus buildings and diverting it to water the grounds near the women’s dormitories. The project will be completed during fall semester 2010.

OT: And this guy wants to be your U.S. Senator?

Alum to direct digital media strategy for Jax PR firm

A FAMU alumna will serve as the media strategist for the new digital division of one of Jacksonville, Florida’s leading marketing and public relations firms.

Tonisha Landry-Gaines has joined Broadbased Communications to direct media strategy for its newly formed BroadBased Digital. BroadBased Digital develops and implements web, application and social media strategies and tactics.

Landry-Gaines focuses on digital strategies for mobile application development, website development and social media strategy. She has seven years of experience crafting and executing marketing outreach plans for non-profit organizations using events and both traditional and online media as methods of communication.

Landry-Gaines also serves as the director of social media for the First Coast Chapter of IABC (International Association of Business Communicators). She is a native of Panama City, Fla., and holds a B.S. in business economics from FAMU and a certificate in instructional design systems.

DRS supporters hoping for FCAT turnaround in spite of Holmes

Despite an absence of leadership from the superintendent’s office, supporters of FAMU’s Developmental Research School still hope their efforts to improve the institution’s standardized test scores will pay off this year.

DRS is the only K-12 laboratory school in the State University System of Florida that has never scored an A on its Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) school-wide grade. In fact, DRS is the only SUS K-12 lab school that hasn’t made straight As on the FCAT since 2001-2002.

As part of an effort to help DRS reach its full potential, state Sen. Alfred “Al” Lawson secured funding for a brand new $30.6 million school building. The facility, which opened in 2009, includes a gymnasium, cafeteria/auditorium, TV production room, and computer labs.

The initial enthusiasm created by the new building was hampered by Superintendent Ronald Holmes, whose actions have had a very negative effect on the school’s morale. Many teachers blame Holmes for not heeding their suggestions to help DRS maintain the progress that improved the school’s FCAT grade from an “F” in 2007 to a “C” in 2008. DRS dropped to a “D” in 2009.

Faculty members have also struggled within an atmosphere of fear following a series of highly publicized scares concerning their employment. Holmes’ failure to recruit enough students to satisfy the demands of this year’s budget threatened many teachers’ jobs.

Dedicated teachers, parents, and community volunteers have still worked hard and done their best to prepare students for the FCAT despite the lack of support from the superintendent.

NCS Pearson, the company in charge of grading the FCAT, is behind schedule in releasing the scores. President James Ammons says he is waiting to receive FAMU’s 2010 FCAT results before making a decision regarding Holmes’ contract, which expires this year. Ammons has until June 30 to decide what to do with Holmes.

We gotta new look

Rattler Nation, got a major "facelift" this afternoon. One that we think is fresher, livelier, and more representative of who we are -- Rattlers!

This is our first major overhaul of the blog in our four years of existence. Feel free to let us know what you think in the comment section.

Holmes still coming to BOT meetings unprepared

R.B. Holmes, one of the two longest serving members of FAMU’s Board of Trustees, still seems to have no idea how to use famu.edu to find very basic information about the university.

Even though FAMU’s six-year graduation rate is posted online by the Office of Institutional Research, Holmes had to ask the administration for that number at the June 1 board meeting. This is the second time in less than twelve months that Holmes has asked that same question. He also asked administrators to tell him the graduation rate back in August.

If Holmes had taken two minutes to look on FAMU’s website before either of those two meetings, he would have found this table that is clearly labeled “Graduation and Retention Rates.”

The Class of 2009’s six year graduation rate is 38.59 according to the State University System of Florida’s formula. It is 39 percent according to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System formula used by the U.S. Department of Education.

Holmes also did a poor job of listening while Provost Cynthia Hughes-Harris and President James Ammons were trying to answer his question. Holmes asked if they had told him the six-year graduation rate was 30 percent after they clearly stated that it was 38.59 percent.

By now, Chairman Bill Jennings should have asked Holmes to finally familiarize himself with famu.edu so he doesn’t have to waste time asking for information that FAMU has already posted in a very obvious place. However, this isn’t likely to happen because Jennings is probably just as clueless as Holmes.

