FAMU is off probation

Florida A&M University is back in good standing.

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools' Commission on Colleges announced today it was taking FAMU off probation – a clear sign FAMU has gotten past the fiscal problems that have dogged it for years and that its accreditation status is solid.

"We no longer have this cloud," FAMU trustee Daryl Parks told the Gradebook. "Now we can get back to the great things going on at FAMU."

SACS put FAMU on probation last year after its Commission on Colleges determined FAMU was failing to comply with 10 accrediting standards for financial accountability and leadership. The action followed a series of other blows for Florida's only historically black public university, including a jaw-dropping state audit, fed-up lawmakers and the formation of a high-profile task force to oversee its finances.

But the SACS decision stung even worse.

Just 10 years prior, FAMU had been Time magazine's College of the Year. Now it was at risk of losing its accreditation – the seal of approval that gives value to its degrees – and being added to a list of troubled institutions that most people had never heard of.

For President James Ammons, the timing couldn't have been worse. A former FAMU provost, Ammons arrived on campus just days after the SACS announcement but quickly put together a plan to tackle the problems. By October, SACS officials were calling the improvements "remarkable." And more kudos soon followed from auditors, lawmakers and members of the oversight board.

"This job clearly was not for the faint of heart," Ammons told the Gradebook in an interview before the SACS announcement. "But when I read the audits, the reports, the academic reviews, I didn't see anything that couldn't be fixed. It was all fixable."

"I would sincerely congratulate President Ammons and his staff who came in to face this very critical issue," said Board of Governors chair Carolyn Roberts. Maintaining accreditation "is good news and it's outstanding news for students who are trying to improve their lives."

- Ron Matus and Shannon Colavecchio-Van Sickler, Times staff writers

Comments

[FAMU IS A JOKE]

FAMU IS A JOKE... FULL OF JOKERS

[Ryan]

FAMU is a total joke...your degree is worthless in the real world

[Craig]

While I'm not a graduate of FAMU, it's good to see that the administration at the school has put into place directives that will alleivate the concerns of the SACS and FAMU's alumni. BTW, it no longer concerns me when someone makes comments without facts or substance. It displays to all their lack of intellectual achievement, or in other words, the norm of today: Throw something out and see what will stick.

[James]

FAMU IS A JOKE and Ryan sound like haters but more than likely they are racists.

[sean davis]

The JOKE IS ON U. FAMU REMAINS fully accredited just like all the other public universities in Florida !!!!

Ryan, and the others, can't stand it !

The bottom line is that Dr. Ammons is very capable. He has worked and deserved a lot of credit. Some are unhappy about SACS'decision due to their hatred of FAMU but this is something they have to deal with. Go RATTLERS!

[sean davis]

Any word on wether the U of Miami is out of accreditation trouble?

I hope this spells good news for the law school. Dean Pernell is a great Dean and I hope he can turn things around. I just hope there is enough time.

For those who wanted a better HBCU experience, you've got it, Dr. Ammons is providing it. Come on now, rejoice in the good news. After all, isn't this what you wanted?

[Ryan]

Sean, its not that I can't stand it

But if two graduates, one from FAMU and a graduate from the big 5 (FSU, USF,UF,UM,UCF) apply for the same job a degree from FAMU won't even stand a chance

and PS I'm not a racist, I'm a minority also

[derek]

ryan, you must be forgetting about the Pharmacy program!!! my wife and i a recent graduates of FAMU. she's working for walgreens after turning down offers from all across the country. i am a biology major who will teach after turning down several positions from companies across the country. When you write comments like that you discourage other young black men and women from going to HBCU's and thats why they are in the position they are in. when the best students got to other schools you're left with the possibility of degrees being worthless.

Actually, FAMU students are recruited heavily, and perform well. School of Business and Industry and Pharmacy grads are coveted in particular.

