Rattlers from far and near came to pay their last respects to a lady who helped shape the scope of FAMU Athletics over four decades. Lillian Hagins, a dedicated administrative assistant to a handful of athletic directors over several years, was celebrated at her homegoing service today at Bethel AME Church in Tallahassee.

Hundreds of supporters filed into the sanctuary to hear a fitting tribute to Hagins. The Rev. Eddie L. Allen, pastor of St. James CME Church, where Hagins was a member, presided over the event.

Several former FAMU athletes, fans, alumni and administrators came to rejuvenate that "ole Rattler spirit," and send one of the school's most beloved figures away with a fitting tribute.

Included in the lengthy list of attendees were former athletic directors Ken Riley, Roosevelt Wilson and Joseph Ramsey. Longtime FAMU SID Alvin Hollins and former men's basketball coach Ajac Triplett also were in attendance. Several former athletes and athletics staff persons also came for the event.

The Marching "100" was the house band for the affair. They played some of Hagins' favorite tunes, both gospel and FAMU spirit songs.

FAMU Director of Athletics, Derek Horne, gave a resolution in honor of Hagins' achievements. The resolution was presented to her family and a copy will remain in the department of athletics' permanent files.

Hagins, was an integral part of the fabric of FAMU Athletics, serving as travel coordinator, academic advisor and mother figure all rolled into one. She worked with both the FAMU Department of Health Physical Education and Recreation and the Department of Athletics for several years, before dedicating her time solely to athletics under late athletic director Hansel "Tooti" Tookes.

George "Godfather" Thompson was also at the event. He was clearly a crowd favorite as he and Hagins both worked tireless hours for decades making sure that FAMU Athletics worked efficiently. Thompson was both trainer and equipment manager for several of his years.

Hagins receives many resolutions, including one from FAMU President James H. Ammons and the National Rattler "F" Club. Over one hundred members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc, to which Hagins was a member, were present at the event.

A late effort to save FAMU’s John A. Mulrennan, Sr. Public Health Entomology Research and Education Center (PHEREC) in Panama City has fallen victim to Gov. Rick Scott’s veto pen. The center will now close unless the Florida Legislature calls a special session and overrides the governor’s decision.

State Rep. Marti Coley and other members of the Northwest Florida legislative delegation netted $500,000 for the lab despite FAMU’s decision to close it as part of its budget reduction plan. Scott line item vetoed the money on May 26, 2011.

FAMU cut 50 percent of staff positions at the lab back in summer 2009. The university later announced at the June 1, 2010 Board of Trustees meeting that it intended to close the center entirely. The remaining salary lines in the lab were transferred onto the temporary stimulus dollars that will expire on June 30, 2011.

The closure announcement from FAMU angered the lab’s employees. PHEREC Director John P. Smith and 17 of his 20 co-workers signed resolutions asking Florida State University-Panama City to assume ownership of the lab. FSU-PC and the University of Florida both expressed interest in running the center.

But once the $500,000 PHEREC bill got moving through the legislature, FAMU wisely stated that it intended to retain control of the center if it was funded again.

According to the “Save P.H.E.R.E.C.” page on Facebook, the “FSU administration will not pursue receiving PHEREC if FAMU does not approve. FSU-PC is the preferred affiliation, but if this cannot be, FAMU would be a better alternative than UF because it retains the facilities in Panama City.”

The $500,000 appropriation is only one-third of PHEREC’s original appropriation but still enough to keep the lab alive. Now that the governor has slashed the money, the only hope for saving the center is a legislative override Scott’s veto. Senate President Mike Haridopolos has expressed interest in scheduling a special session but House Speaker Dean Cannon has not.

Frank Brogan is looking more and more like the man who could help the Florida GOP establishment take back the Governor’s Mansion after disappointing elections in 2006 and 2010. That would mean big trouble for incumbent Rick Scott in 2014.

Back when Brogan became Jeb Bush’s runningmate in 1998, many pundits speculated that he would be next in line for the top job. But Brogan bid Tallahassee farewell shortly after Jeb’s reelection in 2002 in order to take the comfy $290,000-salary presidency of Florida Atlantic University. His pay later climbed up to $357,000.

Brogan sat peacefully on the sidelines while his fellow establishment Republicans botched two gubernatorial elections. Charlie Crist pulled an Arnold Schwarzenegger-style victory over establishment candidate Tom Gallagher in 2006. That was followed by another bad beating in 2010 when Tea Partier Rick Scott defeated Bill McCollum.