Instead of displaying his ignorance of basic facts posted on FAMU’s website, Holmes should be asking tough questions about the crisis his brother has created over at the Developmental Research School. That’s probably too much to expect from Holmes because it would require him to be objective and actually care about what’s best for FAMU.

Most SUS institutions have 6-year grad rates below 50%

FAMU aims for 49.7 percent six- year graduation rate by 2020.

In 2008, seven of the 11 State University System of Florida institutions graduated fewer than half of their students in six years. The average six-year graduation rate for the entire system was 53.1 percent.

The University of Florida led overall with 82 percent. FAMU had 41 percent. FAU came in last with 39 percent.

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 21 percent of its full-time, first-time students 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 of the full-time, first-time students receive Pell Grants, with a total of 52 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 bigger course loads.

FAMU’s new Strategic Plan calls for the university to achieve a 49.7 percent six-year graduation rate by 2020. That year, the university aims to have a total of 15,000 students, with about 2,500 enrolled in graduate programs.

FAMU's ongoing efforts to expand its on-campus housing capacity are a big part of its strategy for improving the six-year graduation rate. FAMU currently has 2,484 beds on campus. The renovation of Sampson and Young Halls (242 beds) by Fall 2011 and opening of the new Polkinghorne Village (800 beds) in Fall 2012 will take the total number of beds up to 3,526.

FAMU alum to appear on "Last Comic Standing"

Tonight at 7 p.m., FAMU alumnus Roy Wood, Jr. will appear on NBC's "Last Comic Standing." Wood graduated from The Hill in 2001 with a degree in broadcast journalism.

Hailing from Birmingham, Alabama, Roy's creative writing and dedicated work ethic have earned him the opportunity to perform in front of millions of people coast to coast.

Roy has been featured on the new season of CBS' THE LATE SHOW w/ David Letterman, HBO's DEF COMEDY JAM, TV One's 'The Funny Spot w/ Tony Rock', BBC's THE WORLD STANDS UP- LONDON, , CBS' LATE LATE SHOW w/ Craig Ferguson, NBC's Last Comic Standing, and Comedy Central's BOB & TOM COMEDY TOUR. He's also showcased at the prestigious MONTREAL COMEDY FESTIVAL and is a regular guest on the E! Network's 'CHELSEA LATELY'.

Throughout his young career, he has opened for an array of comedians ranging from D.L. Hughley, Ron White, Monique, Tommy Davidson, Bill Engvall and Katt Williams.

FactCheck.org: Boyd's ad on jobs stretches truth

Congressman Allen Boyd is taking heat from FactCheck.org for spreading inaccurate information in a recent TV ad against challenger Alfred "Al" Lawson.

From FactCheck writer Michael Morse:

Democratic Rep. Allen Boyd of Florida is running a TV ad falsely accusing his primary opponent of having "killed jobs," while exaggerating his own record for creating jobs.

The ad, titled “Job Killer,” has been airing since May 20 in Boyd’s North Florida district.

Job Killer?

Rep. Boyd’s ad goes too far when it charges that his rival, state Sen. Al Lawson, “killed” transportation and hospital jobs when he voted for the fiscal year 2011 state budget.

■ The ad says Lawson “killed 8,000 more construction jobs by raiding the transportation fund.” This is simply false. For one thing, the budget Lawson supported actually increased the Department of Transportation’s capital budget by $400 million, to $5.8 billion, according to the Department of Transportation budget office. That will support a lot of construction jobs gained, not "killed." The same bill also would have diverted $160 million out of the state Transportation Trust Fund, which in theory might have offset some of the job gain. But Florida Gov. Charlie Crist vetoed the trust fund diversion, so Boyd can’t accurately claim that Lawson "killed" any jobs.

■ Boyd also claims that Lawson “killed thousands of health care jobs by cutting aid to hospitals.” Lawson did vote for a budget bill that included a 7 percent reduction in the Medicaid reimbursement rates paid to hospitals. The ad cites a report by the University of Florida saying thousands of health care jobs may be affected statewide. But those jobs haven’t been "killed" yet: The new fiscal year doesn’t start until July 1. Furthermore, Boyd’s mostly rural district may be largely spared, thanks to a provision in the House-Senate conference report — supported by Lawson and others — which exempts rural hospitals from the reduction.

