The Accrediting Council on Journalism and Mass Communications approved the reaffirmation of the FAMU Division of Journalism's accreditation on April 27 in Arlington, Va.

“This vote of reaccreditation signals the high quality work produced in our Division of Journalism, said the School of Journalism and Graphic Communication Dean James Hawkins. “Kudos to Professor (Dorothy) Bland, the journalism faculty, staff and students.”

A team of journalists and media professionals visited the university in February. Phillip Dixon, a veteran journalist and former chair of the Journalism Department at Howard University, was the team chair. The site team report praised the division for engaged and enthusiastic students as well as “dedicated faculty committed to their own development and holding students to high standards of achievement.”

The team report said Bland, the journalism division director, has “strong leadership and management skills and a huge appetite for hard work.” The team report also gave the division high praise for “strong relationships with local media and mass communication professionals.”

The team report stated that PRodigy, the student-run public relations firm, has a “strong reputation for serving clients on campus and in the community.”

At the committee meeting in March, Dixon praised student media outlets – including the award-winning Famuan newspaper, Journey Magazine, FAMU TV20, WANM 90.5 and related websites – for covering stories related to the death of drum major Robert Champion Jr. “without fear or favor.” 

FAMU journalism students have won about 20 journalism-related state, regional and national awards this semester. For example, Wandoo Makurdi took first place in the National Society of Professional Journalists Mark of Excellence Contest for her documentary on South Africa. Journey Magazine earned first place in both the “Best of the South” Contest from the Southeast Journalism Conference and the SPJ Region 3 Mark of Excellence Contest. Broadcast journalism students earned four first place awards in the Florida Associated Press Broadcasters Contest.

The FAMU Division of Journalism was the first journalism program at a historically black college or university to be nationally accredited by ACEJMC.

FAMU receivers Kevin Elliott and Brian Tyms wowed National Football League (NFL) scouts from across the nation during FAMU’s annual Pro Day. Now, the two are on their way to becoming Sunday night stars.
"When you see these guys perform on the big stage, it is an indication that they have been preparing for this day. I can't say that about all of our athletes today, but it certainly shows who has been getting ready for this date. It feels good to see that these guys have put themselves in position to get a shot at the next level," Taylor said.

FAMU's Department of Computer and Information Sciences (CIS) has been designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education (CAE-IAE) by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).  This designation covers academic year 2012 through 2017.

“This designation will prepare students at FAMU to contribute to the protection of the National Information Infrastructure,” said Christy Chatmon, an instructor in the Department of CIS who successfully coordinated FAMU’s efforts to be designated as a CAE-IAE.  “President Obama has acknowledged on many occasions that there is a critical shortage of professionals with these skills.”

Chatmon also stated there are other benefits for FAMU by being designated as a CAE-IAE such as the following:

• It will provide a higher degree of participation in IA by a historically black college and university (HBCU).  Statistics show that minorities are underrepresented. 
• The designation positions FAMU to compete for funds to financially support students and to expand Information Assurance (IA) research at the University.  Students attending designated schools are eligible to apply for scholarships and grants through the Department of Defense Information Assurance Scholarship Program and the Federal Cyber Service Scholarship for Service Program.

The goal of this program is to reduce vulnerability in the national information infrastructure by promoting higher education and research in Information Assurance Education.  NSA and DHS want to produce a growing number of professionals with IA expertise in various disciplines.

IA is one of the fastest growing areas of information technology.  It addresses concerns ranging from individual privacy and information protection in commerce, entertainment and social interaction to national security.  This field has become one of the most popular tracks of study in the Department of CIS at FAMU.  Since CIS launched its IA program in 2004, nearly 70 students have completed the IA certificate program and received professional certificates by the NSA and the Committee for National Security Systems (CNSS).  Numerous CIS graduates who have completed the IA Certificate Program are employed in the intelligence community.

In a letter congratulating FAMU, Neal L. Ziring, information assurance technical director, stated that the Department of CIS’s “ability to meet the increasing demands of the program criteria will serve the nation well in contributing to the protection of the National Information Infrastructure.”  In addition, one reviewer remarked that FAMU’s submission, “demonstrated ongoing outreach, an excellent range of Information Assurance research topics and solid IA courses.”  FAMU was also recognized for submitting an “exemplary application.”

Other faculty members in the Department of CIS that worked with Chatmon were Edward Jones, professor and chair, Hongmei Chi, assistant professor and Deidre Evans, associate professor.  They will be in attendance for the formal announcement on June 11, 2012 in Orlando at the 16th Annual Conference of the Colloquium for Information Systems Security Education.

The FAMU Chapter of the National Society of Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) earned top recognition as the “Chapter of the Year,” at the 27th Annual Career Fair and Training Conference sponsored by MANRRS in Atlanta, Ga. Achieving this recognition for the first time demonstrated that the student organization from the FAMU College of Agriculture and Food Sciences truly epitomized the conference theme, “Planting the Seeds for Global Success.”

The MANRRS “Chapter of the Year” Award is given to the university that demonstrates the most active involvement and service in the community through oral and written reports. FAMU took the top honors in this category over The Ohio State University and Oregon State University.

