Florida A&M trustees warned to plan for tough times, Tallahassee Democrat

By Angeline J. Taylor
December 7, 2008

Florida A&M’s Chief Financial Officer Theresa Hardee offered two words of advice to trustees after summarizing the dismal financial picture facing the university — prioritize now.

Last week, Hardee gave FAMU trustees a look at how much the university will hurt financially if another round of state budget cuts is ordered. FAMU has lost $11.3 million in general revenues since July. However, Hardee said state universities could face an additional 5-percent cut — meaning a $5.3 million loss for FAMU.

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FSU, FAMU mulling a split of the College of Engineering, Tallahassee Democrat

By Stephen D. Price and Angeline J. Taylor
November 13, 2008

Officials at Florida A&M and Florida State universities have begun discussions to possibly split the College of Engineering, a move that would dismantle an agreement in place since 1982.

Florida State officials hope having their own engineering program would improve their chances for an invitation to the exclusive Association of American Universities, officials said.

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A New Spirit, Tallahassee Democrat

November 1, 2008

Nearly one year ago, Florida A&M University and its supporters were anxiously awaiting word about the school's accreditation status. In the midst of a dark time, FAMU board of trustees Chairman Bill Jennings gave credit to one man for being a point of light in a perilous situation.

"If you walked around campus, it was sort of like a dark cloud over the university," Mr. Jennings said of the period before James Ammons took over as university president on July 2, 2007.

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Florida A&M University trustee asks for funds to be released, Tallahassee Democrat

By Angeline J. Taylor
July 17, 2008

The Rev. R.B. Holmes Jr., vice-chairman of Florida A&M University's board of trustees, has written to Gov. Charlie Crist, asking that state money be made available to assist the university.

In a letter dated July 14, Holmes asked Crist to free-up money in the state's $4 billion reserve fund to "provide more funding to the university."

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FAMU workers enjoy brighter days, Tallahassee Democrat

By Angeline J. Taylor
July 14, 2008

Florida A&M employee Phyllis Watson couldn't contain the tears that brimmed her eyes as she remembered the days leading to the university's probation last year. She stared at the ceiling, attempting to control her emotions while collecting her thoughts.

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Local universities will lose $20 million to budget cuts, Tallahassee Democrat

By Angeline J. Taylor
July 4, 2008

Nearly $20 million destined for Florida State and Florida A&M universities will not get to either institution because of recently announced plans to withhold dollars to state agencies due to budget cuts.

Jerry McDaniel, director of the office of policy and budget in the governor's office, sent word out in late June via memo to state agencies.

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Florida A&M University's Probation Lifted, Black College Wire

By Josh King
June 27, 2008

Despite short notice, more than a 300 students, faculty and members of the community attended an afternoon press conference on the Florida A&M University campus June 26 to hear the much-anticipated good news.

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For a related story, see University of South Florida, St. Petersburg paced on accreditation probation

Florida A&M University has fixed most financial, operational problems, Orlando Sentinel

By Luis Zaragoza
June 25, 2008

Florida A&M University is close to solving all the financial and operational problems revealed by recent state audits, a special monitoring committee set up by the state Board of Governors announced today. "FAMU has laid the foundation to restore financial operational integrity and public trust,” said Margaret Lynn Pappas, a board member and chairman of the special committee, in a statement. The committee's final report will be released June 30. The committee's findings might sound familiar because FAMU President James Ammons told trustees about the committee's assessment at a meeting earlier this month. The final report will be sent to the governor, Senate president and House speaker as well as the Board of Governors.

Universities need more than good ideas, Tallahassee Democrat

Mary Ann Lindley
June 15, 2008

Ina few years, we may not recognize higher education in Florida. The community colleges are newly authorized to offer four-year degrees, for example, a concept that will make a college education more convenient and less expensive for students.

This may help ease the disappointment for some high-school grads who wanted to go to Florida State but were among the roughly 2,000 turned away for this fall. The university is chock-full because of chronic underfunding by the Legislature.

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TaxWatch List Pecks at "Turkeys," Tampa Tribune

By Catherine Dolinski
May 31, 2008

TALLAHASSEE - The Tampa Bay area's transportation authority appeared Friday on Florida TaxWatch's list of "budget turkeys," raising the specter of a possible funding veto for a second straight year.

The $2 million that lawmakers set aside for the transportation authority is just one of the 133 appropriations that TaxWatch is asking the governor to veto this month. The private, nonpartisan watchdog group, funded mostly by businesses, has been releasing lists of "turkeys" since 1983 to highlight appropriations that wound up in the budget without going through the normal legislative process.

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For related stories, see FAMU projects end up on TaxWatch turkey list

and Quiet OK for dramatic trims to state budget