One claim some of them made was that the Southern
Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) put FAMU on probation for
“administrative instability” in 2007 because the university had left too many
interim administrators in important jobs for too long.
But that’s not what SACS said in the official letter it gave
FAMU announcing the probation decision.
“Financial stability” was one of the non-compliance areas
for FAMU in 2007, but the term “administrative stability” wasn’t in the SACS
rules or the SACS letter to FAMU.
The only non-compliance area in the letter that specifically
mentioned employee problems was the rule (3.2.8) that required schools to have
“qualified administrative and academic officers with the experience,
competence, and capacity to lead the institution.”
There was no reason to be surprised by that citation considering that SACS had flagged non-compliance in “financial stability,” “submission of financial
statements,” “financial aid audits,” and “control of finances.”
Interim President Castell V. Bryant claimed an $8M surplus
in 2005. But state auditors said that there was really a $10.4M deficit.
When Grace Ali, controller and later vice-president of
fiscal affairs during the Castell years, was at FAMU state auditors discovered
that $39 million had been spent without following all the required rules. The
university also received its first ever qualified audits during Castell and Ali’s
watch.
Ali went on to become the chief financial officer for the
Miami-Dade school district for just over 12 months. She and the superintendent
who hired her stepped down amid allegations that included poor financial
management.
SACS removed FAMU from probationary status in June 2008.
That action followed the return to unqualified audits under the administration of then-President
James H. Ammons.