Scott is now getting bad coverage from Florida’s newspapers for his support of drastic budget cuts. The St. Petersburg Times editorial board has dubbed him “the job-killing governor.”

The governor’s rock-bottom poll numbers are good news for the Obama reelection campaign. A Quinnipiac University poll released last week showed that Scott’s approval rating is at a low 29 percent. U.S. President Barack Obama’s approval rating in Florida has jumped up 16 points to 51 percent.

“The data on the perceived fairness of the governor's budget is crucial. When voters by almost 2-1 say his approach is unfair to them, that's a giant flashing political warning sign for Scott,” said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. “When voters don't think they are being treated fairly, they tend to react negatively.”


Asked about the cuts in state spending contained in the budget, 47 percent of Floridians say they go too far. 18 percent say not far enough and 22 percent say they are about right. And by 38 - 23 percent voters think those cuts will hurt, rather than help, Florida's economy.

Obama might be able to use Scott’s low poll numbers to take Florida again in 2012 but the Democrats don’t have a deep bench for the 2014 gubernatorial race. The Democrats have no one on the state cabinet. Florida Democratic Party Chairman Rod Smith isn’t exciting the base and Florida Senate Minority Leader Chris Smith is more interested in waiting to succeed FAMU alumnus Alcee Hastings in Congress.

All this opens the door for Brogan to become the GOP establishment frontrunner and peel off a big chunk of Democratic votes. Brogan’s decision to take the State University System (SUS) chancellorship back in 2009 made him a higher profile figure in the statewide media and increased his ability to travel across Florida shaking hands on the taxpayers’ dime.

Brogan has a chance to show leadership by using his clout to push for a special legislative session to override Scott’s line item vetoes of SUS building projects. Scott gutted tens of millions from the SUS Public Education Capital Outlay (PECO) budget. The SUS boards of trustees are still filled with businessmen and women who wrote big campaign checks to Jeb. The restoration of PECO appropriations would make those political donors very happy.

There is also a chance to for Brogan to help the GOP win a larger-than-usual share of black votes. FAMU supporters are still hoping that the chancellor’s office will back the university’s new proposed programs in the science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and health fields. Brogan should remember that Crist actually picked up 20 percent of the black vote in 2006.

The University of Central Florida (UCF) Board of Trustees has approved the creation of a new College of Dental Medicine.

The board voted unanimously to move ahead with plans to build the college at the university’s Health Sciences Campus at the “medical city” in Lake Nona. UCF is not seeking state funding for the project.

According to a press release, the college is expected to create at least 110 permanent local jobs as well as an initial economic impact of $73 million from construction.

The project still needs the state Board of Governors’ (BOG) approval to move forward. UCF is striving to open the school in 2014 with a charter class of 60 students. There are currently only two fully accredited schools with students in Florida.

UCF’s proposal comes after FAMU President James H. Ammons has spent more than a year educating state leaders about the need for the need for another public dental school. The FAMU Board of Trustees approved the university’s Strategic Plan on October 15, 2009, which included a College of Dental Medicine as a top goal.

FAMU has already submitted its dental school proposal to the Florida Board of Governors (BOG). The BOG has not taken any action on FAMU’s request. A bill authorizing a dental school on FAMU’s campus died during the 2010 legislative session.

FAMU is in finalizing a detailed implementation plan for its dental program that will go before the university Board of Trustees next month. It should reach the Board of Governors by August.

In an interview with the Tallahassee Democrat, FAMU consultant Howard Bailit said that UCF’s pitch for a College of Dental Medicine “reinforces that there is a need for a dental school,” which helps FAMU’s case.

One week ago today, FAMU lost a longtime athletic administrator ---Lillian W. Hagins --- who died from complications associated with cancer. Hagins, had provided over 40 years of dedicated service to FAMU Athletics and the Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, most notably as an assistant to athletic directors.

During her tenure, she worked tirelessly behind the scenes with Athletic Directors Jake Gaither, Hansel Tookes and many others. While Gaither had several "right hand men", next to his wife Sadie, Hagins was his "leading lady" in managing the day-to-day affairs of the Athletic Department and Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation.

She played a critical role in crafting both the FAMU Sports Hall of Fame and the Florida Classic and was part of the athletic team that saw the construction of the Robert "Pete" Griffin Track and major renovations to Bragg Memorial Stadium.

