Since 1995, FAMU has held the distinction of being the top producer of blacks with baccalaureates. But that could change soon.
FAMU’s baccalaureate graduation totals have not yet felt the full impact from the recruiting program’s destruction during the 2004-2005 school year.
The (graduating) Class of 2008 was large because it was recruited by former President Frederick S. Humphries six years ago. The Class of 2009, scheduled to graduate next spring, was recruited by former President Fred Gainous. With the exception of the focus on National Achievement Scholars, Gainous followed Humphries’ example in building enrollment.
But on September 28, 2004, Gainous was fired. He was replaced in January by then-Interim President Castell Bryant, who tore the recruitment program (and just about everything else) to shreds and refused to honor many of the student scholarship offers that Gainous made.
FAMU went from a record enrollment of 13,070 students in Fall 2004 to 12,176 in Fall 2005. The numbers continued to tumble down to 11,913 in Fall 2006 and 11,567 in Fall 2007.
Here's what happened to FAMU's fall semester "first time in college" (FTIC) numbers:
2000: 1,943
2001: 1,916
2002: 1,898
2003: 2,144
2004: 1,997*
2005: 1,459 (Class of 2011)
2006: 1,458 (Class of 2012)
FAMU’s baccalaureate graduation totals have not yet felt the full impact from the recruiting program’s destruction during the 2004-2005 school year.
The (graduating) Class of 2008 was large because it was recruited by former President Frederick S. Humphries six years ago. The Class of 2009, scheduled to graduate next spring, was recruited by former President Fred Gainous. With the exception of the focus on National Achievement Scholars, Gainous followed Humphries’ example in building enrollment.
But on September 28, 2004, Gainous was fired. He was replaced in January by then-Interim President Castell Bryant, who tore the recruitment program (and just about everything else) to shreds and refused to honor many of the student scholarship offers that Gainous made.
FAMU went from a record enrollment of 13,070 students in Fall 2004 to 12,176 in Fall 2005. The numbers continued to tumble down to 11,913 in Fall 2006 and 11,567 in Fall 2007.
Here's what happened to FAMU's fall semester "first time in college" (FTIC) numbers:
2000: 1,943
2001: 1,916
2002: 1,898
2003: 2,144
2004: 1,997*
2005: 1,459 (Class of 2011)
2006: 1,458 (Class of 2012)
2007: 1,575 (Class of 2013)
Since the Classes of 2011, 2012, and 2013 have far fewer students than the previous ones, FAMU will grant far fewer baccalaureates to them.
The University of Phoenix-Online is a top contender to snatch FAMU’s crown as the top producer of blacks with baccalaureates. It awarded 69 percent more baccalaureates to blacks last year than it did in 2007. That number is likely to climb much higher in the future. Online programs have become increasingly attractive to nontraditional black students who are looking to complete college.
North Carolina A&T University shouldn’t be counted out, either. Its former Chancellor James C. Renick, was a very strong recruiter who boosted enrollment every year he was in office.
Since the Classes of 2011, 2012, and 2013 have far fewer students than the previous ones, FAMU will grant far fewer baccalaureates to them.
The University of Phoenix-Online is a top contender to snatch FAMU’s crown as the top producer of blacks with baccalaureates. It awarded 69 percent more baccalaureates to blacks last year than it did in 2007. That number is likely to climb much higher in the future. Online programs have become increasingly attractive to nontraditional black students who are looking to complete college.
North Carolina A&T University shouldn’t be counted out, either. Its former Chancellor James C. Renick, was a very strong recruiter who boosted enrollment every year he was in office.
While A&T’s overall headcount was still much smaller than FAMU’s during this period, the university has a good graduation rate and offers many online/distance education degrees. Last year, FAMU only beat A&T by 17 baccalaureate degrees.
There’s still time for FAMU to fix this problem and hold on to its title. It can do so by:
-Launching more online degree programs. This will make more classes available, especially for seniors who need certain courses to graduate. It will also bring more nontraditional students to FAMU.
-Increasing enrollment of community college transfers. These students graduate in two years. For example: If FAMU brings in a much higher number of AA degree recipients in Fall 2009, they will graduate with the Class of 2011 and boost the overall baccalaureate degree completion number.
