A new governing structure at the Florida A&M-Florida State College of Engineering has some FAMU alumni upset. The changes represent a deal between the two schools reached earlier in the year.
The move came after a bitter tug-of- war between the two schools over control of the college. Now some FAMU alumni are expressing concern about FAMU’s decision to give up financial control of the school.
“Florida State will keep the books and ensure prompt payment of venders and staff and faculty. Those roles are reversed. That’s simply what happened there," FAMU Spokesman Jimmy Miller said.
He says the focus on the transfer is misplaced and takes attention from the real issue: enrollment losses.
"There’s bee over the past decade a 45 percent decline over the number of FAMU engineering students. And there are 24 FAMU faculty. All those ratios have declined," he said. He adds the decline has occurred while FAMU managed the finances of the COE.
The university wants to focus on growing its enrollment and faculty representation. Meanwhile, FAMU has launched a national search for the permanent engineering dean—the position will rotate between the universities. A revised board includes a number of people from the college’s parent institutions—that is the group that decided in May to transfer the financial responsibilities.
A progress report on the engineering school is due to the state university governing board next year.