In the Fall of 1992, she was honored for her years of dedicated service with enshrinement into the Florida A&M Sports Hall of Fame.

While a graduate of Bethune-Cookman College, Mrs. Hagins was a true Rattler thru and thru, and her spirit will live on in the thousands of student athletes whose lives she touched. She was 82 years old.

Funeral services for Hagins is scheduled for Tuesday, May 31, at 11 a.m., at Bethel AME Church in Tallahasssee.

Yesterday, Gov. Rick Scott line item vetoed a record $615M from Florida’s budget. The sum included $2,014,769 for building maintenance on FAMU’s campus and $500,000 for FAMU’s Public Health Entomology Research and Education Lab in Panama City.

Scott’s actions could lead the Florida Legislature to call a special session to override the vetoes.

The governor cut a total of $220M in college and university building dollars. He defended his actions by stating that the bond-financing required for such projects would add to Florida’s $23.1B debt.

Scott did notably retain $35M for a new campus for the University of South Florida-Polytechnic in Lakeland.

"The polytechnic concept ensures that even graduates in degree programs outside of the science, technology, engineering and mathematics areas will have training and education in those areas and develop skills applicable to the 21st century economy," Scott said.


Polytech still experienced its share of pain. $10M for a School of Pharmacy and $1M for an Interdisciplinary Center for Excellence at Polytech both fell to the governor’s veto pen.

The Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel reported that Senate President Mike Haridopolos is currently asking his fellow members whether they want to schedule a special session to address the governor’s budget actions. House Speak Dean Cannon has expressed some concern over the line item vetoes but has been quiet about the possibility of a special session.

He has no plans to call a special session at this time," Cannon spokeswoman Katie Betta told the Sun-Sentinel.

A special session would likely attract support from the Florida Democratic Party. Senate Democratic Leader Nan Rich (D-Weston) issued one of the most critical responses to Scott’s vetoes.

“Beyond the destructive cuts to our children in pre-K through high school, Florida’s universities and community colleges, hospitals and nursing homes, our police officers, firefighters, and teachers, remains the outrageous claim that this is a ‘jobs budget,’” Rich said. “Only tea partiers under the control of billionaire right wingers could cheer such propaganda. Only the supporters of voodoo economics could honestly believe that firing 4,500 state workers followed by thousands more public school teachers in a state already drowning in pink slips will somehow create jobs.

Kindall "Sunshine" Johnson, Miss Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University, is representing Florida’s only public historically black college in Ebony Magazine’s annual HBCU Campus Queen competition.

The top ten contestants will be featured in the September 2011 issue of the magazine. Online voting is underway and will end at 11:59 PM (CT) on May 29, 2011.

Johnson is a native of Tampa, Fla. who is majoring in public relations. Her career goal is to become a U.S. Department of State Foreign Service officer in North Africa.

During her reign, Johnson launched the “Miss FAMU has a Suit for You” initiative, which aimed to help FAMU’s low-income male students acquire business attire. Over six months, she collected over one thousand articles of clothing donated by alumni, elected officials and professors. The items were dry cleaned by Randolph’s Alterations of Tallahassee and distributed to over 140 FAMU male students.

“I was amazed to receive the amount of news coverage and support from the community, and alumni of HBCUs throughout the country,” Johnson said.

Johnson’s page on the Ebony website can be found here.

Five members of the FAMU Rattlers and Lady Rattlers outdoor track teams are in final preparations for their competition in the NCAA East Regional Track Championships, May 26-28, at the Robert C. Haugh Track and Field Complex. This is the 90th annual championship event for the men's division and 30th annual event for the women.

Head coaches Wayne Angel and Darlene Moore are accompanying their star athletes as they try to impact a national field.

For the Lady Rattlers, three team mebers are vying for the national spotlight. Nakia Linson, Jasmine Pleasant and Latoya Wright are slated to compete at the regional championship.

For the Rattlers, Leon Hunt and Demarius Carroll (pictured), will be making the charge.


Linson, a freshman from Tucker, Ga., has been one of coach Moore's most consistent performers, after coming on late in the season. The former USATF competitor qualified at the No.29 place as a participant in the 100m dash, with a 11.53 qualifying time,

Pleasant, is the captain of the Lady Rattlers squad. She hails from Tampa, Fla. She qualified in position No.43 in the 200m dash with a qualifying time of 23.83.