“This is indeed a great honor for our college and our students," said Michael Thomas, agribusiness program leader. "It also speaks volumes about the faculty, students and staff that made it all happen."

The FAMU Chapter is also the Outstanding Chapter for MANRRS Region II, which includes the University of Florida, University of Georgia, Fort Valley State University, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Virginia State University, North Carolina A&T State University, North Carolina State University, South Carolina State University, Clemson University and Voorhees College.

Damon Miller and Lurleen Walters serve as advisors for the chapter. Walters is also an assistant professor of agribusiness in CAFS.

Walters said, “We are very proud of these accomplishments and all that the Chapter is doing to build a stronger network and make a positive impact on the development of our students.”

At the conference, the FAMU Chapter also won other competitions including the following:

The FAMU Strike Team won second place in the College Bowl competition. The team members were: Kashney Welch, Aaron Judson, Althea Whitter-Cummings, Ashley Bell and Victoria Smith-Thomas.

Saundra Wheeler, chapter president, won third place for her impromptu speech; and Diana Alexis submitted the winning title for the 2013 conference, “MANRRS: Turning Vision into Action.” Wheeler expressed: “The MANRRS Career Fair and Training Conference attracts more than 900 students, recruiters and other professionals, which provide students with “excellent networking opportunities." Winning the title of “Chapter of the Year” will help our efforts to increase membership and, hopefully, provide more opportunities for the professional development of students majoring in agriculture and food sciences.”

She explained that those who attended MANRRS were given an all-access pass to leading companies in agriculture and natural resources as well as graduate schools and government agencies.

“Several of the students were hired on the spot,” said Wheeler.

“The energy and drive of our chapter president, Ms. Wheeler, is a great example of student leadership. Her standards of excellence and confidence have made a huge impact in CAFS,” said Neil James, food science program leader. “Under her leadership, membership in the chapter has diversified and graduate membership has increased during the past year.”

Known to many in South Florida as “Baby Sam,” Nicholas E. Young was abandoned in an orange grove near Martin County following his birth covered in ant bites. Through the love and support of his family and community, Young, now 22, has reached what he defines as his “greatest accomplishment” to date — earning his college degree in social work.  

Donning his FAMU cap and gown, adorned with a white tassel, honors cords and regalia indicative of the College of Arts and Sciences, Young has defied the odds and will be joining more than 1,300 prospective graduates who are looking forward to receiving a college diploma during the spring commencement on Saturday, April 28. Each candidate will enter the Alfred Lawson Multipurpose Teaching Center and Gymnasium for one of three ceremonies that will serve as a launching pad for their careers.

“I am most looking forward to my family all coming together to celebrate,” Young said of his big day.

Young, who has a 3.35 grade point average, will earn his bachelor’s degree during the 9 a.m. ceremony, featuring keynote speaker Sen. Arthenia Joyner.

“It feels amazing to know that no matter what obstacles are placed in front of you, you can always reach your goals,” he said. “I attribute my accomplishments to everyone who has helped me get to this point and believed that I could make it.”


Though some scarring remains, physically and mentally, Young remains optimistic about his future. Following graduation, he plans to earn his master’s degree in social work.

“It was difficult to deal with the scarring initially, but I accepted it, and learned to live with the fact that this is who I am,” Young said.

Adopted by Carl and Dorothy Young in August 1989, Nicholas cites his mother as his biggest inspiration.

“I am very proud of Nick,” said Dorothy Young. “Graduation is something we’ve been waiting for. To see him getting to this point is exciting. He deserves everything he has worked for.”

His grandmother, Dorothy Lambert, said she is looking forward to seeing her grandson walk across the stage at commencement.

“We are here to back him,” Lambert said. “I try to be as supportive as possible.  Nicholas has been a great asset to our family. We couldn’t have asked God to send us a sweeter person. When I think of where he came from to where he is now, he makes me want to do more with myself.  I’m so proud of him.”

Nicholas Young, who said he is looking forward to one day being a “loving, understanding and compassionate” father, said he has “no feelings” for his biological mother, but would like answers from her.

He graduated from William T. Dwyer High School in Palm Beach in 2007. After attaining his master’s, Young plans to become a high school guidance counselor and assist youth in need, just as his social worker, Carolyn Lester, once did for him.

“I want to help guide the youth in what I believe is the most vulnerable time in your life — high school,” he said.

While at FAMU, Young, who added that the Marching “100’s” “Do What You Wanna” would best describe his college experience, was a member of Student Social Work Association, National Association of Social Workers and Phi Alpha Honor Society.

“I chose to attend FAMU for the university’s rich history,” he said. “I found it neat to be surrounded by African Americans who are defying the odds, and working toward their goals.”

Today, the FAMU School of Journalism and Graphic Communication will present its biannual student documentary showcase. The 15-minute films will tackle a variety of topics that include: homeless veterans, voter laws, population control and the disabled.

“I select the topics from among stories the students pitch and write in class,” said Kenneth Jones, a journalism professor and the film guru who selects the projects each semester.  According to Jones, typically 15 projects are submitted for review; four or five are selected.
       
