As Rattler Nation CEO, James H. Ammons inherited a full-blown financial crisis when he took office July 2: millions of dollars that hadn't been accounted for and state auditors had slammed the university for two consecutive years.Among the worst consequences: a Board of Governors task force and probation by the accrediting Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), which remains in effect. The financial news out of FAMU was relentlessly bad for what seemed like an endless stretch of time - so demoralizing that some of the university's staunchest supporters couldn't hide their fear about FAMU's future.
Fast-forward to five months later and preliminary and unofficial audit results were clean for the first time in two years, and early indications are that President Ammons is methodically righting the university's capsized ship.
Read more at: FAMU fiscal ship finally afloat
http://www.blackcollegewire.org/voices/071203_lighter_darker/
ReplyDeleteLighter, Darker but Still Black
Black College Wire - Washington,DC,USA
Even more disturbing, colorism decided to attend a Historically Black College and University called Florida A&M University. Everybody has the right to his ...
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And what the hell does that have to do with FAMU's financial health?
ReplyDeleteKeep up the great work, Dr. Ammons! You are doing an outstanding job in cleaning up Castell's financial mess?
Castell's financial mess? What about Fred Gainous'? All of this has been going on for a while dating way back when.
ReplyDeleteThe state auditors said this only goes back to 2003 when Fred Gainous (at Jim Corbin's behest) fired all the financial people who knew what the hell they were doing.
ReplyDeleteThe 24 years of clean financial statement audits up to 2002 prove this is not a long-standing problem.
That fact should stop the witchhunt by the CVB faithful against Dr. Humphries' legacy. Go FAMU! Our hair is growing back!
ReplyDeleteAuditors flag 21 problems at UF
ReplyDeleteA school spokesman says the state agency found fewer problems than in most recent years.
By SHANNON COLAVECCHIO-VAN SICKLER, Times Staff Writer
Published December 5, 2007
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U.S. News Video
State auditors found a number of financial flaws and questionable practices at Florida's flagship public university during the 2006-07 budget year, according to a new operational report.
The auditor general found 21 areas where the University of Florida overspent, didn't follow state procedures and failed to properly document payroll, contracts and other matters.
UF spokesman Steve Orlando said university officials have responded to auditors' concerns and are taking measures to correct the problems.
He pointed out that this most recent audit had fewer findings than previous years' audits. The operational audit for 2004, for example, found 25 problems.
"When you consider the size of the place and the number of people employed here, this is really middle of the pack," Orlando said.
One of the auditors' biggest concerns was millions in long-running budget deficits in UF's largest college, liberal arts and sciences, which spent $4.7-million more than budgeted in 2005-06 and nearly $3-million more than was budgeted for the following year.
The liberal arts college's woes were first reported in 2006, and UF has since reorganized the college and made budget cuts. This year, trustees also adopted new budget guidelines and staff training requirements to prevent future overspending.
Auditors also questioned the legality and expenditure of certain UF fees, including those charged to students who study abroad and to students enrolled in master's business programs.
Business fees for "materials and supplies" and other expenses generated more than $8-million for the '06-07 budget year, yet UF did not provide documentation to satisfy auditors that the revenue was properly spent or necessary.
UF's response maintains it has the right to charge those fees, based on UF policy, state law and Board of Governors regulations.
Auditors concluded the Institute of Food and Agricultural Science also needs to do a better job of collecting the money it is owed for contracts and grants.
Records show the institute last year was owed more than $16-million dating to before 2003. Orlando said that reflects contract and grant payments that various state agencies have yet to pay.
UF officials told auditors that they are developing policies to tighten up the collections process and that they have reduced the amount owed to the institute by $10-million.
Shannon Colavecchio-Van Sickler can be reached at svansickler@sptimes.com or 813 226-3403.
FAST FACTS
On the Web
The audit can be found at: www.myflorida.com/audgen/pages/summaries/2008-045.htm.
^^^
ReplyDeleteThis woman/man should be slapped for writing this weak-arse story. What you have is an university that receives almost a quarter of the states educational funding with this many missteps. These findings are definitely an on-going problem. This is horrible and the reporter writing this story should be fired for trying to throw UFL a softball. Where is the hard-nose research and investigative reporting St. Pete Times is known for? St Pete Times has lost all credibility. They should fire the editor.