Wright, has been stellar for the Lady Rattlers all season. She is a senior from West Palm Beach, Fla. Wright won the 400m in the MEAC Championship earlier this year. She qualifies for the NCAA regional at the No. 10 slot in the 400m hurdles with a 57.62 time.

Carroll, a Tallahassee native (Godby high School), had one of the best comebacks this season. After starting the season dealing with injuries, Carroll came on to finish strong for the Rattlers. Carroll, qualifies at the No.39 spot in the 110m hurdles. Carding a time of 14.13, Carroll qualified for the NCAA regionals.

Hunt, led the Rattlers track team this season. He pulled a "double," winning both the MEAC Indoor and Outdoor long jump championships. He qualifies at the No.12 position for the NCAA regional, with a leap of 7.70m.

That's all, folks! After 25 years and more than 5,000 episodes, Oprah Winfrey is signing off and will air her final show today.

Details surrounding the finale have remained a secret, but the buzz is that it will be very intimate and few dry eyes are expected from viewers, staffers and Lady O herself.

“I am the most surprised of anyone that this has lasted 25 years,” Winfrey tells The New York Times. “When (Phil) Donahue had lasted 25 years and I was in the single digits, I thought, ‘That will never happen to me!' I never imagined that you could do it this long.”

New FAMU signee Salif Kante won both the singles championship and doubles championship in the National Junior College Athletic Association tennis finals on Friday, May 20, 2011. FAMU Tennis Coach Carl Goodman signed Kante early and looks to add him to the 2011-2012 squad.

FAMU’s Crestview Education Center has caught the attention of a major job creator in the pharmaceutical industry.

Pharmacy South, Inc. has expressed interest in establishing a plant in Crestview and forming a partnership with the FAMU College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences satellite campus in that city. The FAMU pharmacy program would pipeline its graduates into jobs at the plant and also assist with research projects.

According to the Crestview Bulletin, the first phase of the plant would initially bring 130 new jobs with a total payroll of $6.8 million. The average salary would be more than $52,000 per year. The second phase of the plant would take the total number of jobs up to about 500.

“Once introduced, this will act as a catalyst to induce other pharmaceutical companies to cluster here,” Crestview Mayor David Cadle told the Bulletin. “That is why the pharmacy college is so important to us. It has drawing powers for these sorts of companies.”

Former state Sen. Durell Peaden (R-Crestview) steered a total of $11M into FAMU’s budget during the 2009 and 2010 legislative sessions in order to cover the start-up costs for the Crestview Education Center. He also secured $1.5M in recurring money in 2010 for FAMU to use for salaries and operational costs at the center. The current Florida budget grants FAMU another $1.5M to continue funding the campus.

The Crestview center will be FAMU Pharmacy’s first degree-granting satellite location. The pharmacy school’s campuses in Jacksonville, Miami, and Tampa do not offer full degrees. They are used as clinical training divisions for advanced students.

The FAMU Board of Trustees has approved a four-year contract for new Head Basketball Coach Clemon Johnson. Johnson will make $150,000 per year.

Johnson replaces Eugene Harris, who coached the Rattler Men’s Basketball Team for four years. Harris also made $150,000, annually. His employment with the university will end on June 10, 2011.

Johnson, a FAMU alumnus, coached the Alaska Men’s Basketball Team for four years. He played pro ball in the NBA for ten years as a member of the Portland Trailblazers, Indiana Pacers, Philadelphia 76ers and Seattle Supersonics.

FAMU alumna Lt. Col. Eurydice S. (Stephens) Stanley recently returned to Tallahassee to present the Army ROTC Rattler Battalion commissioning address. The speech provided the unique opportunity to consider what she would have said to herself 20 years ago when she was commissioned as an officer in the United States Army.

“There were so many lessons learned that I became overwhelmed,” said Stanley.

Stanley shared life lessons that she did not necessarily realize when she left FAMU in a speech titled “All I Ever Really Needed to Know I Learned at FAMU” based on the poem by Robert Fulghum. She addressed several relevant points, such as the faithfulness of God and the importance of mentors, who Stanley sees as a requirement, not an option.

“I had so many mentors – COL Hendricks, COL Joe, Dr. Taylor, Dr. Wilson, Dr. Clark…there were too many to name, but they all really cared and permanently imprinted their expectations of excellence by example,” said Stanley.

She continues to be driven by the encouragement of her mentors.