Read the full article here.

E-College program teaches students about laser systems

Northrop Grumman Corporation's Laser Systems business unit recently partnered with the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering to offer seven Orange County high school students an exclusive tour of the college's state-of-the-art engineering facility through the company's Worthwhile to Help High School Youth (WORTHY) program.

Driven by a nationwide demand for more student interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), WORTHY was created by Northrop Grumman to promote the pursuit of technical degrees and careers among high school students. The students have been participating in the program since August 2009.

The student participants were: Austin Lord, Demetrius Gordon, Jeff Childers, Melissa Pennington, Ebony Fitzgerald, Steeve Delius, and Brandon Singh. The students learned how to program a robot arm to write their name. They also met current engineering students who gave them insight on what it was like to major in engineering.

Northrop Grumman is one of the world's leading manufacturers of military Electro-Optical (EO) targeting systems.

Milwaukee Brewers draft Shaw

FAMU's Derrick Shaw has been drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers. He was chosen in the 41st round of the 2010 Major League Baseball draft.

Shaw, a 6-0 sophomore infielder/outfielder from Orlando, Fla., was a 1,239 selection overall in the draft. He finished the season with 67 hits in 163 at-bats for a .411 batting average, scoring 45 runs, while driving in 36 runs. He had 20 hits for extra bases, 11 doubles, three triples and six homers.

In addition, Shaw was a two-time First Team All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference selection (2009, 2010). He was also a member of the Rattler football team.

Williams and partners host Gadsden Resource Fair

State Rep. Alan Williams (D-Tallahassee), in partnership with the Agency for Workforce Innovation, the Gadsden County Health Department and WORKFORCE plus, will host the Gadsden County Resource Fair Saturday, June 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event, held at the Carter-Parramore Academy in Quincy, is a coordinated effort to provide free employment and health services to Gadsden County residents.

“We are thrilled to be able to bring these health and employment resources directly into the community where residents may not otherwise have access,” Williams said. “Partnerships such as those exhibited by this event showcase the value of community and state organizations joining together to support our citizens and arm them with tools for success.”

Mobile units from both AWI and WORKFORCE plus will be on site. AWI representatives will help unemployed residents apply for and manage unemployment compensation claims. WORKFORCE plus staff will informresidents of job placement and training services available through local One- Stop Career Centers and assist with job searches using the Employ Florida Marketplace, the state’s powerful online job matching and talent bank tool.

Staff from the Gadsden Health Department’s mobile unit will provide free health screenings and workshops on topics like depression and mental health, prostate cancer, diabetes and many others in partnership with the FSU Center on Better Health and Life for Underserved Populations. Attendees will also have the chance to meet their favorite radio personalities from 96.1 Jamz.

Other partners on hand to answer questions and provide information about their services include: ACCESS Florida, Big Bend Cares, Big Bend Transit, Capital Regional Medical Center – Gadsden Memorial Campus, Early Learning Coalition of the Big Bend, Florida KidCare, Gadsden Community Health Council, Gadsden County Schools, Gadsden County Sheriff, Gadsden Technical Institute, Piggly Wiggly and others.

FAMU part of $63M robotics consortium

A General Dynamics Robotics Systems-led consortium of eight academic and corporate leaders in robotic technologies has been awarded a $63 million five-year research agreement by the U.S. Army Research Laboratory to create the technical foundation supporting development of autonomous unmanned air and ground systems.

This agreement also has a second five-year option worth $67 million, and a parallel technology-transition contract valued at up to $90 million to facilitate transition of technology to other government programs. Taken together, the entire effort has a potential value of $220 million.

General Dynamics Robotic Systems is the Integration Lead Organization responsible for integrating the broad palette of technology required to create future highly autonomous unmanned systems and leading the transition of this technology to advanced development and acquisition programs. The robotics consortium members include: Carnegie Mellon University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Central Florida, Florida A&M University, Jet Propulsion Laboratory/Caltech University, QinetiQ North America, and Boston Dynamics.

