Will Florida’s “all gas, no brakes” strategy to further elevate its higher ed system include the fuel FAMU needs to cross the finish line?

The Florida Board of Governors (FBOG) recently unveiled a bold five-year plan to elevate the State University System (SUS) into the ranks of the nation’s elite higher education institutions. Already hailed as U.S. News & World Report’s “Top State for Higher Education” for eight consecutive years, the FBOG’s “all gas, no brakes” strategy targets dramatic improvements in graduation rates, student debt reduction, and post-graduate earnings—a move that could reshape Florida’s academic landscape.

Under the proposed metrics four-year graduation rates for low-income Pell Grant students would rise from 54% to 70%, far surpassing the current national average of 53.1%, 77% of undergraduates would graduate without loans, and first-year SUS graduates would earn at least $50,000 annually.

FAMU's uphill climb

If the FBOB's new metrics are adopted, FAMU, the state's only public historically Black university, faces uniquely daunting hurdles. Recent data shows FAMU's current four-year graduation rate for all students is 35%, while its four-year graduation rate for Pell students is just 32%, well below the state’s current goal of 54% and the current national average for Pell students which sits at 53.1%.  Low-income, Pell-eligible students face significant obstacles to college graduation, including financial barriers, lack of academic preparation, and personal circumstances, leading to lower graduation rates compared to their non-Pell peers. 

Additionally, FAMU's average starting salary for graduates is $43,700, lagging behind the proposed $50k target.

To meet the FBOG’s new standards FAMU would need to boast its Pell graduation rate by 40%—a leap from 32% while simultaneously closing a $6,300 salary gap for graduates. 

Achieving these goals would require unprecedented investments in academic support, career services, and additional financial aid and scholarships, something which the FBOG proposal is noticeably silent on.

Even elite private HBCUs would fall short
Data reveals that FBOG’s goals exceed the performance of leading HBCUs with far larger endowments:

• Spelman College (#1 HBCU, $600M endowment): 68% overall four-year graduation rate (2 points shy of FBOG’s 70% Pell target); 49% graduate with debt.
• Howard University (#2 HBCU, $1.035B endowment): 60% overall graduation rate—10 points below the goal.
• Morehouse ($303M endowment) and Hampton ($400M endowment): 36% and 38% graduation rates, respectively.
  

By comparison FAMU's endowment is roughly $130M.

FBOG's proposed new metrics sparks debate 

While the FBOG aims to position Florida as a national leader, critics argue the plan lacks concrete funding commitments to address systemic barriers. FAMU, which serves a high proportion of low-income and first-generation students, would need “unprecedented investments in academic support, career services, and scholarships,” said one analyst. Yet the proposal remains silent on additional funding, fueling concerns that under-resourced institutions like FAMU, UWF, FGCU, and UNF could face disproportionate pressure.

As the plan moves forward, all eyes are on whether Florida’s “all gas, no brakes” strategy will include the fuel FAMU needs to cross the finish line.