“During our freshman convocation, President (Frederick S.) Humphries told us ‘You don’t have to prove yourselves to me, I already know you’re good, now just go do it.’”

Stanley graduated from FAMU in 1991 with a degree in public management and with a minor in military science and political science and received a certificate of labor relations. An active Rattler, she participated in Army ROTC and served as senior class president and a member of the Miss FAMU court, numerous honor societies, organizations and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Upon graduation, Stanley was granted an educational delay to postpone attending the Adjutant General Corps officer basic course. She accepted a scholarship to the University of Minnesota where she graduated with a master of arts in industrial relations in 1994. Stanley later pursued her Ph.D. while on active duty, graduating summa cum laude in 2000 from Louisiana Baptist University.

She has served in the military for 18 years, primarily in the personnel arena. She was recently promoted to Lieutenant Colonel by the Honorable Dr. Clifford L. Stanley, Undersecretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness) at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.

Stanley currently serves as the Reserve Component Advisor at the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) in Pensacola, Florida, where she assists military personnel in pursuit of their educational goals. Appropriately, she made the cadets pledge to pursue their master’s degrees within six months of reporting to their new assignments, and encouraged them to start building their retirement savings.

Rep. Alan Williams (D-Tallahassee) recently voiced his disappointment with Gov. Rick Scott for signing of the Election Bill (HB 1355) into law. The bill shortens the two-week window for early voting and places new restrictions on third-party registration groups.

“As elected officials, we should not be implementing policies that stimulate voter suppression," Williams said. "There are many people who have protested, marched and died to create an environment that encourages and guarantees the right to vote for all citizens. This bill dissipates several strides that have been made by those who have fought to ensure equal voting rights."

Williams believes that the bill will have a disproportionate impact on specific voting groups.

“Critics have long said that this legislation makes it harder for college students and minorities to participate in the electoral process due to restrictions on polling locations as well as well as the shortening of the early vote period,” Williams said. “Any piece of legislation that adversely impacts a targeted group of voters should not be sustained.”

FAMU student Stephanie Burton knew that spending a few weeks out of her summer on the bus with the original Freedom Riders would be one of the highlights of her college career.

Burton said, “I was thinking, ‘what a way to complement what I’ve learned in the classroom!’”

Burton, a senior journalism student from Montgomery, Ala., was selected for the 2011 Student Freedom Ride, an experiential learning opportunity for college students in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the original May 1961 Freedom Rides. Over a 10-day journey, the Ride will be a moving classroom in which 40 college students from across the country will retrace the route of the original Freedom Rides. Accompanied by filmmaker Stanley Nelson, original Freedom Riders and others, the Ride will engage students in this important era in America’s history, as they learn about the commitment and courage of the individuals who took part in the Freedom Rides.

“I applied for the 2011 Student Freedom Rides because as a Montgomery native, HBCU attendee and African-American woman, I realize the value and importance of civil rights history,” said Burton. “During my application process, I read that we would be required to blog and shoot video. As a journalism student, those assignments particularly stood out and motivated me to apply as well.”


The Student Freedom Riders were chosen from nearly 1,000 applicants and represent a diverse cross-section of America, much like the original Freedom Riders, who were black and white, men and women, and who, in 1961, used public transportation as a means of challenging segregation in the South.

The participants will travel through Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, and into Louisiana, stopping along the way at historically significant locations. The journey will end in New Orleans, the intended destination of the 1961 Freedom Riders.

Burton said she plans to start a non-profit in Montgomery, Ala. for teens and young mothers.

“I also want to be a community organizer, attacking issues in our society such as homelessness, obesity, poverty and illiteracy,” the strong-minded individual said. “But I think I can learn from the original freedom riders the best way to go about doing that.”

The fight to keep public historically black universities alive scored a big victory in Louisiana, today.

Two bills that proposed merging Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO) with the University of New Orleans (UNO) died in the state House and Senate, respectively. Gov. Bobby Jindal was a leading supporter of the merger campaign.

The bills were withdrawn by their sponsors after it became clear that neither one would gain the 2/3 vote required to pass.

Sen. Conrad Appel (R-Metairie), who authored the Senate version of the merger bill, said that he may reintroduce the legislation in the future.

"I reserve the right to revisit the topic in a year or so,” Appel told Fox 8 Live in New Orleans. “We'll see."

SUNO’s strong performance during its on-site accreditation review helped the university strike back against claims that it is not meeting basic quality standards.