Oliver, former FAMU All-American, passes

Former FAMU two-time All-American and FAMU Sports Hall of Famer Harrell Oliver passed away in South Florida.

Oliver was a defensive standout for Head Football Coach Rudy Hubbard in the late 1970s. He came to FAMU as a linebacker, but Hubbard realized his ability to contribute at nose guard.

Oliver was virtually unblockable in his four years at FAMU. In 1977, he made All-SIAC at nose guard for the undefeated Rattler football team. FAMU was the only school in Division I to be undefeated and won the Black College national championship.

In 1978, Oliver again made All-SIAC and anchored a defense that helped the Rattlers win the inaugural NCAA I-AA championship. Oliver made All-American in 1978.

In 1979, Oliver was instrumental in the Rattlers' shocking defeat of Howard Schnellenberger's University of Miami Hurricanes 16-13. That signature game was defined by an incredible defensive effort by the Rattlers. Oliver again made All-American that year.

Amos Hill, his position coach said, "Harrell was a guy you wouldn't have to tell the plan to but one time, then he was ready to do it." Hill said it was Oliver's quickness, tenacity and determination that made him the player he was.

Oliver is also well known for his picture on the 1979 Orange Blossom Classic promotional poster. It depicted him in game attire holding a bouquet of orange blossoms.

FAMUans rally for repeal of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”

Two FAMU alumni, Kendrick Meek and Sharon J. Lettman, have emerged as high-profile advocates of repealing the nearly 20-year old “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” (DADT) law. DADT mandates the discharge of openly gay, lesbian, and bisexual soldiers.

In late May, the full U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate Armed Services Committee voted in favor of the amendment to repeal DADT, which was included in the National Defense Authorization Act. The repeal will not take effect until the Pentagon completes a review of how to implement the repeal, and U.S. President Barack Obama, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen certify that it is “consistent with the military's standards of readiness, effectiveness, unit cohesion and recruitment and retention.”

Meek, a congressman and candidate for the U.S. Senate, applauded the White House for announcing that it would back DADT’s repeal.

“For far too long, the Pentagon's ‘Don't Ask, Don't Tell’ policy has dishonored those who serve our country so nobly,” Meek said. “We must not let political games or ideological squabbles overwhelm our best chance to bring about this long-sought change. The current policy is not only discriminatory to so many Americans, but is wrong for our national security.”

Meek is encouraging Floridians to sign a petition on his campaign website supporting a vote to remove the law.

DADT was to be a temporary law to help the military transition into the open integration of gay and lesbian people in the ranks of the armed services. Since its incorporation, more than 13,500 military personnel have been discharged under the law. Black lesbians have been discharged at three times the rate at which they serve.

Lettman, executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition, also thinks it is time to get rid of DADT for good.

“‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ has thwarted our military readiness by discharging linguists, medics, nurses, high ranking officers, pilots, engineers, specialists, and the rank and file of patriotic men and women who have been asked to hide in the closet and lie every day,” Lettman said. “We look forward to the completion of the Pentagon’s working group report on how to repeal the law, and certification of the law by government and military officials.”

Taylor: Proposed FAMU, USF game a “win-win”

Despite not having a permanent athletic director, FAMU is still working out the details of a 2011 football matchup with the University of South Florida.

It's very likely that you're going to see that happen," Head Coach Joe Taylor told the St. Petersburg Times. "Don't be surprised."

Last summer, then-Sports Information Director Alvin Hollins said that President James Ammons “very interested in us opening the (2011) season there."

When FAMU faced off against USF in 2005, the game attracted 43,122 fans. That was the second-largest crowd in USF football’s history.

That year the Rattlers, who scored 3 points to the Bulls’ 37, cut a deal to receive part of the game’s ticket revenues. The two universities have not commented on whether a similar agreement is in the works for the anticipated 2011 contest.

"It's good for a lot of reasons," Taylor said. "It's a great barometer for us to see where we are. Normally, there's a revenue opportunity there, and then the exposure. I think it's win-win."