The five films selected this year represent the 2012 theme, “Life Stories.” They include:

• “Grassroots” by Kari Knowles and Curtis Ford
• “Eternal Climb” by Shanica Johnson and Kiarra Hart
• “Life?” by Leonie Louis and Shari Karesh
• “Burden of the Banner” by Kristen Holloway and Jadaun Sweet
• “Disability?: A Matter of Perception” by Lenneia Batiste

Batiste, a graduate student in the master of science in journalism program, wrote and produced one of the documentaries that will be featured.

“One of my friends in high school had a disability,” said Batiste, whose film explores the phenomenal courage and abilities of the disabled.  “I have always been motivated and inspired by her determination and wanted to share that with others.” 

Batiste said her documentary titled “Disability?: A Matter of Perception”  looks at the remarkable achievements of three disabled adults.
       
This semester, for the second time in its six-year history, J-School Journals will also include four mini-documentaries and three-minute videos that explore some aspect of the Obama presidential campaign, his presidency, and his upcoming battle for a second term in the White House.  The mini-documentaries are written and produced by sophomore and junior students in the Advanced TV News Reporting class. 

Arthenia Joyner, state senator and chair-elect of the Florida Legislative Black Caucus, will lead the line-up of speakers scheduled for FAMU's Spring 2012 Commencement on Saturday, April 28 in the Alfred Lawson Jr. Multipurpose Center and Teaching Gymnasium.

Joyner, D-Tampa, will address students slated to receive degrees at the first of three sessions beginning at 9 a.m.

U.S. House Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn will speak at 2 p.m. Kenya Prime Minister, the Right Honorable Raila Amolo Odinga, will speak at 6 p.m.

Joyner, who currently serves as the Florida Senate Democratic Caucus’ Pro Tem, was first elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2000 and later to the Florida Senate in 2006. Her professional career as the first black female attorney in Hillsborough County, Fla. began shortly after graduating from FAMU with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a juris doctor.  She is the only black woman in the history of Florida to practice law for 42 consecutive years.

An ardent civil rights advocate, Joyner has an unrelenting passion for justice and equal treatment under the law. She participated in the first civil rights demonstrations in her hometown of Tampa, Fla. She has held several leadership positions at the local, state and national levels throughout her career. This includes her current roles as the Florida state director for Women in Government, vice president of the National Organization of Black Elected Legislative Women and advisory council member of the Women’s Legislative Network of the National Council of State Legislators.

Congressman Clyburn is the highest-ranking African American in Congress and serves as the number three Member of the House Democratic Leadership. Clyburn is the leadership liaison to the Appropriations Committee and one of the Democratic Caucus' primary liaisons to the White House. Working with the internal caucuses, he plays a prominent role in messaging and outreach. When Clyburn came to Congress in 1993, he was elected co-president of his freshman class and quickly rose through leadership ranks. As a national leader he has worked to respond to the needs of America’s diverse communities.

He championed rural communities supporting the development of regional water projects, community health centers, and broadband connections. He has supported higher education by leading the charge for increased Pell grants and invested millions in science and math programs and historic preservation at historically black colleges and universities. Clyburn also leads House Democrats’ efforts to counter voter suppression efforts throughout the country.

Prime Minister Odinga was elected to office in 2008 following the signing of the National Accord and Reconciliation Act. This power-sharing agreement created a coalition government in Kenya following controversial elections in 2007, which garnered international attention. The University of Nairobi recently recognized Prime Minister Odinga with an honorary doctorate for his role in restoring peace to the country following these elections. Odinga’s political career in Kenya has been fraught with struggle since the 1970s when he was detained without trial. Due to political pressures, he was later forced to complete his post-secondary education at Herder-Institute in Leipzig, Germany. He holds a master’s degree from the Mageburg College of Advanced Technology and has taught mechanical engineering at the University of Nairobi.

He currently serves as a member of Parliament for Langata Constituency in Nairobi. He has pioneered the flagship family firm EA Spectre, a leading manufacturer of gas cylinders for Kenya and the surrounding regions. Odinga is currently running to become the next president of Kenya in elections expected to be held no later than March 2013.

For Miss FAMU 2011-2012 NaKena Cromartie, a quilt gives her a glimpse into the lives and creativity of African-American quilters and other cultures.

This month, Cromartie is launching a project that will give FAMUans the opportunity to express and profess their love for FAMU in tribute to the university’s 125th anniversary celebration.”

“Quilts are deeper than just utilizing them to give warmth to a body during cold times,” she said. “It is more than just putting a few stitches and patches together.”

Through Cromartie’s initiative, “Truly FAMU: Listening is Art,” FAMUans can design a quilt square that is a reflection of them. The quilt square can be as simple as writing your name and graduation date or as elaborate as putting designs and adding different ornaments, such as paint, foam stickers, pipe cleaners and ribbon.  She added that the project is important to her because she is helping to create a way for the student body to leave something significant behind after their time on “the Hill” like quilters in the past.

“During my campaign as Miss Florida A&M University, I wanted to offer a way for students to connect with FAMU and share their love for the institution,” said Cromartie.  “Keeping those things in mind, I decided to use my talent and passion for quilting to make a quilt that all Rattlers can claim a piece of.  According to Cromartie, the quilt will be completed in time for FAMU’s 125th Celebration during Homecoming 2012, at which time it will be presented to the university and placed in the care of the Black Archives Museum.

