Fla. Senate chair picks carry opportunity, danger for FAMU

Last week, Florida Senate President Jeff Atwater (R-North Palm Beach) announced his choices for key committee leadership posts. The selections included names that are very familiar to FAMU.

J.D. Alexander (R-Lake Wales) was tapped to head the Ways and Means Committee, making him the Senate’s budget chief. In 2001, as a member of the state House of Representatives, Alexander attempted to gut funding for the FAMU and Florida International University Colleges of Law.

Evelyn Lynn (R-Ormond Beach) will chair Higher Education Appropriations. Last year, she tried to give Florida State University total control of the joint College of Engineering it operates with FAMU by handing FSU the school’s $10.4M budget. The move would have put FSU in charge of the E-College’s money and administration - effectively ending FAMU’s role as an equal partner.

On a brighter note, Durell Peaden (R-Crestview) will run Health and Human Services Appropriations. During the previous legislative session, he pushed through funding that enabled FAMU to open the first Northwest Florida extension campus of its pharmacy school.

Three other FAMU supporters landed committee chair positions.

Alumnae Arthenia Joyner (D-Tampa) will chair Joint Administrative Procedures. Tony Hill (D-Jacksonville) will head Intergovernmental Regulations and Gary Siplin (D-Orlando) will lead Everglades Oversight.