FAMU recruit is a community leader

Esther Dorilus, a senior at Golden Gate High School in Naples, is a shining example of the new talent that will fill next year’s freshman class on The Hill.

Throughout all four years of high school, she has worked as a junior staff member at the Boys and Girls Club of Collier County. Her duties include teaching basketball classes and serving as a mentor to third, fourth, and fifth grade students.

Esther became a member of the Boys and Girls Club during seventh grade during a very difficult time during her life. At age 14, she lost her mother to leukemia. Esther, one of four children, had to take up a new set of family responsibilities that placed a heavy burden on her.

“It was hard, because I had to help out and I had nowhere to bring my sister,” she recalls. “Right after school I would have to try to cook, clean and be there for my sister. I stayed up nights trying to do my homework.”

She says the Boys and Girls Club provided a supportive environment that helped her cope with the death of her mother.

“The Boys & Girls Club was a place that I could just come and relax,” she says. “It was like I had two rocks on me and I could drop them down. Staff members helped me, giving me rides, helping with my sister, calling me to see if I needed help. To have somebody call you and say, ‘You got this, you can do this, do you need any help?’ That’s amazing.”

Esther began volunteering at the club as an aerobics instructor while she was still in middle school. During high school, in addition to her teaching duties at the club, she also played basketball, ran track, and served in the JROTC.

The new FAMU recruit is excited about beginning school in Tallahassee this fall.

“I can’t wait to get there and meet people from all of the different schools,” she said. “But it will be hard to leave my dad and sisters.”

Esther will major in pre-med. She wants to be a pediatrician.

FAMU grads making waves in fashion world

Nestled in the heart of downtown Miami are the offices of the emerging designers behind Complex Apparel Ltd. Brand. The quaint design space is neatly stacked and organized to showcase the company’s three apparel labels that include Dungeon Forward, Two Hundred Forty Two and Delilah Johnson House of Fashion.

After giving an overview of the three lines, Complex Apparel’s chief executive officer, David Castro explains how the company began as a way for him and friend David Wallace, who is now the company’s chief operating officer, to look fashionable without breaking the bank.

“David and I were talking about how we wanted to look stylish and rock the latest gear,” says Castro. “But we were on a serious budget so we had to do it on a shoe-string. That’s when we got creative and began making custom T-shirts that we designed and hand-painted.”

The friends, who were both architectural design majors at Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (FAMU), soon found that they were getting requests from others to create custom designs.

Just across campus, another FAMU student was also flexing her creative muscles.

A business administration major, Delilah Johnson was always sewing clothes for herself. After she and Castro ran into each other on campus one day and admired each others’ work, they formed a fast friendship and remained in contact as they finished up their degrees.

Following graduation, the two Davids received jobs at architectural firms in South Florida but couldn’t shake their desire to test the waters to determine if their T-shirt business could become a profitable venture.

Wallace convinced Castro that they should do a test run at Miami Carnival. So the two men purchased a booth, invested in T-shirts, and created each T-shirt as a custom, hand-painted piece.

After the investment in products, the cost of the booth space and the extremely labor- intensive process of hand-painting each tee, the project barely broke even and left the duo feeling pretty dejected. For several months, they decided to abandon the project until Wallace reached out to Castro and said, “We just can’t give up.”

Castro added, “I wasn’t sure if I wanted to move forward at first, but when we look back on that event now, we realize that that failure was really the best thing that could have ever happened to our business.”

With a renewed determination, Castro and Wallace went to work to fine-tune the business and get it back up and running in a more efficient way.

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Photos from oil soaked Louisiana

AP Photographer Charlie Riedel just filed the following images of seabirds caught in the oil slick on a beach on Louisiana's East Grand Terre Island Thursday, June 3, 2010. More of his photos: here

FAMU positioned to tap new commuter markets

FAMU’s Crestview Education Center, which recently received the remaining money needed for its construction and operation costs, will permit the university to tap into a brand new commuter market.

Crestview is close to a number of higher education institutions in rural counties whose students may be eager to transfer into the health science programs FAMU will offer at its new Northwest Florida campus. They include: Northwest Florida State College (Niceville), Gulf Coast Community College (Panama City), Chipola Junior College (Marianna), and Troy University (Fort Walton Beach).