The on-site committee report from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) stated that SUNO is in compliance with all SACS standards with no recommendations for corrective action.

The SACSCOC committee noted that SUNO “has made a remarkable recovery since the Katrina disaster. A major commitment has been made to ensure that the quality of course offerings, the teaching/learning processes and students’ engagement in learning were sustained at a competitive level during the post-Katrina period.”

FAMU Lady Rattlers second baseman Tera Gainer was rewarded for her solid play in the 2011 MEAC Softball Tournament, by being selected to the MEAC All-Tournament team. Gainer gathered three hits and made eight putouts for the Lady Rattlers. She also slugged a home run to help the Lady Rattlers defeat Coppin State in the opening round.

In May, she was awarded All-MEAC first team honors for her stellar season. Gainer batted .365 for the season. She acquired 54 hits, 26 runs, six doubles, five triples and nine home runs. She gathered 34 RBIs, a .655 slugging percentage and a .438 on-base percentage.

Gainer, is a junior from Crestview, Fla. As a player at Chipola Community College, she earned All-Conference and All-State honors.

In high school, Gainer was a three-sport athlete at Crestview High in Crestview, Fla., as she lettered in volleyball, basketball and softball. In her senior season, she was named the team’s best infielder, Most Valuable Player and earned the Leadership Award.

FAMU outfielder Jarryd Reid was recently named a member of the MEAC All-Conference first team. Reid, had the second highest batting average on the Rattlers squad of everyday players, sporting a .367 average.

Reid also had 54 hits, scored 37 runs, six doubles, eight triples and four home runs. He carded 34 RBIs and 88 total bases. He amassed a .599 slugging percentage and a .447 on base percentage. A well-rounded player, Reid, known for his strong arm and fleet-footed ability to cover ground in the outfield, had 97 putouts, at a .962 success rate.

FAMU alumnus Kendrick Meek is entering the world of online journalism.

Politics365.com, a publication dedicated to political news concerning “communities of color,” has tapped Meek to chair its editorial board.

“Politic365.com is bringing the power of the Web and modern technology to serve an age-old concern — the need to connect,” Meek said in a story detailing his appointment. “As chair of the Editorial Board, I want to build on this success. I want to make Politic365 an essential part of the daily lives of Americans. I want to build on Politic365’s strengths — its news, its analysis, its informed and civil conversations — on the challenges facing our nation.”

Meek brings a wealth of personal political experience to his new position. He previously served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives, Florida Senate, and U.S. House of Representatives.

“Serving in the Florida Legislature and in Congress gave me a raw perspective on the true needs of the American people” Meek said. “The most important of these was the need to be heard. I learned to truly listen to and acknowledge what people are saying, and to engage them in a conversation about their ideas and our future. That is my vision for Politic365 – a real discourse and informed discussion on the political landscape of our country.”

The University of South Florida Polytechnic is set to take more than one-third of the State University System’s (SUS) Public Education Capital Outlay (PECO) appropriation.

The latest conference report on SB 2000, the General Appropriations Act, gives Polytech $46M of the total $137,255,709 in SUS PECO dollars. Polytech is located in Lakeland, part of the district of Senate Budget Chairman J.D. Alexander.

Polytech’s PECO funds are marked for the following construction projects: New Campus Phase I ($35M); School of Pharmacy Building ($10M); Interdisciplinary Center for Excellence ($1M).

FAMU will receive a total of $2,014,769 in PECO funds in 2011-2012 for electrical and technology upgrades. That number is far short of the $9M that FAMU actually needs to continue critical building code and safety improvements next year.


Last session, Gov. Charlie Crist vetoed $46M designated for Polytech, including money for a pharmacy building. He left $6M in operational dollars for the Polytech pharmacy school intact.

USF initially asked for the pharmacy school to be placed on its Tampa campus. It proposed building a program that would match FAMU’s in size, operational funding, and research dollars. Alexander shocked USF-Tampa supporters by arranging for the new pharmacy school's authorization to be limited to USF-Lakeland.

There’s little secret about Lakeland’s long-term ambition to have its own state university. The buzz is that the city’s legislative delegation will eventually introduce a bill to turn USF Polytechnic into a free-standing university named “Florida Polytechnic.”

If Polytech receives its $46M in PECO funds this year, its pharmacy school will likely became a flagship program that will help the future university recruit top performing high school seniors and pump millions of research dollars into its budget.

