Swagger, scholarships and budget cuts

FAMU President James Ammons touted the university's fiscal turnaround today, telling the St. Petersburg Times editorial board that recent developments have led to rising campus morale and a renewed swagger among alumni. But Ammons also warned that pending budget cuts in higher education - potentially as high as 10 percent for FAMU next year – will be devastating.

"If it went to 10 percent, we're talking about $12 million that we'll have to take out of the budget," Ammons said. "And there is no way that I could say to you or to anyone else that we will be able to maintain the quality of the overall academic experience for our students if we have to take an 8 to 10 percent cut. We would be a very different university than we are today."

Ammons' visit to the Times came as part of a marathon, 4-day trek around Florida and beyond to hand out academic scholarships and revive sagging enrollment. FAMU's enrollment fell to 11,562 last fall, its third straight year of decline and the lowest since 1997. The drop-off has coincided with a wave of highly publicized problems, including blistering financial audits, rampant factionalism and allegations of cronyism.

But Ammons said the worst is over.

In December, FAMU received the first positive financial audit in years. And last week, the special state task force that was formed to oversee its finances turned in a highly complimentary report to Gov. Crist and state lawmakers. "We think we've turned a corner," Ammons said, crediting new leadership in virtually every major administrative position.

On the downside, more budget cuts are en route. The school sliced $6.1 million from its budget this year, including $2 million because of shrinking enrollment, and did so without laying off employees or hurting academic programs. But Ammons said that won't be possible with another round of cuts: "The only thing we can hope is that somehow the economic forecasters are wrong," Ammons said. "They have been pretty consistent, though, in their doom and gloom."

For more on Ammons and FAMU, read tomorrow's St. Petersburg Times.

- Ron Matus, state education reporter

Comments

[seanndc]

10:21 pm,

have you ever set foot on the FAMU campus? If you had, you'd know that about 20-25% of FAMU's faculty and staff is non-black, and the student body is one of the most diverse in the state, save FIU.

[seanndc]

FAMU's 6 year graduation is higher than FAU's, FGCU, UWF's, and UNF's !!!!

So are you also calling into question the quality of those school's education?

I think the larger problem here is the state of Florida's lack of commitment to providing its citizens a first-rate system of public education in kindergarten thru graduate or professional school !!! Florida doesn't put its money where it's mouth is and it shows.

[seanndc]

FAMU's 6 year graduation is higher than FAU's, FGCU, UWF's, and UNF's !!!!

So are you also calling into question the quality of those school's education?

"swagger"?

with a 38 percent 6 year graduation, famu even without the cuts, does not provide a quality education. how about shrinking enrollment and admit those that deserve a 4 year education?

furthermore, did he provide in scholarships to whites, latinos, or asians?

why is famu a one race campus?

fake it till you make it!!!!!