FAMU President Larry Robinson is working to bring a total of 12,000+ students to the university by 2020. He has defended that plan despite the reaction from some members of the Florida Board of Governors (BOG) who have raised harsh questions about student growth at FAMU, Florida International University, and the University of Central Florida.
According to an article in the Tallahassee Democrat: “Robinson said he believes FAMU can effectively handle an enrollment of 12,000 students” when asked about the issue by BOG members.
“We have the (academic and student) services available, but we are reallocating and restructuring some of that to make it possible,” Robinson said in a quote from that article.
The FAMU freshman class for Fall 2017 has a 3.39 average GPA and an average score on the SAT that is higher than the state and national averages for high school students. Robinson has said he wants enrollment to continue to go up with classes of freshmen that have 3.0+ average GPAs.
Off-campus housing will play a big role in helping FAMU as it continues to expand its student numbers. A study by Novogradac & Company said that 5,681 beds are in the pipeline for the off-campus student housing market within five miles of the FAMU campus. A total of 1,906 were in the FAMU Primary Market Area of less than half a mile to the campus.
FAMU has also set a goal of building a new 700-bed student housing facility on its campus.
PVAMU President Ruth Simmons also wants 12,000+ students at her school by 2020. NCA&T Chancellor Harold Martin is on track to surpass 12,000+ students in Fall 2018. His university had 11,877 students in Fall 2017 with a 3.51 average GPA for the freshman class. Martin has said he wants 13,500 students at NCA&T by 2020.