At the age of 12, Cromartie was exposed immediately to the art and beauty of the quilting world through a community center in St. Petersburg, Fla. called Youth Arts Corps.

“Through the works of Youth Arts Corps, my untouched quilting potential became apparent once I became a quilting assistant,” she said. “Within this role, I had the opportunity to assist in the facilitation of four-classed filled with 15 girls where we engaged in teaching techniques and the basics of quilt and garment making.   After assisting this delightful program for five years in the capacity as an assistant, I was then offered the opportunity to become the instructor of the classes I once worked.  As humble and ecstatic as I was to take on this enhancing prospect, I knew I had lots of work ahead of me.  Rising to the occasion, I gained the ability to facilitate and reveal the likes of quilting to more than 60 young girls.”

Cromartie is a spring 2011 graduate of FAMU where she earned her bachelor of science in accounting from the School of Business and Industry. Currently, Cromartie is pursuing a master’s degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting.  After graduate school, Cromartie said she is looking forward to taking the Certified Public Accountant examination and working with Deloitte in January 2013.

“With humility and dedication, the impossible is possible,” is what Cromartie said her quilt would say. “I would tell the story of a first-generation Rattler that came to FAMU for three sole purposes—to become an educated black woman, to gain friendship among college women and to graduate with a job opportunity.”

Individuals who are interested in participating in the initiative can retrieve and decorate a quilt square on The “SET,” which is located near the Efferson Manning Student Union Building, every Friday.

FAMU has switched its Homecoming date from Oct. 13, 2012 to Nov. 10, 2012. The Athletics Department says the decision was made to ensure that alumni and other supporters will be able to secure hotel accommodations as the University celebrates its 125th Anniversary.

"With this being the historic 125th anniversary of Florida A&M University, we wanted to allow as many people the opportunity to enjoy the weekend of activities as possible," said Derek Horne, director of athletics at FAMU.

Due to the fact that there is there is a Florida State University football game in Tallahassee on Oct. 13, the original date set for Homecoming, access to accommodations and other resources were hampered.

"We have been in discussion with alumni leadership on this matter and the University and the Department of Athletics have both agreed to this solution," Horne said. "FAMU is committed to serving the needs of the university, alumni and community, and this change helps to make this possible."

This year, FAMU will celebrate its 125th Anniversary during Homecoming 2012 and will honor 125 Outstanding Alumni during the President's Gala scheduled Friday, November 9, 2012 at 7 p.m. at the Lawson Center. In addition, the Homecoming Convocation is scheduled for Friday, November 9, 2012 at 10:10 a.m.

State Sen. Greg Evers, R-Baker, is working to help FAMU’s Crestview Education Center open as planned in Fall 2012 despite Gov. Rick Scott’s decision to veto the campus’ $1.5M funding appropriation.

“Some money will be transferred to FAMU that will cover that $1.5 million for this year and funds will be put back in as a recurring expense for next year,” Baker told the Crestview Bulletin. “So it will not hold up the project; that's the bottom line.”

Baker succeeded Sen. Durell Peaden, R-Crestview, in the Florida Senate District Two seat back in 2010. Peaden steered a total of $11M into FAMU’s budget during the 2009 and 2010 legislative sessions in order to cover start-up costs such as facility renovations for the Crestview Education Center.

The transfer of $1.5M will ensure that Florida taxpayers receive a return on the millions they have already invested into satellite campus. The money is required to cover operational expenses such as salaries, utilities, and equipment.


Scott took away the center’s operating budget as part of $142.7M in line item vetoes he made to the 2012-2013 budget. That money will now enter the state’s reserves. The governor said he slashed the appropriations in the interest of creating jobs and curbing wasteful spending.

The veto actually jeopardized Okaloosa County’s efforts to use FAMU’s satellite campus to attract more job creators to the community. The Okaloosa County Economic Development Council is closing in on a deal in “Project Pill,” which aims to bring a Southern Pharmaceutical manufacturing plant to Crestview. Southern Pharmaceutical wants to establish a partnership and internship program with FAMU’s Crestview Education Center. Its new plant would create 120 permanent jobs with high salaries.

Local officials say that landing the plant could help transform Crestview in a pharmaceutical manufacturing city because companies in that industry frequently cluster together in areas that offer resources they can share.

“If we get that pill factory, they’re going to be knocking down our doors to bring others,” Okaloosa County Commissioner Wayne Harris said.

For the second year in a row, FAMU has been selected by The Princeton Review for its list of the 322 top green campuses in the United States and Canada. FAMU is the only historically black college and university to be selected.

According to The Princeton Review’s website, “The Princeton Review’s Guide to 322 Green Colleges: 2012 Edition” profiles the 322 institutions of higher education in the United States and Canada that “demonstrate notable commitments to sustainability in their academic offerings, campus infrastructure, activities and career preparation.”

The fact that we’ve made the ‘green college’ list two years in a row reflects the hard work and dedication of FAMU students,” said Ryan Mitchell, senior environmental specialist in the Department of Environmental Health and Safety. “Our job in the department is to help the students achieve their goals.”