Graphic Credit: Florida Board of Governors.

FAMU continues to be one of the most imitated schools in the State University System of Florida.

University of Central Florida President John C. Hitt will ask his Board of Trustees to approve a proposal for a College of Dental Medicine during a meeting scheduled for May 26, 2011. He wants to open the new school in 2014.

“The College of Dental Medicine will mean opportunities for our local students to obtain a dental education that they must now leave our area to achieve,” Hitt said. “The college will create opportunities to help more people in need of dental care who cannot afford it. And it will provide Central Florida with new jobs and an economic boost in challenging times.”

UCF’s proposal comes after FAMU President James H. Ammons has spent more than a year educating state leaders about the need for the need for another public dental school. The FAMU Board of Trustees approved the university’s Strategic Plan on October 15, 2009, which included a College of Dental Medicine as a top goal. Ammons said that he wants FAMU’s College of Dental Medicine to address Florida’s shortage of dentists in underserved rural and inner-city areas.


“There is a tremendous need, yet very little access to oral health care,” Ammons said in a December 8, 2009 FAMU press release. “FAMU not only recognizes, but intends to address this need. By allowing FAMU to train students in the College of Dental Medicine, we plan to come to the aid of those communities in need.”

A May 12, 2011 UCF press release stated that “Central Florida needs dentists who will treat underserved communities. The UCF program will include service-learning projects that will reach out to rural and inner-city communities. Providing service to those who can least afford dental care will be a strong component in the curriculum.”

A private UCF donor who wishes to remain anonymous is providing a $10 million donation to jump start the project. UCF will secure a loan of approximately $40 million to cover the necessary startup costs. The college does not intend to seek state money for the project.

FAMU has already submitted its dental school proposal to the Florida Board of Governors (BOG). The BOG has not taken any action on FAMU’s request. UCF will need to eventually send its own proposal to the BOG, as well.

FAMU and UCF have competed for top professional schools for years. Many UCF supporters were upset when FAMU decided to place its newly reestablished College of Law in Orlando back in 2000.

FAMU alumna Rachel Melson, a 21st Century site coordinator at Bond Elementary School in Tallahassee, Fla., was selected as the 2011 Florida School-Related Employee of the Year. Melson was selected from among four other finalists who were considered based on their unique ability to help their respective schools be successful while also providing outstanding service to the teachers and students they work alongside.

“The announcement that I was named the School Related Employee of the Year for the entire state of Florida really sent me on a whirlwind of emotions.” she said. “I was already elated to have been named the district winner, but to receive such an honor out of 67 counties in the state is simply amazing to me. As a passionate educator, I do what I do, not for any recognition, but for the success and growth of my students. The reward is in seeing each of their daily successes and triumphs.”

Leon County Superintendent Jackie Pons expressed how Melson sets a great example for public education.


“Ms. Melson goes above and beyond as coordinator of after-school program activities at Bond Elementary, so it’s an honor that she’s been named the Florida School Related Employee of the Year,” said Pons. “She has not only enriched program offerings for Bond’s students, but also has developed strong relationships with local businesses and community organizations.”

Melson earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration in the spring of 2008 and masters in educational leadership in the spring of 2010. She recently applied for the doctoral cohort in educational leadership at FAMU, and is excitedly waiting to hear back from the College of Education about her acceptance.

The Florida School-Related Employee of the Year program recognizes outstanding education support personnel for the significant contributions they make to their schools and district school systems. Award selection is based on an application showing the nominees' efforts to go beyond the basic requirements of their duties and contribute to the academic success of students, schools and the district.

What started as a challenge from FAMU Police Chief Calvin Ross, has blossomed into a university-wide event dedicated to physical wellness.

The Fourth Annual Physical Readiness Challenge, was recently held at Bragg Memorial Stadium. FAMU Public Safety personnel, the Army ROTC and several other groups participated in the event aimed at promoting living a healthy lifestyle.

The event also honored the graduating class of FAMU's New Beginnings preschool with a day of fun.

Among the volunteers of the event was the FAMU Lady Rattlers Softball team. Coach Veronica Wiggins, Lori Goodart and Willie Williams were on hand to assist with the event. The softball players manned posts on the stadium run event as well as worked and danced with the kids in attendance.

FAMU PD Investigator John Cotton, one of the organizers of the event, was pleased with the sense of unity the event promoted. "After we did the first internal challenge, we opened it up to competitors, because we feel it is a great way to promote living health," Cotton said.

