One of the long-term goals for the 12th president of FAMU must
be a big expansion of the university’s research activities. FAMU needs to
aggressively push toward R1 status in order remain competitive in Florida and
across the nation.
FAMU reached “R2: Doctoral Universities – Higher research
activity” in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education in
2016. It was previously categorized at what is currently “R3: Doctoral Universities
– Limited research activity.” The highest research category is “R1: Doctoral
Universities – Highest research activity.”
Five of the public universities in Florida are already at
R1: Florida International University, Florida State University, University of
Central Florida, University of Florida, and University of South Florida.
The State University System of Florida schools that do the
most research tend to get rewarded with the biggest amount of public funding in
Florida. Now all the R1s in Florida are racing to qualify for the “Preeminent
State Research Universities Program” so they’ll be eligible for the millions of
dollars in that program.
If FAMU doesn’t make strides toward R1, it won't just find itself
falling behind in Florida. FAMU could also lag behind North Carolina A&T University and Prairie View A&M
University. Those two schools are both R2s, but their presidents are both
working to make them into stronger research universities.
At NCA&T, Chancellor Harold Martin has announced his
plans in “Preeminence 2020.” One part of that plan calls for NCA&T “to be a
national, premier research-intensive doctoral, science and technology-focused
learning institution.” It adds that: “Over the next decade, the competitive
advantages fostered through the university’s research initiatives will attract
new relationships and partnerships. These relationships will drive the
reputational quality of the institution and sustain high-quality faculty and
enrollment growth.”
Prairie View A&M University President Ruth J. Simmons is
the former president of Brown University, an R1. According to the Texas
Tribune, “she wants to raise the university’s profile by recruiting top
research faculty and inviting world-renowned speakers to campus.”
Past FAMU Presidents Walter L. Smith, Frederick S.
Humphries, Fred Gainous, and James H. Ammons all did important work to help increase
the number of Ph.D. programs and amount research activity at FAMU in order to
help the university climb up the Carnegie Classifications.
FAMU can’t afford to get left behind in the race toward R1.
The long-term strategy for expanding FAMU’s research programs needs to be
discussed before the BOT votes on a 12th president.