Additionally, Crestview is less than an hour away from Pensacola. That means the new FAMU campus could also attract students from Pensacola Junior College and graduates of the University of West Florida.

FAMU's Crestview Education Center will be an interdisciplinary campus. According to the authorizing legislation, the center will offer "instructional programs leading to the PharmD; B.S. or M.S. nursing; master of public health and doctorate of public health; and health care management, health administration, occupational therapy, and physical therapy."

FAMU will have the only doctor of pharmacy program in the entire region.

Pictured: Fort Walton Beach, Florida.

Ammons: FAMU wants to play for FCS title

In a letter to National Alumni Association President Tommy Mitchell, FAMU President James H. Ammons addressed recent reports that the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) might give up its automatic berth to the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) playoffs in order to participate in "Legacy Bowl."

According to College Sporting News, the proposed "Legacy Bowl" would feature the MEAC’s champion versus the Southwestern Athletic Conference’s (SWAC) champion on Dec 17, 2011. It would air on ESPN and the conferences would share a $3M payment.

Ammons said that he and the university's athletic department stand against any policy that would block FAMU from pursuing the FCS championship.

From Ammons' letter:

Recently, I have heard from several alumni regarding the proposed "Legacy Bowl" that is being discusssed by MEAC Commissioner, Dennis Thomas. While this topic was discussed at the Council of Chief Executive Officers meeting in March, no decision has been made.

I have spoken with Interim Athletic Director Michael Smith and Coach Joe Taylor. We agree that this not a good decision for FAMU. I have spoken with Commissioner Thomas and expressd that FAMU does not support the notion of a "Legacy Bowl" that would prevent FAMU from competing for a national title.

Pernell receives two-year contract extension

The dean who led FAMU’s College of Law to its historic accreditation victory will remain in office for another two years.

At Tuesday’s Board of Trustees meeting, LeRoy Pernell was awarded a two-year contract extension.

When Pernell arrived at the law school in 2007, it faced huge challenges. The previous interim administration headed by Castell Bryant administration had withheld $5 million from the school’s budget and permitted it to slide into instability. Faculty also faced difficulty getting paid as a result of the Castell-inflicted payroll system meltdown.

After Ammons restored the millions Castell had kept away from the law school, Pernell used the money to hire a number of talented faculty members who helped him beef up the bar preparation training. Under Pernell, College of Law students eventually achieved about an 80 percent overall bar passage rate. The American Bar Association, which accredits law schools, requires schools to maintain at least a 75 percent overall passage rate.

On July 31, 2009, Pernell announced that the College of Law had accomplished its goal of receiving full ABA accreditation.

FAMU’s College of Law is currently ranked by the U.S. News and World Report as the #1 most diverse in America. The Pernell administration also founded an innovative Center for International Law and Justice, worked with Judge Joseph Hatchett to establish a program that pipelines FAMU law grads into the prestigious Akerman Senterfitt law firm, and opened a new bookstore and café.

Holmes’ fate to be decided by June 30

Yesterday, Student Body President Gallop Franklin, II showed that he is one of the only members of the FAMU Board of Trustees who actually gives a damn about the Developmental Research School (DRS).

Franklin asked President James H. Ammons if the university planned to extend the contract of DRS Superintendent Ronald Holmes, which expires this year.

An uncomfortable silence fell on the board meeting after Franklin raised his question, suggesting that he had brought up an issue that most of his fellow trustees did not want to discuss.

Ammons answered that he does not have all the information he needs in order to make a recommendation on Holmes’ contract. He said he is still waiting to receive all DRS’ scores on this year’s Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT).

The DRS school grade fell from a “C” in 2008 to a “D” in 2009 after Holmes’ first full year.

Franklin then asked when the administration will have a contract decision to report before the board. Ammons said the deadline is June 30, 2010.

Holmes was hired in late 2007 to a three-year contract. Multi-year personnel contracts must be approved by the Board of Trustees.

The poor leadership at DRS has placed a big financial burden on FAMU during a time of heavy budget cuts. 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.

