Student Body President and University Trustee Gallop Franklin’s forward thinking has reduced the strain that FAMU’s newly-approved differential tuition will have on the university’s shrinking budget.At Franklin’s suggestion, the FAMU Division of Administrative and Financial Affairs recommended that the Board of Trustees waive the seven percent differential tuition increase for students who qualify for the need-based Florida Public Student Assistance Grant (FPSAG). Trustees approved the suggestion at last month’s meeting.
With the waiver in place, FAMU's FPSAG students won’t have to request to extra grants or loans from the Office of Financial Aid to pay for the differential. That means FAMU can use its limited financial aid budget for other important areas of student need. FPSAG students will also be less likely to take smaller course loads as a result of the differential.
Now FPSAG recipients will only face the mandatory six percent tuition hike required by the legislature, instead the total 15 percent increase placed on the majority of FAMU students.
While the Florida legislature estimated that FAMU could raise $4.4M from tuition and fee increases, President James Ammons said that number is out-of-touch with reality.
The legislature makes tuition projections based upon the unrealistic assumption that every student will take a full course load.
FAMU’s housing shortage makes college very expensive for the student body. Most students come from families that make $30,000 or less per year. But the legislature and BOT simply ignore that fact and continue to approve big tuition and fee hikes that students can’t afford. That forces most FAMU students to take smaller course loads, which slows down their progress toward graduation.
The differential also threatens to harm FAMU’s recruitment budget by making it much more expensive to provide full tuition scholarships for in-state National Achievement Scholars and other top-performing high school students who are being aggressively recruited by wealthier universities.
In 2006-2007, FAMU awarded $3,536,804 in FPSAG dollars to 2,313 eligible students.
For 2009-2010, the minimum FPSAG annual award amount is $200 and the maximum is $2,069.
Through many conversations with Rattlers, it seems that most are for a tuition increase. My argument is "how nice it is that we've become successful in our prospective careers and some even have never had to experince poverty growing up".
ReplyDeleteBut think about the single mother with 3 or more kids trying to afford tuition for college and as well as trying to feed and clothed herself and other children.
For the unique challenge at FAMU, tuition is just too expensive for many.
Way to go Franklin *two thumbs up*
With all the strains on the university budget it is a shame the BOT had in place and then approved a 35% salary increase for the university president.
ReplyDeleteShows where the real concern is loacted by the BOT
Can someone please explain the hostility over president Ammons being rewarded for the results he has produced to date? I don't understand it.
ReplyDelete9:03 I am not sure that it is hostility, rather than frustration over the fact that most who attend the University or work at the University are not able to get a raise or aid that is four times the avg americans yearly income.
ReplyDeleteHaving said that I would direct your attention to the LEADERSHIP that Larry Rivers Sr. has given to the University of which he is currently the President. He had as many issues if not more and he refused pay for his first year! LEADERSHIP! Ammons has done a good job, but if you attended FAMU right now you would know that all that shines is not gold. I support Ammons, yet there is some major issues that he has simply covered with great marketing. The problem is that wont last.
8:04 AM,
ReplyDeleteHello! I am one of those who support tuition increases when necessary, and unfortunately, there are times when it's necessary for administrators to re-evaluate the value of the product that's being provided. We can't continue to expect this university to provide excellent instruction and other services at yesterday's prices.
And by the way, I just completed graduate school and financed much of the cost with loans--an investment in my and my family's future--so don't lump me in the "forgotten" group. It's very hard for many students and their families to afford such increases, not just single parents and returning students. However, we must all plan and be willing to make some sacrifices.
On a side note, I wonder how many of those single mothers of three who are freshman or sophomores might be better off attending a community college (less expensive costs) or college closer to home to defray some of the cost and then transferring to FAMU.
9:03 I am familiar with Dr. Rivers' good work at FVSU. I agree that his decision to forego his salary was a nice, if unnecessary, gesture of goodwill. I am also aware that there continue to be problems at FAMU. I don't understand what any of this has to do with Ammons compensation package?
ReplyDeleteAre critics expecting a perfectly run organization and prefer that Dr. Ammons refuse reasonable compensation until all problems have been resolved?
The logic model sound like this, " All problems at FAMU have not been corrected, therefore the president should not receive additional compensation." Imagine if American workers could not receive additional compensation until they scored perfect performance reviews.
9:03 AM, Let me give you the facts about Dr. Ammons and you can decide for yourself.
ReplyDelete1. Because of severe financial & operational issues, FAMU was placed on probation by SACS PRIOR to Dr. Ammons arrival.
2. FAMU had been written up by the State Audit Department for more than 30 audit findings PRIOR to Dr. Ammons arrival.
3. A Task Force was appointed by the Florida Board of Governors to investigate and correct severe financial issues at FAMU PRIOR to Dr. Ammons arrival.
Enter Dr. Ammons
1. Shortly AFTER Dr. Ammons arrival, FAMU cleaned up its act and was taken off of probation by SACS. In fact, SACS complimented Dr. Ammons & his leadership team for the outstanding job they did in resolving the critical issues that got us on probation in the first place.
2. AFTER Dr. Ammons arrival, FAMU received its FIRST clean State Audit in years.
3. AFTER Dr. Ammons arrival, the Task Force completed their work and complimented Dr. Ammons & his leadership team for the outstanding improvements that they had made at the university.
I do not work for FAMU nor have any relatives working for FAMU. However, I do know that Dr. Ammons & his leadership team have made some MAJOR improvements and are doing an outstanding job. Please understand that Dr. Ammons EARNED his bonus s by meeting performance goals that FAMU’s Board of Trustees set for him.
Dr. Ammons will be the first to tell you that there is more work to be done, but we ain’t nowhere as bad as we were PRIOR to his arrival. We were close to losing FAMU because of the previous administration and some of the blood sucking politicians were sitting back licking their chops.
FAMU's prices are way too high right now. Only 20 percent of our students live on campus. They can't afford the same tuition as colleges that put most students in housing.
ReplyDeleteAnd FAMU is increasing its recruitment of community college transfers. But, the university still needs to take in big freshmen classes too to meet its enrollment numbers that are required by law. We know that most of FAMU's students come from low-income families. There's no way those freshmen can finish in six years if the prices keep inflating every year.
I agree that it's a good idea to give tuition increase waivers to the students who need them the most.