The Princeton Review, known for its education and test-preparation services, first created the “green schools” list in 2010 in collaboration with the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Of the 768 institutions that were examined, only 322 schools received scores of 83 or higher and thus were included in the list.

According to a news release from The Princeton Review, “College-bound students are increasingly interested in sustainability issues,” said Robert Franek, senior vice president/publisher for The Princeton Review.

“Among 7,445 college applicants who participated in our 2012 'College Hopes & Worries Survey,' nearly seven out of ten (68 percent) told us that having information about a school’s commitment to the environment would influence their decision to apply to or attend the school. Together with USGBC, we are pleased to make this free resource available to all students seeking to attend colleges that practice, teach and support environmentally-responsible choices. To that end, we highly recommend the terrific schools in this book.”

FAMU was selected because of its dedication to sustainable practices, which include installing more energy-efficient lighting in campus buildings, updating the campus utilities plant, enhancing engineering controls to maximize efficiency and participating in RecycleMania.

A new unit on environmental education has been added to the campus-wide “Freshman Experience” course. Many faculty members are doing research related to sustainability as well as incorporating “green” themes into their classroom instruction.

Back in 2007, new FAMU President James H. Ammons asked Teresa Hardee to help him rescue FAMU’s accounting systems from the financial mess he inherited from the previous interim administration. Hardee and her staffers brought an end to FAMU’s three years of qualified state audits. That financial turn-around played a central role getting the university off probation with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

But despite all Hardee has done to keep FAMU’s doors open, Chairman Chuck Badger has decided to work against her by bringing the Division of Administrative and Financial Services into his personal efforts to placate Gov. Rick Scott.

Badger appointed Scott’s go-to-trustee at FAMU, Rufus Montgomery, as the chairman of the budget and finance committee. That makes Rufus the board’s primary contact with Hardee.

Hardee has done nothing to deserve having to face constant conversations with someone as rude and insulting as Rufus. She should not let Rufus speak to her with any of the disrespectful language that has resulted in numerous public complaints against him.


Rufus has developed a reputation for acting unprofessionally on the FAMU Board of Trustees.

Retired FAMU Professor Roosevelt Wilson, editor of The Grain Online, took Rufus to task for the antics he used on Dec. 8 during his unsuccessful attempt to strong-arm the board into placing Ammons on administrative leave.

“Perhaps more troubling than the call for Ammons’ suspension was the attitude and tone with which Montgomery addressed Ammons following the hazing incident,” Wilson wrote. “Montgomery was arrogant and disrespectful to both the president and the presidency. If he has such little regard for the university and his role as a trustee, perhaps he should resign.”

Stephen Craig Robinson, who recently resigned as the chairman of the Anti-Hazing Committee appointed by the FAMU board, took offense to Rufus’ personal attacks against him. Rufus compared Robinson to a child during the board’s March 30 conference call. Robinson send a letter of resignation to FAMU that called Montgomery’s antics were "ill conceived, uninformed and rude."

There are even more alarming accounts about Rufus’ language outside of FAMU. A blogger named Lisbeth Carter says she had a very unpleasant experience with Rufus at an Atlanta Republicans Holiday Party on Dec. 4, 2010. Carter, an unsuccessful GOP Congressional nominee, says Rufus called her a “F’ing Loser” and also screamed: “F*** you and your F***ing husband to, where ever he is.”

From just looking at the numerous objections and allegations concerning the types of words Rufus uses in public, it isn’t hard to guess what Hardee might soon face when she receives telephone calls from the new board budget and finance committee chairman.

Hardee should not tolerate any foul language from Rufus. She should go ahead an retain and attorney who can send a warning letter to Rufus, if necessary.

Hardee should also file public complaints if Rufus starts talking to her in a demeaning way. She should write the Florida Senate, which confirms trustees and has the ability to subpoena them for questioning. Copies of any such complaint should also go to the Florida governor’s office and State University System of Florida chancellor’s office.

Just because Badger has lost his backbone in dealing with Rufus and Scott doesn’t mean that everyone else at FAMU should run scared, too.

Gov. Rick Scott’s latest attack on FAMU comes courtesy of his veto pen. Scott tossed out $1.5M that the Florida Legislature appropriated to fund recurring operational expenses at the Crestview Education Center.

FAMU planned to begin classes at the center in Fall 2012. The funding veto could force the university to delay the start date.

Scott line item vetoed a total of $142.7M from the 2012-2013 budget. That money will now enter the state’s reserves. He said he slashed the appropriations in the interest of creating jobs and curbing wasteful spending.

The line item veto of the Crestview funding will hurt the state’s ability to receive a return on the $11M in taxpayer dollars it has already spent to renovate the city’s Alatex Building, which is designated to house the satellite campus. Now, the multi-million dollar facility will sit unused until FAMU receives the cash to pay salaries, utility bills, and equipment costs.


FAMU received legislative authorization to offer the following services at its Crestview site: "instructional programs leading to the PharmD; B.S. or M.S. nursing; master of public health and doctorate of public health; and health care management, health administration, occupational therapy, and physical therapy."

Last year, Scott vetoed $2,014,769 for electrical and technology upgrades on FAMU’s campus and $500,000 for FAMU’s Public Health Entomology Research and Education Lab in Panama City.

