FAMU Alumni/Current Students

[Conskeeted19]

Hello Sorors and Sisterfriends,

Let me get straight to the point. I was recently talking to a beautiful and intelligent young lady who is very interested in attending FAMU this fall. She would very much like to dialogue with someone who has or is currently attending the university. If any of you would like to assist this young lady with her endeavor to attend FAMU, please email me at Pearl19aka@yahoo.comor provide your email address so that I can relay them to her.

Sisterly,

Conskeeted19

[Jody]

Has she contacted the local alumni in the city she currently resides?

[Conskeeted19]

I did not even think about that. We will check to see if there is a local alumni chapter. If you have other suggestions, please advise.

[SKEEphistAKAte]

I attended FAMU from 1998-2001. I am presently in Tallahassee in graduate school. Feel free to email me at the address provided in my profile.

[FAMUDva]

I agree that contacting her local alumni chapter would be best. They offer loads of info and even scholarships. I attended FAMU from 1993-98 and have a little sis down there now.

What is it that she'd like to know?
Is she presently in HS?

You can contact me via the email in my profile or simply PM me.

[F8ful_n_durance]

What city and state is she in?

[NUPE4LIFE]

XML
Posted on Tue, Mar. 20, 2007
email this
print this
LEGISLATURE
Probe of FAMU's missing cash urged
Some lawmakers who got an earful about missing money at FAMU asked for a criminal investigation.
BY STEPHANIE GARRY
sgarry@MiamiHerald.com

TALLAHASSEE - In the worst report yet of persistent, widespread problems at Florida A&M University, state auditors told lawmakers Monday they have found evidence that the school spent millions of dollars that doesn't appear on any budget, that many other financial records are missing and that some employees went unpaid for months.

The audit prompted some lawmakers on a joint House-Senate committee to call for a criminal investigation of the university.

''Perhaps it's a matter for law enforcement to sort out,'' said Sen. Ronda Storms, a Brandon Republican.

Sen. Gwen Margolis, a Bay Harbor Islands Democrat and chairwoman of the committee, said some of the mismanagement sounded ``close to criminal.''

Lawmakers heard of an unapproved $39 million hole in the budget, nearly 1,000 missing pieces of property worth $2.7 million, and absent records of $1.8 million in athletic ticket sales that were apparently carried off by a janitor.

''I'm getting the sense this is over our head,'' said Sen. Jeremy Ring, a Margate Democrat. ``This is sounding more and more like Enron to me.''

Asked if some of the actions by university administrators could be criminal offenses, audit manager Ted Sauerbeck said FAMU records were in such disarray it was difficult to tell. He said auditors have no idea if any missing money was used for a legitimate expenditure or was simply stolen.

The report is the latest spotlight on the crippling troubles at Florida's only public, historically black university, and it is causing such frustration that legislators are considering withholding funding from the school rather than giving it a second chance.

FAMU President Castell Bryant responded in a statement Monday afternoon that suggestions that the university's actions were criminal are ''very serious charges'' that were ''not substantiated.'' Bryant said the administration is already working on a response to the audit, which it must submit within 30 days.

She acknowledged the school faces ''severe challenges'' and that ``there is indeed need for change and modernization at FAMU.''

Mark Rosenberg, chancellor of the state university system, told lawmakers Monday that a task force is being assembled to create a plan to solve the management problems by fall.

''We share your deep concern and sense of urgency about these difficulties,'' Rosenberg said.

Rep. William Snyder, a Stuart Republican, asked Rosenberg what the result would be if the university does not comply with task force mandates and Florida law.

Rosenberg's response: the end of state funding, and thus the end of FAMU.

THE WORST CASE

''The worst thing that could happen is there would be a decision not to fund it by the state Legislature,'' Rosenberg said. ``In that case, the university would cease to exist.''

Bill Edmonds, spokesman for the state Board of Governors, which oversees Florida's 11 public universities, said the problems appear to be more than the school can handle and require outside help.

The creation of a task force wasn't enough to satisfy some lawmakers on the panel. Rep. Susan Bucher, a West Palm Beach Democrat, said FAMU needs more accountants, not more reviews.

