FAMU President James Ammons announced yesterday that he will defer an $81,000 bonus that was awarded to him based upon his performance in 2008-2009.Members of the university’s Board of Trustees voted to give him the minimum bonus permitted by his contract. According to the language of the performance bonus clause: “Based upon his achievement of annual goals and objectives…Dr. Ammons shall receive an annual performance bonus. It is intended that said annual performance bonus shall be in the range of 25% to 35% of the annual base salary.”
Trustee Karl White offered the motion to award the bonus at the minimum 25 percent level. He said his decision was not a criticism of Ammons’ performance but a response to the tough economic situation that FAMU faces.
University officials say they might have to cut another $5M from the budget this year. Florida’s public universities also received notice that they might take another 15 percent across-the-board cut in 2011-2012. That would be $14.2M at FAMU. Additionally, FAMU will lose more than $8M in nonrecurring stimulus dollars that year. Twenty-six employee salary lines are being paid with that money.
Ammons’ base salary is $325,000 per year. Last year he accepted a 35 percent, or $113,750 bonus. He gave 50 percent to the FAMU National Alumni Association.
The president thanked the Board of Trustees for its favorable evaluation and decision to honor the bonus clause of his contract.
“I am humbled by this decision to issue a performance bonus consistent with the terms of my contract,” Ammons said.
Ammons added that “this is the absolute worse time for me to accept this bonus.”
The president will meet soon with the board chairman to discuss “restructuring” the bonus clause of his contract.