2009: The FAMU Year-in-Review

JanuaryThe change that the nation proclaimed it wanted in 2008 came to fruition on freezing cold January 20, 2009, as Barrack Obama was sworn in as the 44th president of the United States of America.

As the Rev. Joseph Lowery so aptly observed President Obama "has come to this high office at a low moment in our nation and our world."

To help the nation celebrate on that special day, the FAMU Marching 100 high stepped down Pennsylvania Avenue to a medley of tunes --- Celebration, James Brown riffs, and Sign Seal Delivered-- to let the world know that change has indeed come to America!

On the trip home from Washington, the 100rd stopped off in Atlanta to participate in the Honda Battle of the Bands.

Also in January, FAMU grad, U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek launched his historic bid for the U.S. Senate. Meek, the democratic front runner, would become the first African American to be elected to U.S. Senate from the South should he win. FAMU graduates all across America can help Rep. Meek make history by taking action now and visiting his website.

To close out the month, FAMU began to lay the foundation to establish the state's second public Dental School on the highest of seven hills.

February
Twenty eight years after becoming eligible for the NFL Hall of Fame, Robert "Bullet Bob" Hayes' long wait for this well deserved recognition finally ended. Hayes' election made him the first FAMU grad to receive this honor. There's an effort underway to seek this same recognition for Ken Riley.

March
FAMU's "shine" on the national stage got a little brighter/or dimmer depending on how you want to look at it when self proclaimed "student activist" Kyle Washington got his 15 minutes of fame/shame as cast member on BET's top-rated reality series College Hill: South Beach.

Thankfully, the FAMU Strikers were not quite as embarrassing during their run on MTV's America's Best Dance Crew which began airing about the same time.

Then , there was always alumnus Anika Noni Rose who was doing her thing and representing FAMU well on HBO's The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency mini-series.

FAMU closed the door on a tragic grade changing scandal when Marcus Barrington was found guilty in federal court of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and unauthorized computer access, identity theft, and unauthorized computer access. Barrington was eventually sentenced to seven years in prison.

April
In an attempt to reestablish SBI as flagship program, Dean Lydia McKinley-Floyd was replaced by Dr. Shawnta Friday-Stroud. Floyd who was appointed by former interim president Castell Bryant had been on the job for three years but had failed to make significant strides in moving SBI forward.

Meanwhile, FAMU opened its new $42 million, 135,000 square foot Teaching Gymnasium. The facility is home to the Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation and the men’s and women’s basketball programs. It seats 9,639.

May
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton sent hundreds of FAMU graduates onto a new enlightened journey by challenging them to be the "how generation" and work to solve the nation's problems. Clinton opened up the FAMU Teaching Gym, now the Lawson Center, by speaking at the spring graduation.

FAMU's budget continued to take a beating as the Florida and National economies worsened. The federal stimulus cushioned the blow, but that money is only temporary.

June

FAMU DRS continued to make news, and not in a good way, as the contracts of 35 teachers expired. Later in the year school was notified by the Fl Dept of Education that it had dropped from a C to a D grade.

Later after failing to reach its lofty enrollment projections, the contracts of nine teachers were the subject of front page news before the University bailed them out.

Alumnus Teddy B. Taylor was nominated by U.S. President Barack Obama to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to the Solomon Islands, Republic of Vanuatu, and Papua New Guinea.

July

The FAMU College of Law received full accreditation from the American Bar Association. The College accepted its first students in 2002. Earlier in the year, the College was sighted by US News and World Report as one of the nation's most diverse law schools.

August
After firing both mens and womens track coaches earlier in the year, Bill Hayes' pick to to lead the mens' program was arrested less than a week on the job. He was later cleared.

All the while our A.D. was job hunting in North Carolina.

September
LeRoy Vann, the All-America kick return ace and DB shattered two school records and earned national attention ESPN and USAToday.

October

Long time Sports Information Director's Alvin Hollins tenure at FAMU came to a screeching halt when he received an ultimatum from the university administration to either resign be fired. Hollins resigned, along with Assistant A.D. Bob McBee and A.D. Bill Hayes.

Hayes later accepted the A.D. position at Winston-Salem State.

Despite doing essentially the same drill for seven straight weeks, the "Marching 100" only managed to pull off two near perfect performances all year --Atlanta and Miami. The 400 piece band was plagued by crooked lines, wrong turns, and just plain laziness. The 2009 version of the 100rd was certainly not the band we have all grown accustom too.

November

Having secured approval from the Board of Trustees, FAMU is preparing to take its proposal for a School of Dentistry to the Florida Board of Governors.

Just in time to hit the Florida Classic, FAMU unveiled two new 56 passenger buses outfitted with wireless internet service. The buses were leased by SGA

December

FAMU had its accreditation reaffirmed for another 10-years by the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges.

And, a FAMU alumnus made history as Disney's first Black princess.