The FAMU Board of Trustees has approved a modified version of President James H. Ammons’ restructuring plan.Ammons presented his restructuring report to the board’s Budget & Finance Committee, yesterday. At this morning’s meeting, Trustee Richard A. Dent, III said that the committee had accepted plan, but opted not to formally recommend it because board members wanted to hear more input from the university community.
The plan pares FAMU’s budget down by ten percent in anticipation of new recurring revenue cuts from the Florida Legislature. It also accounts for the end of more than $7M in temporary federal stimulus dollars.
The net savings from the budget cuts will be applied toward three priority areas: the academic success initiative, technological enhancement, and competitive salaries for faculty and staff.
“We will invest in faculty and staff pay,” Dent said.
Ammons did make a notable change to the plan by scrapping a proposal to house the School of Allied Health Sciences, School of Nursing, and new School of Public Health under a “College of Health Professions.” Instead, each individual school will be an autonomous unit with its own dean.
This arrangement still leaves the door open for a “Center of Health Sciences” similar to the one proposed during a January 7, 2010 restructuring focus group meeting. The center would foster greater collaboration among the schools of Pharmacy, Allied Health, Nursing, Public Health, and planned School of Dental Medicine.