-Reducing tuition and fees for upper division students. This will permit juniors and seniors to take larger course loads and speed up their progress toward graduation.
Sources: FAMU Fact Books, NC A&T Fact Books, Diverse Issues in Higher Education.
*The 2004 FTIC numbers are still being verified by FAMU's Office of Institutional Research. This figure was reported by the Florida Department of Education.
Have you read?: Online colleges nipping at FAMU's heels
Thanks for this GREAT information RN.
ReplyDeleteWe can do it Rattlers!!
Recruit a whole bunch of Community College graduates, who come with AA degrees quick!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAgain, why are we worrying about Dr. Castell Bryant when after two years of the current administration, there is still:
ReplyDelete1. Low morale among current teachers and staff who are often overworked and underpaid
2. Dormitories that aint being used (Sampson/Young)
3. SACS/ABA pending
4. Athletic Department in the Red
5. Little to no creativity in alternative funding in light of the recession
6. Few grants being awarded to Foundation
If Dr. Bryant was still here, these concerns would be written about daily here. Strange that they are not anymore
11:01 AM, it's the ECONOMY dummy!!
ReplyDeleteRecruiting more AA students, offering more online classes, and helping students take more courses will bring more money into the university. Those are all starting points toward finding the cash FAMU needs to provide better pay for its workers.
ReplyDeleteNow that Kennedy-Lamar is gone, can we use some of those dollars to do some real recruitment. We must compete for Transfer as well as the boarderline students. Wake up Gaines, what's your next step?
ReplyDelete11:21AM, leave me alone. I'm tryin' to get my snooze on.
ReplyDeleteThe on-line courses could be a big boost to FAMU's FTE production, but the IT support and infrastructure is just not in place. It is only partly a money issue. Actually, more than enough money has been thrown at IT to have a fabulous IT infrastructure. The money however, has not bee spent efficiently. The people running IT are extremely inefficient and incompetent. They are so much a product of the inbred FAMU administration that they do not know how bad they are. Neither does Ammons and his crew.
ReplyDelete11:01,
ReplyDeleteMrs. Bryant's very deliberate efforts to shut down FAMU's student recruitment program is a direct result to the current situation.
Had Mrs. Bryant still been here we'd been well on way to being shut down.
Say what you want about morale, but I venture that it is a heck of a lot better than it was when your saviour Mrs. Bryant was leading this great university.
This is definitely something that should be discussed at the June BOT meeting. Does anyone know if there will be a report about enrollment and AA transfer projections for Fall 2009?
ReplyDeleteSure wish the BOT had a web site. Sure wish we had one.
ReplyDelete@11:16
ReplyDeleteMost that list has nothing to do with the economy especially 1, 2, and 3.
4:47 PM, I wish that we had a REAL EIT department.
ReplyDeleteI really believe online courses are an answer to many of FAMU's problems. But Ammons has got to get serious about the people he has in his Administration. Most of these people are just not sharp--they do not perform well. Why not do something completely out of the box at an HBCU and hire without regard to race, color, creed or religion, or lack thereof. Hire for unadulterated ability to do the job. This would be for the benefit of the students and faculty who are constantly chained down and handicapped by a chronically misfiring Administration.
ReplyDelete8:24,
ReplyDeleteNow if we did that, many of our faculty + staff wouldn't have a job. LOL
11:16, don't be so quick to call 11:06 a "dummy." Much of what the poster says is true, especially the morale of the faculty. While much can be blamed on "the economy," everything can't be. I
ReplyDelete8:24pm
ReplyDeleteThen what would all the family members of this administration do????? You want them to go out and get a job based on their skills???? Why do that when all you have to do is be related to or very close to someone on the BOT or administration and make GREAT money. The added bonus is you don't even have to be good at what you do to get a check. Actually, you can be proven to be piss poor at it and still stay employed.......just gotta keep that HOOK UP going.
FAMU will destroy itself.
That's what my 84-year-old daddy has always said, 8:24, and he's not lied to me in all these years.
ReplyDeleteSo 9:35p...are you holding your breath for the day FAMU scrumbles? I hope that doesn't happen in my lifetime...
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