[Gilbert Ford]

Great, Super, Dynamite! Lets cherish this achievement for a short term, do not get caught up in the hype. We still have work to do, to maintain the new established standards.
My hat goes off to Dr. Ammons and his superb leadership in guiding FAMU through this turbulent storm!
While the naysayers and negavites are plentiful, this has to really shake thier core that FAMU's diplomas carry just as much weight as lets say UF, UM or FSU.
For those that looked down on FAM, said negative things or didn't give us a chance we forgive you. For those that stood shoulder to shoulder fought with us through blood sweat and tears, God is not finished with us yet!
One last tidbit, did you see that FAMU had the ONLY represenative from the State of Florida for the college Championship for Jeopardy last month?
FAMU produced the 4th most Engineers behind Stanford, MIT and BostonU? Did you know that FAMU produced the highest rate of Pharmacy School graduates in the Southeastern USA with a first time passing rate of 96.49%? In short, the Diplomas has value! We have work to do in other areas, yes, but do not sale us short!

I went to an HBCU even though I was heavily recruited by other schools. Twenty-five years later? It was the best thing that I did even though there were moments when I regretted it--not getting a job or promotion and thought it was because of my HBCU degree. Turned out it was really because of my skin color because my Ivy league comrades who were Black did not fare better. The key to success is to find the right college. Go RATTLERS

[Jahi98]

I'm SO glad I'm from FAMU!!! Now we can finally move on from the Gainous/Bryant "eras" into a brighter future. Hats off to Dr. Ammons and staff. They have done a remarkable job in a short period of time.

And, Ryan, it is better to remain silent and thought of as a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. FAMU graduates are highly recruited in both the professional and academic arenas. Just to name a couple of accomplishments, we had 100% passage rate for our Pharmacy and Public Health graduates on their licensure exams for the last two years, far exceeding the national average of 76.3%. Our School of Nursing also continues to outpace the nation with a 94% pass rate compared to a national average of 88%. So, yes, our degrees are definitely just as much if not more than any degree from the "big 5". And despite the negative press, we continue to be the top producer of African-Americans with Bachelor's degrees in the nation.

Again, hats off to Dr. Ammons and staff for righting the ship. I hope we continue on this right path and I know that the best is yet to come.

Next challenge: correct the problems at the Law School.

[steve oneal]

I'm happy for FAMU. I think that this shows they are rebounding from the tough financial times and will be around educating young minds and preparing them for life. I remember the first time I ever heard of FAMU was at UT football game in the 70's. I was heading to concession stand at halftime and then I heard this really cool band on the field and for the first time in my life I actually sat through a halftime show. The marching 100. The biggest litte band in the south. I was excited to have them on the USF schedule a couple years back. great entertainment at halftime and great tailgating in the parking lots. I mentioned to my USF rep that it would be nice to schedule them more often since you play 1 small school each year and they bring fans. He said that who knows if FAMU would even make it and be around much longer. I told him no way would the alum of FAMU let that happen. Thank God I was right. I'm not an alum of FAMU nor am I a minority, just happy to hear your great news. GO RATTLERS!

[justakid]

I'm white. What will my life be like if I go to FAM?

You'll be just like all the other people -- white and black -- who've graduated from FAMU and gone on to excellent careers.

[FAMU LAW GRAD]

I attended FAMU College of Law. I chose FAMU over eight law schools that I was accepted at, mainly because it was in a great part of Central Florida and it was cheap. Grant it none of the other schools I was accepted at were Harvard or Yale but two were tier 1 schools, the rest were tier 2 private schools which cost an arm and a leg and were far away from home.

I believe that I made the right decision in attending FAMU for several reasons (1) I never felt like I had to be black to fit in at FAMU, they accepted me for who I was (a Hispanic Man)and for what I brought to the table. (2) the quality of instruction, was commensurate with many other law schools across the nation and (3) because no school can truly prepare you for the bar exam if you don't put the work into it. I passed the bar exam the first time and some of my colleagues passed it the first time, some the second, nevertheless do you know what they call all of us FAMU grads, who are practicing law across the country? the same thing they call the 88% who passed FSU's bar, the 99% who passed Harvard and Yale's bar--a lawyer.

[Jennifer]

Ryan, if FAMU degrees don't stand a chance, it's because people like you are doing the hiring. And it sure is funny how nobody I know with a FAMU degree is hurting for work...