Would this mean that the previous administration whose responses to the last audit findings had something to do with the corrective measures that led to at least 7 of the finding being corrected?!?! I am sure no one would agree...
ReplyDeleteThe previous (interim)administration contributed nothing to the improved audit.
ReplyDeletePlease remember that Castell resigned in May before the Grace Ali submitted the interim administration's final financial statement audit on June 30, 2007.
As usual, Castell's financial numbers were jumbled and state auditors contacted FAMU with additional questions and requests for information.
Ammons' work to balance the accounts that Castell/Ali left unreconciled and reconstruct FAMU's financial books helped the university fulfill the information requests from the state auditors.
"The state auditors said this only goes back to 2003 when Fred Gainous (at Jim Corbin's behest) fired all the financial people who knew what the hell they were doing.
ReplyDeleteThe 24 years of clean financial statement audits up to 2002 prove this is not a long-standing problem."
Chancellor Rosenberg was quoted in the Tallahassee Democrat saying that strains in accounting began to show during Humphries time as president. The former president gets no pass on the problems at FAMU.
Wow. He knew it and did nothing? Hmmm... makes you wonder about him...
ReplyDeleteRosenburg, that is.
ReplyDelete1:20,
ReplyDeleteHe was not Chancellor when Humphries was president. He was in no position to act.
Chancellor Rosenberg was quoted in the Tallahassee Democrat saying that strains in accounting began to show during Humphries time as president. The former president gets no pass on the problems at FAMU.
ReplyDeleteRosenberg doesn't know what the hell he's talking about. The state auditors are CPAs who looked at FAMU's books and determined that there was nothing wrong with any of FAMU's financial statements.
Rosenberg is not a CPA. He is not an auditor. He does not have the credentials or credibility to challenge the clean state audits that FAMU received during the Humphries-era.
I'm simply glad that we're on the right track. Who did what, when, is not really important now. It's where we are at the moment that counts. CVB is gone, Corbin, Gainous and most of that old crew is gone. It's where we are now that's most important. Let us all hope that we don't & won't ever be in that era/error again. That's what matters most.
ReplyDeleteWe are not headed in the right direction when a "high school drop out" the dean of School of Nursing's administrative assistant can talk to an Associate Dean in an unprofessional manner. But, again, the administrative assistant gets it from the dean because that is how the dean talks to the faculty and staff. Morale is at an all time low, so we are definitely not headed in the right direction.
ReplyDeleteThe nursing school just got a thumbs up from its accreditor so that speaks volumes about the direction in which FAMU is going.
ReplyDeleteIf you have a complaint about professionalism that isn't being addressed by the dean, then please move up the chain of command. Just as you've written on this blog, you need to submit a formal, signed letter to the provost. If the provost doesn't respond, then take your grievance to the Faculty Senate president who sits on the Board of Trustees.
There are avenues for addressing this issues. Be part of the solution.
Again, the reports do not support your assertions. I agree. Don't get on this board and discuss your problem. Follow the protocol and be a part of discovering your own solution. To not do so, and yet gripe, is very immature. Keep it moving in the right direction.
ReplyDeleteYou have to understand the history between Rosenberg and Humphries. Humphries did something that white folks still to this day resent. They resent the fact the FAMU College of Law was rebirth. Because of this rebirth, Rosenberg then VP and provost of FIU lost.
ReplyDeleteIt was a bitter long fight. But, Humphries slayed the last dragon. At his side was his worthy provost and vice president for academic affairs, President James Ammons. Ammons basically beat Rosenberg at his game when they were serving as provost together.
Understand the history and you will understand why these folks act the way they do towards FAMU.
It's not business, it's personal.
I am sure Dr. Rosenberg will be thrilled that FAMU supporters have compared him to a dragon that was slayed. I think I will send him a link.
ReplyDeleteThe battle was the "last dragon". No one referred to him as a dragon. Let's not be idiotic. But hey, if the Chancellor has time to read a blog, then by all means, have at it.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...I am sure Dr. Rosenberg will be thrilled that FAMU supporters have compared him to a dragon that was slayed. I think I will send him a link.
ReplyDelete12/06/2007 7:13 PM
I am sure Mark Rosenberg has heard from the Rattler Nation a plenty. But by all means have at it.
Rosenberg (LOL) more like dragon breath. I believe the author meant the battle. Dang.
ReplyDelete