FAMU students, backed by NAA, launch petition against BOG’s “Bottom 3” policy

BOG Vice-Chair Sydney Kitson

A group of Florida A&M University students has launched an online petition calling for an end to the “Bottom 3” policy of the Florida Board of Governors (BOG). The BOG currently denies performance-based funding (PBF) money to the three universities that finish in the “Bottom 3” of the performance metrics each year no matter how much they improve.

The FAMU National Alumni Association (NAA) announced its one its official Facebook page that it supports the student petition.

“The FAMU NAA Stands By This Initiative. Please sign the petition and support our FAMU Students and our University,” a Facebook post by the NAA said.

FAMU has been denied PBF in three of the past five years due to being in the “Bottom 3.” FAMU improved from a 65 score last year to a 72 this year but still did not receive any PBF money because of the “Bottom 3” policy.

The BOG is now under pressure from the Florida House of Representatives to change the policy. State Rep. Ramon Alexander, D-Tallahassee, and House Majority Leader Ray Rodrigues, R-Estero called for the “Bottom 3” policy to be scrapped last session. They got the legislature to pass an education bill amendment that requires the BOG to work on a plan to make the PBF system fair. Gov. Rick Scott signed the bill into law.

BOG Vice-Chair Sydney Kitson said that the BOG Budget and Finance Committee, which he chairs, will talk about recommending an end to the “Bottom 3” policy in October 2018. But the BOG hasn’t actually promised to do away with the “Bottom 3” policy.

View the petition here.