''I don't think a fluff task force is what we need,'' Bucher said, adding that there have been FAMU audits before and the problems haven't been resolved. ``I think that history is repeating itself in this audit.''

In one case highlighted by the audit, the university's administration blamed janitors for ''inadvertently'' throwing away records of $1.8 million in athletic ticket sales, which had been stored in a concession stand. Rep. Carl Domino, a Jupiter Republican, asked if the tickets could have been sold for more than they were worth, with the seller pocketing the difference. Sauerbeck said it was possible, but there was no way to tell.

`FOUR-YEAR VOID'

Sen. Al Lawson, a Democrat from Tallahassee and FAMU graduate, said he's been ''embarrassed'' by the university's problems. He told the panel that many attempts to lift FAMU out of its hole have been unsuccessful and that the university has suffered from a ``four-year void in leadership.''

''The only way they can be resolved is with accountability,'' Lawson said.

[Jody]

Nupe4Life:

Regarding your comment, you're kidding right? (please let him be kidding, please let him be kidding, please let him be kidding, please let him be kidding.)

[NUPE4LIFE]

Jody,

I want FAMU to succeed but it just seems like sometimes you have to help yourself. And for me the alumni are not doing enough to demand accountability from their Alma Mater. If the band is doing well or the football team is having a good season, that's all they care about. It's just unbelievable to me that that much money can be missing. And the athletic ticket receipts being thrown out accidentally makes no sense to me. Even if no one is pocketing the money, why in the Hell aren't there accounting mechanism in place to avoid this kind of thing.

IMO, Dr. Bryant has done a good job in the interim and that lady has received death threats because of the tough decisions she has made to insure that FAMU continues its mission of Excellence With Caring. They don't need another task force, they need some action. The problems of FAMU affect us all as African Americans. WE first have to demand excellence from our universities. It's not enough for them to exist. WE know that we have to be better than PWI, sad but true. I went to PWI institution. The thing that I noticed that HBCUs don't have is institutional support from alumni or the community. They may go to a sporting event but they don't support the financially. I found at my institution, people who never went there but supported it locally. That's what we need. No more excuses about mismanagement. If you think your institution will mismanage your contribution, give a restricted gift that way they don't have discretion on how to use your funds.

So no, I'm not for closing FAMU down but at some point we can't continue to buy all of their issues. Also as a state funded school, we can't expect the state to continue to fund it if things don't get better. This is what I think will happen, FAMU will be given just enough to run itself but they have run out of favors so special projects and extra things won't happen until they get back in the good graces of law makers. I would like to see a private accounting firm brought in to help them right the ship. And one last thing, these problems didn't appear out of thin air. Dr. Humphries (brother of Delta National President Mona Humphries Bailey) was the President for 16 years, I know he had a lot to do with this, but he's been missing in action ever since.

[intuned]

Originally Posted by NUPE4LIFE

Jody,

I want FAMU to succeed but it just seems like sometimes you have to help yourself. And for me the alumni are not doing enough to demand accountability from their Alma Mater. If the band is doing well or the football team is having a good season, that's all they care about. It's just unbelievable to me that that much money can be missing. And the athletic ticket receipts being thrown out accidentally makes no sense to me. Even if no one is pocketing the money, why in the Hell aren't there accounting mechanism in place to avoid this kind of thing.

IMO, Dr. Bryant has done a good job in the interim and that lady has received death threats because of the tough decisions she has made to insure that FAMU continues its mission of Excellence With Caring. They don't need another task force, they need some action. The problems of FAMU affect us all as African Americans. WE first have to demand excellence from our universities. It's not enough for them to exist. WE know that we have to be better than PWI, sad but true. I went to PWI institution. The thing that I noticed that HBCUs don't have is institutional support from alumni or the community. They may go to a sporting event but they don't support the financially. I found at my institution, people who never went there but supported it locally. That's what we need. No more excuses about mismanagement. If you think your institution will mismanage your contribution, give a restricted gift that way they don't have discretion on how to use your funds.