The Florida Legislature still has the option to override Scott’s vetoes. But lawmakers declined to take any action last year after the governor line item vetoed $615M.

Back when FAMU trustees handed Chuck Badger the chairman’s gavel in 2011, it looked like the board had finally started to understand that spineless individuals like Bill Jennings are not cut out for leadership positions. But little-by-little, Badger has turned into a push-over for Gov. Rick Scott in the same way that Jennings was a push-over for former Gov. Jeb Bush.

During the years 2001 through 2005, Jennings was the top sidekick of Jeb crony Jim Corbin as he attacked former President Frederick S. Humphries. Badger is now placating Scott by giving more power to his top crony, Rufus Montgomery. Rufus has shown that his number one goal is to help Scott get control of Lee Hall and bring in a new president who is more to his liking.

Badger recently appointed Rufus to chair the board’s budget and finance committee. The position gives Rufus a new bully pulpit to use in his ongoing attempts to make it look like FAMU can’t manage its affairs on its own. That simply helps Scott as he continues to try and find excuses to boss around FAMU’s administration.

The chairman was not thinking about what was best for FAMU when he gave Rufus that appointment. He is also foolhardy if he believes that Scott will now have more respect for him. Rufus is the only FAMU trustee who the governor really trusts. Badger is just being used.


If Badger is trying to get on the governor’s good side in order to make progress on some personal goal, he has a lot to learn about politics. The appointment he gave to Rufus won’t win any loyalty from Scott and won’t help his reputation with FAMUans, either.

Badger could learn a thing or two from Torey Alston. Torey generally does what Scott wants, but is smart enough to draw to line when it comes to things that would hurt him personally.

For example, Torey is running for the Broward County School Board and doesn’t want to turn the local FAMU alumni voters against him. That’s why he offered a compromise when Rufus tried to make Scott happy by leading an attempt to get rid of FAMU President James H. Ammons. Torey’s motion to reprimand Ammons gave Rufus and Scott the partial victory of creating negative headlines for the FAMU administration while helping Torey avoid an angry response from the Rattler alumni voters in Broward County.

Badger didn’t help himself with either the governor’s office or FAMUans by giving more power to Rufus. He is just setting himself to end up like Jennings, who Jeb used for years and then ignored.

In recent weeks, some reporters and columnists have asked why the hazing death of FAMU drum major Robert Champion hasn’t triggered the same large public demonstrations as the Trayvon Martin shooting. These questions ignore the big contrasts between the two homicides.

Martin, 17, died in Sanford, Florida on Feb. 26 after being shot to death by a self-declared neighborhood watchman named George Zimmerman. Zimmerman, a 28 year-old white Hispanic, saw the African American teenager walking alone and called 911 to report him as a “suspicious” person. He then decided to follow Martin against the request of the 911 dispatcher.

When Sanford police arrived at the scene, Martin’s body was lying in the street. Zimmerman told the officers he fired on the unarmed high schooler in self-defense.

Champion died after being hazed in the parking lot of the Orlando Rosen Plaza Hotel on Nov. 19. While Champion and Martin’s deaths are both tragic, they are also very different. This is why the public responses to them have not been identical.


Authorities never made any excuses for Champion’s killers

The Sanford police declined to arrest Zimmerman after he gave them a self-defense excuse based upon Florida’s “stand-your-ground” law. The “stand-your-ground” law permits individuals to use lethal self-defense when they perceive that their lives are in danger. It does not require them to try and leave the situation, first.

The rallies launched in response to Zimmerman’s release from custody all demanded that criminal charges be filed against him. There were simply too many disputed facts and unanswered questions for Zimmerman to be automatically exonerated based upon his word. That’s why the protesters asked the authorities to book Zimmerman and permit the judicial process to sort out what happened. The rallies helped pressure Gov. Rick Scott to assign a special prosecutor to Trayvon’s case. Now, Zimmerman has finally been charged with second-degree murder.

No law enforcement official ever excused the actions of Champion’s killers. The Orlando County Sheriff’s Office began a criminal investigation immediately after it found evidence that hazing was involving in his death.

There is no need to hold rallies to demand charges against Champion’s killers because the state attorney has already indicated that he intends to do this. He has already assigned a chief prosecutor to the case.

Martin’s killer has admitted to taking his life

No one has come forward and admitted to striking the blows the killed Champion. Detectives and prosecutors have to sort through the accounts of dozens of suspects and witnesses.

If a group of individuals had publicly confessed to beating Champion to death and then walked away without any criminal charges, there would have been rallies to demand their arrests.

Racial profiling is a one-sided problem. Hazing is typically a two-way street.

No person has ever asked to be racially profiled.

Zimmerman started following Martin because he thought he looked suspicious. A black teenager’s decision to wear a hoodie or walk alone in a mostly white neighborhood should not be reasons for suspicion.

The completely unfounded suspicions against Martin led to the confrontation that took his life. Zimmerman’s unfounded suspicions about Martin were a one-sided problem.

Hazing is a much different problem than racial profiling. It is two-sided in most cases because it typically involves voluntary perpetrators and voluntary victims.

