FAMU's bleak budget likely to force more program cuts, layoffs

FAMU faces an $11.2M recurring revenue cut from the Florida Senate and a $13.6M reduction from the Florida House in 2012-2013.

“Any cut to our base budget is going to be devastating,” FAMU President James H. Ammons told the Tallahassee Democrat. “Any further cuts are going to put us at a point where we're looking at additional program cuts and possible layoffs.”

FAMU ran on a $79.7M general revenue budget in 2010-2011 with $6M in nonrecurring dollars for “special outreach projects.” It is running on a $77.9M general revenue budget this year with $5M in nonrecurring dollars for “targeted student outreach.”

The Senate budget includes only $66.9M in general revenue for FAMU in 2012-2013. It expects FAMU and other state universities to make up the money by dipping into their fund balances. Florida law requires public universities to keep a fund balance, or reserve, of no less than 5 percent.


“The budget for the State University System is $3.3 billion,” the Senate announced in a press release. “This is an overall decrease of $133.3 million or 3.8%. These funds anticipate total tuition revenue growth of $224 million. The budget includes a nonrecurring general revenue reduction of $373.0 million, which will be restored in 2013-14. Universities will use a portion of their $859 million fund balance to maintain full operations.”

Even though the Senate says it intends to restore the reserve dollars in 2013-2014, nothing is certain in Florida's current tough economy.

The Florida House only appropriates $64.2M for general revenue at FAMU.

FAMU’s Education Enhancement line item is also actually up in the House. The House provides $20M. That’s nearly $7M more than FAMU received last year ($13.4M). For 2012-2013, the Senate provides $12.1M for Education Enhancement.

The House budget also includes $7.2M for campus maintenance projects and $13M for the new FAMU/FSU College of Engineering building.

Senate (Amendment to HB 5001)
Education Enhancement: $12,107,487
General Revenue: $66,694,519
Tuition/Fees: $72,006,551
Crestview: $1,500,000

House (HB 5001)
Education Enhancement: $20,084,386
General Revenue: $64,267,283
Tuition/Fees: $72,028,431
Public Education Capital Outlay (PECO)
Utilities/Infrastructure: $7,200,000
FAMU/FSU Engineering: $13,035,336