After discussion of the six candidates for president, the board moved forward with setting on-site interviews next week. It's quite clear the Lowe is steering this ship and should be watched. Notable BOT reports are:Hays Group - evaluation of FAMU's human resources. It seems that some 414 people currently employed at FAMU may face some personnel actions due to: (1) Change in the pay ranges (bands); (2) Change in position description; and (3) Change in current salaries.
Concerns expressed by some BOT members reqarding the Hays Group preliminary reports are the lack of (1) a Communication Plan (2) an Impact Analysis and (3) Access to market data used for the report. Although Lowe believes that implmentatin of the Hays Group recommendations will cause little or any pain, the 414 employees in the positions identified in the report beg to differ. Trustee Diallo asked several critical questions to Lowe's dismay. Diallo's concern is with the number of employees affected (414) and how will this affect employees who earn more than the new maximum. Will their salaries decrease? How will this impact future bonuses, state and university raises? Trustee Holmes made a great assessment and asked will this report also reveal the number of FAMU employees living/paid at/below the proverty level? Trustee Jennings was cognizant of the SBI 8 debacle and concerned about the university's public image and how this would be communicated to ALL employees.
It's clear that the university is moving toward a reduction in workforce, while beginning to delete academic programs due to a lack of student enrollment. Many are getting the feeling that either you leave on your own or the BOT/IP will force you out. RN is told that this is the first-time in almost 60 years, that the university has deleted any academic program. Also, the UFF and the USPS union has not weighed in on these changes/reductions in the workforce.
Kudos to Trustee Agnew's resolution for a prescribed level of giving for the FAMU Board of Trustees. Each board member would have a prescribe level of financial giving to our alma mater. The motion was approved unanamiously. Finally the BOT will get into the business of giving to FAMU financially.
Faculty members have yet to receive the back pay from Fall '05. Although these faculty members have performed their duties and responsibilities, they have yet to receive their full pay a complete year later. An unfair labor lawsuit was filed and withdrawn after the IP agreed to pay the faculty members their pay with interest in August '06. Today, these faculty members have not been paid. Why can't people get paid around here?
Items to be looked into are the College of Engineering, back pay for faculty, low morale at the law school, and the BOT returning back to the collective bargaining table. It became quite tense today when Trustee Diallo cornered Provost Austin about Dean James Douglas' status as a temporary employee or consultant. Provost did quick step dance maneuever, hee hawed and said he is what the ABA requires... So is he a regular employee or a consultant?
Inaugural breakfast for Charlie Crist will be held on January 2 on FAMU's campus. Announcement made by the IP.
More to come....
Read more here on enrollment: BOG Taskforce Blames FAMU for Dip in Black Enrollment
Shrinking Enrollment A Major Concern
Enrollment drops to a 9-year low
WOW!
ReplyDeleteGreat job RN. I read you with my second cup of coffee for the day.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good work.
RN, you're on it. Keep us posted and keep up the good work. We depend on RN to keep us in the Know. I often come here first before any other source.
ReplyDeleteDid the Board address FAMU Law School full accreditation? Students were under the impression that the ABA visits over the last year was part of the full accreditation process, but the Sentinel article regarding Barry Law School full accreditation quotes FAMU law school administration as stating that they may apply in 2008. Must we assume that the 2005 application for full accreditation was denied, withdrawn or never submitted?
ReplyDeleteWho can be surprised that Billy Joe is being paid? It was never a question if he would get his loot, it was a question of how much and when?
ReplyDeleteGood job Trustee Agnew. Now we'll actually have a fundraising measure through which to hold our BOT members accountable.
ReplyDeleteThe bar has been set. Anyone applying for FAMU's BOT should now know that we expect them to get off their tuffs and bring in some serious dollars for our university.
The law school situation is bad, bad, bad. No permanent dean, tenure being snatched from Professor Abrams, senior law professors refusing to teach more than one class, no class schedule, associate dean for academic affairs relieved of all responsibilities, no wonder ABA refused to grant full approval to law school.
ReplyDeleteLooks like Trustee Diallo is asserting some thangs up in here. Very interesting.
ReplyDelete^^^^^^
ReplyDeleteI'm loving it!
Now if only the SGA president would step up to the plate!
You don't really whom to trust on the BOT, so don't go gettin' your dander up!
ReplyDeleteI think the SGA president is doing perfectly fine...he did what no one else would...provide policy that adresses the lack of Trustee giving...
ReplyDeleteHe doesn't need to talk the whole meeting!!