Marching 100 member Keon Hollis, a drum major who went through the “Crossing Bus C” initiation on Nov. 19, told ESPN that he and Champion voluntarily submitted to the hazing ritual.

If Hollis’ account is true, then it would show that he and Champion deliberately broke the university-level anti-hazing rules that were in place to protect them. Both men knew that FAMU prohibited students from taking part in any form of pledging because it wanted to avoid a hazing death like the one the University of Miami experienced in 2005.

Martin never did anything to contribute to the problem of racial profiling. But according to Hollis, Champion made a decision to contribute to FAMU's hazing problem. There are also published reports that Champion was a member of the Red Dawg Order. That information suggests that Nov. 19 might not have been the first time Champion supported hazing.

Champion and Martin should both be mourned. But the problems that led to their deaths were very different. That’s why different public responses are justified.

The FAMU College of Law’s Hispanic American Law Student Association (HALSA) Moot Court Team participated for the first time in the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA) 17th Annual Uvaldo Herrera National Moot Court Competition in Jersey City, New Jersey.

During its first showing at this prestigious national competition, the HALSA Moot Court Team placed eighth out of 27 teams that competed. Other law schools that participated include Arizona State University, Columbia, Chicago-Kent, Fordham, University of Colorado, University of Hawaii, University of Illinois, University of New Mexico, University of North Carolina, University of Oklahoma and University of Texas. The final results were based on the composite score of the writing of an appellate brief and performance during oral argument rounds of the analysis of a constitutional issue under the Fourth Amendment. The HALSA Moot Court Team argued both sides of the issue during the oral argument rounds.

The team consisted of (seated, l-r) second-year student Hecter Concepcion, second-year student Luis M. Ventura and second-year student Dana M. Heydorn. Assistant Professor Maritza Reyes (standing), served as the team's coach.

FAMU men's tennis coach Carl Goodman and student-athlete Salif Kante were named to two of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference's (MEAC) top honors.

Goodman is the conference's men's Coach of the Year. Kante is the Player of the Year.

The Rattlers earned their first ITS NCAA Division I national ranking, coming 69th in the January 2012 poll. Kante was also ranked 16th in the NCAA Southeast region.

This is the third time that Goodman has been named the MEAC Coach of the Year. He also won the honor in 2006 and 2010 as the led his Rattlers a 13-9 record and 3-1 in conference play.

In addition to being named the 2012 MEAC Player of Year, Kante also earned first team all-MEAC Honors as he garnered an 17-5 record overall and 3-0 in conference play as he posted wins over Miami, Southern Methodist and Stetson.

Individuals who need access to a computer and the internet can now visit FAMU's recently opened Center for Public Computing and Workforce Development. The Center is a result of a nearly $1.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce National Telecommunications and Information Administration.

FAMU has set up the computer center in the M.S. Thomas Industrial Arts Lab across from the Wahnish Way parking garage.

The Center is free of charge for citizens of Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon and Wakulla counties. The hours of operation will be seven days a week from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. and is located at 1600 Wahnish Way.

“We are very pleased to have this unique opportunity to serve the communities of the four counties that surround FAMU,” said Sterling Adams, director of the Center for Public Computing and Workforce Development. “The center will serve the community through access to computing and training resources as well as programs and services designed to increase the number of skilled individuals for the employment needs now and in the future.”


According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, the three-county region of northern Florida targeted by FAMU has poverty and unemployment rates well above the state and national averages, and many residents lack the 21st century skills necessary for industry certifications and job preparation. A number of training courses will be offered free of charge through the center to help address this need.

Through the grant, the FAMU Enterprise Information Technology Division and the FAMU College of Education Department of Workforce Education and Development established the Center for Public Computing and Workforce Development on the FAMU campus to serve the public. The center also plans to serve as a resource to other public computing centers in the region.

FAMU’s Small Business Development Center plans to provide business development training and counseling services through videoconferencing technology, and offer workshops to small businesses with an emphasis on minorities, women, and veterans.

The Center aims to develop and expand its instructional capacity through an aggressive “Train the Trainer” workshop program, which includes working with Florida’s Small Business Development Agency to create training content and identify and recruit trainers.

The FAMU Center for Public Computing and Workforce Development houses 65 workstations and plans to train 14,500 residents with approximately 87,000 hours of teacher-led training annually over the three years of the project.

The project’s training and broadband programs would include specific disciplines important to the northern part of the state, including public administration, education services, healthcare, social assistance, agriculture, forestry, and fishing and hunting.

Fabulous Coach Lines owner Ray Land (pictured) and bus driver Wendy Millette are contesting a lawsuit filed by attorney Christopher Chestnut, who represents the family of deceased FAMU drum major Robert Champion.

The lawsuit Chesnut filed claims Millette stood guard outside the bus on which Champion was being hazed on Nov. 19. It also says Millette “forced” him back onto vehicle when he came out the bus door to vomit.

Chestnut and Champions have not answered press questions about how Millette actually “forced” the victim back on board. Robert Champion weighed 235 pounds and was more than six feet tall.

Back in December, Land told the Associated Press that the bus driver was outside assisting the band members who were unloading instruments when Champion collapsed on the vehicle. He says she and the rest of the drivers did everything they could to help after they learned that the drum major was hurt.