On January 29, 2010, the FAMU BOT voted to use $425,802 from the FAMU DRS Trust Fund to cover projected deficits at the school.

Once Franklin finished talking, all the rest of the board members kept their mouths shut and refused to ask any follow-up questions. Ever since Trustee R.B. Holmes threw his support behind Bill Jennings’ 2009 reelection bid for the BOT chairmanship, word has spread on campus that there’s an understanding that Holmes’ brother (Ronald) will not be summoned before the BOT to answer tough questions about the increasingly bad situation at DRS. No one other than Franklin showed any interest in discussing the crisis at FAMU’s K-12 school.

Franklin’s questions come at a time when a growing number of students are expressing anger at the BOT for hurting DRS. Recent opinion columns in The FAMUan have blasted trustees for under-the-table politics that are jeopardizing the school’s future.

At least there is one trustee who is willing to speak up for the students and parents at DRS. Holmes and Jennings, the two longest serving board members, have shown that they have no loyalty to DRS. Their only loyalty is to their own selfish goals.

General Studies, Mulrennan lab marked for budget cuts

Twenty-six personnel positions in FAMU’s School of General Studies and the John A. Mulrennan, Sr. Public Health Entomology Research & Education Center (PHEREC) could disappear in 2011-2012.

At this morning’s Board of Trustees meeting, President James H. Ammons announced that the university had moved 26 salary lines in those two units from recurring legislative dollars to temporary federal stimulus dollars, which will expire in 2011-2012.

Last summer, FAMU eliminated 50 percent of the staff positions at the Mulrennan lab. A number of the affected positions were already unfilled. Before last year’s cuts, 20 people worked at the lab.

FAMU is facing a $3.1M budget cut in 2010-2011 and will lose more than $8M in non-recurring stimulus dollars the year after that.

Unless the Florida Legislature appropriates more money to help pay for the 26 positions, they will be gone in 2011-2012. Ammons emphasized that he does not want to cut any jobs next year and will exhaust every possible option to save as many employees as possible.

FAMU to grant $3.8M in out-of-state waivers

In an effort to boost FAMU’s retention and graduation rates, FAMU President James H. Ammons plans to grant $3.8M in waivers to out-of-state students in 2010-2011.

“$3.8 million sounds like a lot but it’s not going to go very far,” Ammons told the Capital Outlook. FAMU’s recent general revenue cuts have placed a strain on the financial aid budget, making it harder for the university to assist out-of-state students who are struggling to pay for their education.

In 2009-2010, an out-of-state student taking a full course load had to pay $14,030 plus $1,869 in fees. A full course load for an in-state student cost $2,658 plus $1,300 in fees.

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. Students typically reduce their course loads as the cost of college goes up. That hurts the university's retention and graduation rates.

The increase in out-of-state waivers will give these students more money for class and help them complete their degrees more quickly.

Florida State University is another public institution that is using out-of-state waivers to provide financial relief to its students and raise revenue.

In 2008, FSU trustees approved a 50 percent reduction in fees for certain out-of-state students. That lowered the cost of annual full-time (30 credit hour) enrollment from $18,000 to $12,000 for those students.

The total fee waiver amounts to $999,661. The fee break will help FSU enroll a larger number of out-of-state students and help its current out-of-state students buy more credit hours. In the end, FSU officials expect to create 109 additional out-of-state full-time equivalents (units of 15 credit hours). That will bring in $1,999,322 in new tuition revenue.

FAMU’s in-state students, however, must prepare to pay more. The Westside Gazette recently reported that the FAMU administration plans to implement the maximum in-state tuition increase permitted by law. The legislature mandated an eight percent increase for in-state undergraduates and gave universities the option to add a “differential” that could take the amount up to 15 percent.

“We are anticipating a 15 percent increase in tuition,” Provost Cynthia Hughes-Harris said. “Eight percent will be automatic.”

Thanks to Student Body President Gallop Franklin, II, the Board of Trustees waived last year’s tuition differential for students who qualified for the need-based Florida Public Student Assistance Grant (FPSAG). Franklin also played a key role in persuading the administration to support bigger out-of-state tuition waivers.