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| Antonio Fins, editorial page editor of the Sun-Sentinel |
UF Board of Trustees Chairman David Brown released a
statement on January 8 that announced the cancelation of the search for a new university
president. He explained that President Bernie Machen, who had submitted his
resignation, had a change of heart and decided to stay. Machen’s reversal was
largely due to Gov. Rick Scott’s personal request for him to remain at the university
and his promise to support UF’s goal of becoming a top ten public university.
The Sun-Sentinel published an editorial about the issue seven
days later. It didn’t include one word of disapproval about UF’s decision to
shut down its presidential search and keep the president that it said it was
going to replace.
“It’s a surprise that Machen agreed to stay,” the
Sun-Sentinel editorial board wrote. “He says we’ll understand his decision
better in a few weeks when the governor releases his budget. Whatever the
governor promised, it’s good for higher education in Florida.”
The Sun-Sentinel editorial board struck a very different
tone after FAMU Board of Trustees Chairman Chuck Badger announced that the
search for the university’s 11th president had been suspended.
“The suspension has thrown the selection of a new president
into doubt,” the Sun-Sentinel editorial board stated. “If FAMU hopes to
maintain its credibility, it should keep its word that the suspension of the
presidential search is just that, and not a facade to give an inside candidate
the leg up.”
UF told the public that it was going to let Machen leave and
hire someone to succeed him. The Sun-Sentinel editorial board hasn’t blasted UF
for failing to “keep its word” about hiring a new president.
The Sun-Sentinel editorial board thinks it’s okay for UF to
change its mind about replacing Machen. But it says that FAMU would be wrong to
change its mind about replacing Robinson.
The same editorial also said that FAMU “has other problems,
too. Its graduation rate is appalling — only 40 percent of students graduate in
six years. The school also has too many ‘profile admits,’ students who
basically are ill-prepared for a college education.”
It’s funny that the editorial didn’t mention the fact that the State
University System of Florida is led by an ex-Florida Atlantic University (FAU)
president who never pulled that school’s six year graduation rate up to 40 percent.
Frank Brogan served as the president of FAU from 2003 to 2009. His highest six-year graduation rate was 39.4 percent even though he admitted very few profile admits into that university. FAMU’s current six year graduation rate is 39.3. But don’t hold your breath for the Sun-Sentinel editorial board to call Brogan’s graduation rate record at FAU “appalling.”
Frank Brogan served as the president of FAU from 2003 to 2009. His highest six-year graduation rate was 39.4 percent even though he admitted very few profile admits into that university. FAMU’s current six year graduation rate is 39.3. But don’t hold your breath for the Sun-Sentinel editorial board to call Brogan’s graduation rate record at FAU “appalling.”
The Sun-Sentinel editorial board has made it clear that is
dedicated to treating UF and FAU very differently from FAMU.
Pictured: Antonio Fins, editorial page editor of the
Sun-Sentinel.