At FAMU, "it's so blatant"

Charges of cronyism are flying at FAMU again after the brother of a powerful trustee was hired to head the university's troubled K-12 research school. At the recommendation of FAMU President James Ammons, the university Board of Trustees voted Dec. 31 to hire Ronald Holmes (left) as the new superintendent for the FAMU Development Research School, which earned an F grade from the state last year.

Holmes, now an assistant principal at an Atlanta-area high school, is the brother of the Rev. R.B. Holmes, the trustees vice chair and an influential player in Tallahassee politics.

The family connection "just blasts you in the face," said Michael Wallace, who chairs the school's advisory council and has four children enrolled there, told The Gradebook yesterday. Favoritism is part of the mix in any political town, he continued, "But the sad thing with FAMU is, it's so blatant."

Three days before the new superintendent is slated to begin his new job, bruised feelings remain. And some wonder whether a hiring controversy will divert attention from improving student performance at a school where only 36 percent of students passed the reading FCAT last year.

Ronald Holmes declined to comment when reached by The Gradebook this morning, but R.B. Holmes said he had nothing to do with his brother's hiring. He said he did not mention the job opening to his brother, did not participate in the search process, and did not talk with Ammons or other trustees. In fact, he said, when his brother told him he planned to apply, he tried to dissuade him "because of the skepticism, because of what people may say."

"If I were him, I wouldn't do it," R.B. Holmes said. "He doesn't need that kind of drama."

Trustees Chairman Bill Jennings dismissed the criticism, pointing to Ronald Holmes' qualifications. Holmes has a bachelor's, a master's and a doctoral degree from FAMU and a master's in business education from Bowling Green State University, according to the web site from Banneker High School in College Park, Ga. Holmes has been an assistant principal there for 10 years.

"I would have a different feeling if I reviewed the background and the experience of the candidate and found out it was someone who was clearly not qualified," Jennings said.

Jennings said when Ammons told him about Ronald Holmes' connection to Rev. Holmes, he thought to himself that the link could become an issue but did not mention that concern to Ammons. Instead, he said, he asked Ammons if Rev. Holmes or any other trustees had talked to him about the selection, and Ammons assured him they had not. After R. B. Holmes recused himself from voting, the trustees voted to give Ronald Holmes a 3-year contract with a salary of $110,000.

- Ron Matus, state education reporter

Comments

People thought Ammons was going to bring change. Remember this guy hired County Commissioner Bill Proctor to teach Poly Sci. Proctor got the job and the university did not take applicants for the position. Ammons was part of the problem with Humphries and he is part of the problem now.

FAMU just hired a VP over University Relations with NO advanced degree and a former consultant to Dr. Ammons in NC at $175,000! She's never been in senior management and on top of everything else she is also Executive Director of the FAMU Foundation with no prior experience in accounting, fiscal management or anything dealing with foundations in her resume. A former director now making three times her previous salary that was never promoted by any of her former employers to senior management, is now running an entire division. It is blatant!!!!

Couldn't we have gotten at least an Associate VP from somewhere?????

[Get Real]

To be HONEST this was a very bad job selction! Yet, lets not overlook the selction of FAU's President he only has a Master's Degree, but he got the MAJOR HOOKUP! So this happens everyday and while it does not make it correct this is not a FAMU issue, this is a American issue!

A FAMU Dean was a convicted child molester. He raped a thirteen year old girl.

Damn, I am screwed.

I went to FAMU undergrad and UF for grad school.

Both of my schools are jacked up

If any university should be placed into a receivership it's UF.

UF received $580,426,350 in federal money in 2005.

http://www.fedspending.org/faads/faads.php?recip_id=901167&sortby=u&detail=-1&datype=T&reptype=r&database=faads&fiscal_year=2005&submit=GO

The state auditors said UF "had not developed and tested a methodology to extract data from the myUFL systems required to produce a schedule of expenditures of Federal awards."

There should be a federal investigation into why myUFL can't produce a proper report on how the university spends $580,426,350.

Before anybody at UF talks about criminals you need to remember the name Kenneth E. Hillier, who stole $1 million. FAMU's problems pale in comparison to UF's.

FAMU needs receivership

FAMU can get away with it because they have ALWAYS gotten away with it! Why change when you know you have nothing to lose. It's a IN YOUR FACE SCAM. Is this a joke, Seriously! Do you really believe The Holmes brothers never spoke to each other about this. Holmes was once an assistand principal and now he becomes a six figure superintendant. Of all the qualified people in the U.S.A, the brother of a tustee member is the most qualified candidate. Common' folks, wake up to the reality. The Law school is the same way. FAMU is more concerned with hiring family and friends than educating it's students. All with high taxpayer salaries. Yes, taxpayers work hard everyday so this criminal organization can get paid. It's all about MONEY! MONEY is the root of all FAMU problems.

FAMU didn't get it, doesn't get it now, and never will get it... All they know how to do is to play the race card when they are told to toe the line.

Uh homeboy, no need for us to blast you guys. Reading that FAMU blog, you do good enough. Not to mention that clown R.B. Holmes.

The Rev. Do as I say, not as I do.

That's what happens when you let the thief have the key to the lockbox

Entertaining reading, funny, insightful and sometimes true.

January 17, 2008 at 06:09 PM

This also reminds me of how UF's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences had a deficit of $4.7M in 2005-2006 and almost $3M in 2006-2007. How many deficits are they going to experience before the employees learn to budget correctly? You cannot spend money that you do not have!

The UF posters need to quit worrying about FAMU and fix their own broken financial offices.

Somebody wanna explain why this Holmes dude got passed over repeateadly for a Principal's job particularly for the school he was at for 10 yrs.

Take him folks, we didn't want him. You will soon find out why

The beat goes on.....

FAMU just can't help it self can they. This hire reminds me of Ammons back when he was provost. He hired Bill Proctor, local county commissioner, to teach at FAMU. The problem was that they did not advertise for the position and Mr. Proctor has an attendance problem. It was so bad he was actually reprimanded by the Dept.

How about when the law school hired the now infamous Shirley Cunningham. Mr. Cunningham it was found out after he gave his million dollar donation and was awarded a teaching position did not even show up.

FAMU will never learn.

Watch the DRS and the drama that will unfold this year. This will be crazy. So Ammons and the Reverend had no discussion about his brother applying? SURE!!!!

R.B. at it again.

I am ashamed of this. I am losing patience with the incredible stupidity of the Board of Trustees.

Was Holmes the only applicant? An assistant principal for 10 years to superintendent.

It doesn't pass the smell test.