So no, I'm not for closing FAMU down but at some point we can't continue to buy all of their issues. Also as a state funded school, we can't expect the state to continue to fund it if things don't get better. This is what I think will happen, FAMU will be given just enough to run itself but they have run out of favors so special projects and extra things won't happen until they get back in the good graces of law makers. I would like to see a private accounting firm brought in to help them right the ship. And one last thing, these problems didn't appear out of thin air. Dr. Humphries (brother of Delta National President Mona Humphries Bailey) was the President for 16 years, I know he had a lot to do with this, but he's been missing in action ever since.

You must be a crimiNOLE!

Your not a Rattler, how can you speak to know what any of us care about?

Dr. Humphries has been gone for well over five years...why cast the blame on his shoulders after all this time?

From my vantage point, she wasnt equipped to lead our university...How could you come up with the assumption that our IP Casthell is doing a good job?

We have KPMG as a consultant...is that a big enough accounting firm for you? (Even if I believe they are a waste of money)


and all that other mess can be refuted and explained away per the link below.

rattlernation.blogspot.com


We know what we have to do.

If you dont know what your talking about I caution you to say nothing at all...dont believe everything to read in the Tallahassee Hypocrat!

[NUPE4LIFE]

If FAMU knew what they needed to do they wouldn't be in this mess. And I brought up Humphries to say that this stuff just didn't happen. I've talked to FAMU alumni who have credited him with some of this mess. He had a gift for attracting National Merit Scholars but in the end he couldn't give them all scholarships. I had a girl from my church back home, almost transfer because she was giving a Presidential Scholarship and they tried to get out of paying her. As an AA, I care what happens to FAMU. As a member of the community I care about what happens to FAMU.

[TheEpitome1920]

Not an Alum, but its soooo sad to constantly see FAMU in the local news for mess. And the other day the university website was down. *sigh*

[litAKAtor]

I was going to refrain from commenting on NUPE4Life's ridiculous comment about FAMU and other HCBU's (clearly he did not attend one, for if he did, he would be VERY careful about spitting such ridiculous comments as closing the only insitutition that for over 100 years has educated a majority of the African American professionals in the state). I am saddened by what is going on at FAMU, but trust it is no different than anything that has occurred at other institutions of higher learning that are not historically black . . .mismanagement is mismanagement - but that NEVER is a reason to close a school's doors particularly when the problems can be fixed. (and I agree with whomever said don't believe everything you read in the TD . . .very biased journalism - using that term loosley. Moreover, the politicians making these outlandish comments are just as ridiculous . . . Enron? criminal? I am embarassed to say R. Storms is a rep from my area - no comment on her self grandising comments (rolling eyes REALLY hard))

Moreover, your comments regarding Alumni no contributing to the school - are you an Alum? How do you know WHAT alum contribute, if you are not one. I know many alum who contribute finanically and with their time to our illustrious school. I hold the legislature and the state government partially responsible for the situation FAMU is in . . . .they didn't do checks and balances while Hump was there because the BOard of Regents was too afraid of Hump to question anything he did . .THAT IS A PROBLEM . . .your responsibility as a member of the BOR (now defunct) is to CHECK ALL state funded schools . . not just sit idly by and let one do what the hell they want to do . . that is crazy . . . I am not taking all of the blame away from A&M, but there is a legislature and a BOR in place for a reason, and they failed to do their jobs . . .they saw something was fishy 10 years ago and chose to turn a blind eye until AFTER Hump left . . . and now ppl want a problem that took 10 years to make to be fixed overnight . . .it doesn't work that way (and don't get it twisted - there are majority schools that face similar problems all the time . . it just seems to generate more media attention when it is an HBCU).

Pres. Bryant has done a good job with cleaning house . . . she has eliminated the bad apples and is trying to find out where the leaks are . . but it takes time . . and I think people who make irresponsible comments such as yours, NUPE, do more to exacerbate the situation than anything else. As I said, Florida A&M has graduated some of the best and the brightest business people, engineers, pharmacists, teachers, lawyers, doctors, etc. etc. in this country - you don't randomly close a school that has that reputation . . . .this too shall pass . . .God is with us always . . EVEN in the midst of these storms we are seeing.

(sorry for any sps - he got me HOT speaking blasphemy about my school . . I do NOT Play about FAMU!!! )

[PhrozenGenius]

WOOOO-SAAAA
WOOOO-SAAAA

Is everybody ok now?

