The program is the only accredited facilities management degree program in the state of Florida and the only one at historically black college or university.
“Facilities management covers an extended range of core competencies,” said Steve Lockwood, the director of Academic Affairs for IFMA. “This is one of the first programs that we’ve had accredited that’s in the School of Business and Industry, predominantly coming from a management side, that crosses over into the School of Architecture.”
The FAMU Facility Management Academic Advisory Council consists of 12 volunteer professionals committed to sharing expertise and advice partnering with the university president, provost and deans of the SBI and SOA to advance and expand FAMU’s inaugural Facilities Management Academic Program.
“There is a need to have a combination of technical business and leadership skills that can be effectively applied to ensure the experience within built space is enjoyable, economical and sustainable,” said FAMU Facility Management Academic Advisory Council Chair Thomas Mitchell Jr.
It typically takes a program two to four years to earn its accreditation from the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) Foundation. SBI and SOA are wasting no time. The curriculum has so far met nine out of the 11 core competencies in order to gain accreditation. Full accreditation is anticipated in half the time generally expected.
Professor Roscoe Hightower of SBI and Professor Ronald Lumpkin of Architecture led the process of crafting the undergraduate curriculum.
“To leverage FAMU’s many strengths, this model will hopefully be focused across campus to deliver a cross-discipline program so other curriculums can be generated and implemented during these economic times,” said Hightower.