The police chief not only participated, but took first place in the 50-over division. He was ecstatic about the event, saying "I think this event was a monumental success. To bring health and healthy living to a competitive environment is what we accomplished. Everyone who participated today is a winner," Ross added.

The competition was hosted by FAMU Campus Recreation Fitness Coordinator Chip Heimbach. Heimbach explained the rules and was the lead judge at the event.

One year after the death of William Patrick Belin, FAMU President James H. Ammons was accompanied by Patrick’s family members and friends for the unveiling of the William Patrick Belin Endowed Plaque at the Eternal Flame and the William Patrick Belin Donor Recognition Wall in the New Pharmacy Building. The ceremony was part of the William Patrick Belin Memorial Endowed Scholarship, which was established by the Belin family to commemorate and preserve Patrick’s legacy.

Soon after receiving the news of Patrick's death, the Belin family set in motion the steps of establishing a scholarship in his honor. Through the continuous communication with the College of Pharmacy, the FAMU Foundation, as well as a visit from Carla Willis, FAMU’s former vice president of University Relations, the scholarship was created.

“I want to thank you,” said Steve Belin, Patrick's father. “Each one of you connected to the FAMU community has contributed tremendously to the process. Not once did you say this can not be done. It was through your support and commitment that we have been successful in creating this scholarship in Patrick’s honor.”


With donations totaling more than $100,000, the Endowed Scholarship will provide resources for students who demonstrate a strong desire and passion for the field of pharmacy and will also share many of Patrick’s attributes. It was those attributes that Patrick’s brother, Stephen, spoke about as he shared stories of Patrick’s commitment and drive for perfection. “Patrick faced everything head on and would not let anything get in his way,” said Stephen. “Not once would he let go of a project that was less than perfect.”

William Patrick Belin was born in Jacksonville, Fla. on June 11, 1987, but grew up in Valrico, Fla. After graduating from Joe E. Newsome High School in Lithia, Fla. in 2005, he entered the University of South Florida and graduated in 2009 with a bachelor’s of science in biomedical sciences with a minor in public health. Also in 2009, he married his high school sweetheart, Lauren Rhyce, who is currently enrolled in the FAMU College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Patrick was scheduled to attend the FAMU College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in the fall 2010 semester before he became a victim of a fatal car accident.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida is the new title sponsor for the annual Florida Classic football game between Bethune-Cookman University and Florida A&M University, as well as title sponsor of Battle of the Bands. In addition, the Florida Classic Consortium has also agreed to an extension with Florida Citrus Sports that will keep the game at Orlando’s Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium for the next five years.

The agreement with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida (BCBSF) is for three years with an option to renew in years four and five. During that term, the game will be known as the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Florida Classic, while the Battle will now be called Florida Blue Battle of the Bands.

"Our support of the 2011 Florida Classic underscores our commitment to serve the Orlando community," said Tony Jenkins, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida’s Market President for the Central Florida Region (and a member of Florida Citrus Sports’ executive board). "BCBSF is delighted to be the title sponsor for this year’s Florida Classic and honored to stimulate an environment in which education, health and cultural institutions can better meet the needs of the community."

Back in 2008, Walt Disney World’s 10-year sponsorship of the Florida Classic came to an end as the company decided the throw its support behind the Orlando bound SWAC/MEAC Challenge.


The Florida Classic began in 1978 and has spent the last 17 years in Orlando. Since its move to Orlando in 1997, this annual clash between these two Historical Black Colleges and Universities has averaged more than 66,000 at the Citrus Bowl. The game has been a regular on national television -- the ESPN network of stations since 2005.

Due in large part to these strong attendance numbers and the number of people traveling to Orlando for the week leading up to the game, the Florida Classic generated an estimated $31 million in economic impact for Central Florida last year.

"Continuing the game in Orlando provides a location in the center of the state that is not only good for our fans from a travel perspective, but also shows to our commitment to this game," said Florida A&M University President James H. Ammons. "The Florida Classic is one of the most widely attended sporting events in the southeast and we are honored to have Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida become a title sponsor. Considering its focus on the family, we believe this is a great partnership.

"This event is a family affair and we believe with their support we can continue to make the Florida Classic an event that we can all enjoy."

The 2011 Florida Classic will take place on Saturday, November 19. Tickets to the game and ancillary events go on sale later this summer.