Good...


Let's take all of our personal biases and love for HBCU's out of this. Let's look at this not in terms of black and white, no pun intended, but in green.

Florida A&M University, one of the PREMIER Educational Institutions in this land has hit a tough spot. 39 Million Dollars missing is a buttload of money...for ANYBODY. The problem is that everyone is looking for someone to blame, but no one is trying to find the ACTUAL root of the problem.

Had my state legislature, or anybody's for that matter, lost 39 million dollars (especially with 1.8 million disappearing into the pocket of a brother that mopped the floors) we would be pissed to no end. We would march, protest, and call for the beheading of the governor. We wouldn't say, "well this is Governor's Nogood's fault! I know he hasn't been in office in umpteen years but so what!" We wouldn't blame the mexican at the fruitstand outside the capital building because he was nearby either. We would PUSH for accountability. We would PUSH to the root. We woudl be filled with righteous anger and indignation at the situation, not at random people involved because it seems ok to do.

(Now let's bring color back into it)

I believe HBCU's are the lifeblood, the heart, and soul of black genius. I think they are integral part of the development of the mass black consciousness and vital to our existence in this country. However, just like the church, we don't like to take a strong look at our own problems. We don't criticize our HBCU's because we love them, just like we don't criticize the church because we feel it's almost blasphemous.

If we want to help our HBCU's we need to stop giving them the benefit of complete immunity within our community. We need to hold them to the same high standards that they hold the students to. It is LITERALLY open season on HBCU financial records.


39 Million...that's a lot of tax money...

Just like we chastise our children in love, lets start loving our HBCU's instead of simply saying we do. (AND THE CHURCH!)

[RitaMae1908]

Originally Posted by PhrozenGenius

WOOOO-SAAAA
WOOOO-SAAAA

Is everybody ok now?

Good...


Let's take all of our personal biases and love for HBCU's out of this. Let's look at this not in terms of black and white, no pun intended, but in green.

Florida A&M University, one of the PREMIER Educational Institutions in this land has hit a tough spot. 39 Million Dollars missing is a buttload of money...for ANYBODY. The problem is that everyone is looking for someone to blame, but no one is trying to find the ACTUAL root of the problem.

Had my state legislature, or anybody's for that matter, lost 39 million dollars (especially with 1.8 million disappearing into the pocket of a brother that mopped the floors) we would be pissed to no end. We would march, protest, and call for the beheading of the governor. We wouldn't say, "well this is Governor's Nogood's fault! I know he hasn't been in office in umpteen years but so what!" We wouldn't blame the mexican at the fruitstand outside the capital building because he was nearby either. We would PUSH for accountability. We would PUSH to the root. We woudl be filled with righteous anger and indignation at the situation, not at random people involved because it seems ok to do.

(Now let's bring color back into it)

I believe HBCU's are the lifeblood, the heart, and soul of black genius. I think they are integral part of the development of the mass black consciousness and vital to our existence in this country. However, just like the church, we don't like to take a strong look at our own problems. We don't criticize our HBCU's because we love them, just like we don't criticize the church because we feel it's almost blasphemous.

If we want to help our HBCU's we need to stop giving them the benefit of complete immunity within our community. We need to hold them to the same high standards that they hold the students to. It is LITERALLY open season on HBCU financial records.


39 Million...that's a lot of tax money...

Just like we chastise our children in love, lets start loving our HBCU's instead of simply saying we do. (AND THE CHURCH!)

AMEN! AMEN!
And YES I am an alum of an HBCU!
And NO these types of things have not just occured at FAMU.

I would not be the successful, driven person that I am today if not for the HBCU education I received.

To LitAKAtor: I ride or die for my school as well (I bleed the Blue and Gold). We had our share of problems in the recent past as far the financial state of the university and university officials abusing their power. We (the alumni) must take the stance that something must be done! But family business is family business. So I TOTALLY understand the Fiery response!
To Nupe4Life: If you didn't go to an HBCU you then just understand that you leave that campus and move on the bigger and greater things, you do so feeling like you're leaving behind "family". So I think that may be part of reason why you got your a** chewed. It's like if somebody talks about "yo mama". Those are fighting words!!!