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FAMU Task Force Needs To Stay On Job

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 7, 2007

State Sen. Al Lawson is often seen as the Legislature's chief advocate and protector of Florida A&M University, but his push to disband a task force overseeing FAMU's reforms is unwise.
FAMU is just beginning to remedy the financial management problems that threaten the university's accreditation. The state's first priority must be to protect those students' investment in their education and not let past mismanagement undermine the value of a FAMU degree.

Yet just five months into the new administration of FAMU President James Ammons, Lawson is ready to declare FAMU's problems have been fixed.

"The presence of the task force, its constant inquiry about the campus' corrective activities, and its high-profile members, certainly aided in keeping the campus on track; however, their mission has been accomplished," Lawson wrote in a letter to university system Chancellor Mark Rosenberg urging the Florida Board of Governors to drop the task force.

Ah, the pitfalls of declaring mission accomplished too soon.

FAMU's problems run deep and are the result of years of mismanagement, cronyism and a lapse in state oversight. Conditions may be improving, but no one can declare FAMU's problems fixed yet. SACS is due to review FAMU's probation next week.

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools put FAMU on probation this year after state audits found nearly $40 million in improper expenditures, a dearth of fiscal oversight and an accounting process so bereft of procedure it couldn't be properly audited.

The U.S. Attorney's Office is investigating unauthorized grade changes at the university, and enrollment at the university is at a nine-year low while other Florida universities are bursting at the seams.

Consider Lawson's comments to the Tribune in July when FAMU was put on probation: "It's really a shame the Board of Governors has been so unprepared and hands-off that they would allow a university to get into this kind of position."

Now Lawson is telling the board to back off, saying Ammons administration is due a "reward" for turning FAMU around.

Ammons is making progress, but restoring FAMU is going to take time. The task force doesn't exist as punishment to FAMU, but to ensure the necessary reforms are implemented.

Florida came very close to seeing the collapse of this great institution; it should not take short cuts in the effort to save it.

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