Jade Gummer, an attorney for Millette, has filed a motion to dismiss the case. He says that even if the allegations were true, they would not prove that Millette was at fault for Champion’s death.


“Allegedly guarding the [bus] door and forcing the decedent on the motor coach does not cause blunt force trauma,” Gummer stated in the motion to dismiss. “Instead, the actions of the alleged participating FAMU band members and/or alumni who physically caused the blunt force trauma to the decedent during the hazing incident were the direct and proximate cause of the decedent’s death.”

Gummer is a partner in the Orlando office of Quintairos, Prieto, Wood & Boyer, P.A. The firm’s client list has included Wal-Mart, Publix Super Markets, U-Haul, and Marriott.

Keon Hollis, a FAMU drum major who says he and Champion voluntarily went through the "Crossing Bus C" ritual on Nov. 19, told ESPN that no adults were around the vehicle when they went through the hazing process. He also said he did not see the bus driver there, either.

The Chestnut Law Firm will head into the pending court battle for the Champion case after witnessing a disappointing outcome in an unrelated lawsuit involving a bus incident.

A court has dropped a lawsuit Chestnut filed on behalf of the family of a Gainesville pedestrian who was killed by a car after she got off a local bus. The lawsuit sought more than $200,000 in damages from the City of Gainesville.

The Gainesville Sun reported that “the case was dropped after a late March court-ordered mediation session, and the city will pay out no compensation, according to the City Attorney's Office.”

City Attorney Marion Radson told Gainesville commissioners the defense argument team argued that, according to Florida law, the city “no legal duty to protect a former passenger after the former passenger safely disembarks the city bus.”

The FAMU student body elections are finally over three weeks after the first ballots were cast. Marissa West and Michael Jefferson won the positions of student body president and vice-president, respectively.

“Thank you all for your support,” West wrote on her Twitter page. “This has been a true victory for the student body. Michael and I are ready to serve!”

The Student Government Association general election took place on Feb. 21. The results were: Marissa West & Michael Jefferson (939), Justin McCorvey & Ariana Williams (864), Anthony Siders & Sean Siders (404).

Even though candidates West and Jefferson won the most votes in the three-way race, they did not cross the 50 percent mark. The Electoral Commission did not hold a runoff because it had disqualified the two remaining tickets.

The disqualified tickets filed an appeal with Vice-President for Student Affairs William Hudson, Jr. He found that the Electoral Commission violated the statutes by using an unapproved a point-system to disqualify the McCovery/Williams and Siders/Siders tickets. Hudson also said a run-off election was required because the rules require a ticket to receive a majority vote (50 percent + 1) before it can be certified as the official election winner.

West will become the first woman to represent the FAMU student body on the university Board of Trustees since Monique Gillum.

Stephen Craig Robinson and Na’im Akbar (pictured) recently announced their resignations from the Anti-Hazing Committee appointed by the FAMU Board of Trustees. Both submitted letters of resignation that faulted the board for its unprofessionalism and indecisiveness.

Back on March 23, FAMU trustees approved the committee’s request to change its mission from policy recommendation to a fact-finding. The vote permitted the committee to operate without the public notice requirements of Florida’s Sunshine Law. Committee members asked for the change in order to help them work more quickly and meet the board’s deadline for its report.

The board jumped to reverse its decision on March 30 after Gov. Rick Scott and his go-to trustee at FAMU, Rufus Montgomery, bashed the integrity of the committee members. Scott and Rufus both suggested that the committee was trying to operate in secret due to some sort of ulterior motive.

"The vacillations and political meanderings inhibiting our free exchange of information with each other have proven to be as complex as the problem that we were assigned to consider," Akbar wrote.


Robinson said he was offended very personal attacks that preceded the board’s vote to reverse its decision.

"To be accused of ugly motivations in a public forum and in such a fashion was churlish to say the least," Robinson said.

Montgomery compared Robinson to a child during the board’s March 30 conference call. Robinson says that Montgomery’s antics were "ill conceived, uninformed and rude."

Akbar feared that the Anti-Hazing Committee was being set up for failure.

"The time restraints further imbued the assignment with toxic implications that we would be the sacrificial lambs in this complex public relations nightmare," he said.

Weeks have passed since T.J. Quinn’s interview with FAMU drum major Keon Hollis aired on ESPN. But Christopher Chestnut, the attorney for deceased drum major Robert Champion’s parents, has yet to respond to the disputed facts concerning the actions of the bus driver on the night Champion died.

Hollis said he Champion both voluntarily submitted to the “Crossing Bus C” ritual on Nov. 19 following the Marching 100’s performance in the Florida Classic.

Quinn reported that the Bus C initiations “would take place when the buses were parked and there were no bus drivers or band staff around.”

Hollis said that only students were around when he and Champion went through the Bus C ritual.

“Were there any adults around?” Quinn asked Hollis.

“No,” Hollis answered.

“Any idea where the driver was?” Quinn asked.

“No,” Hollis said.

The lawsuit Chestnut filed on behalf of Champion’s parents claims Fabulous Coach Lines driver Wendy Millette stood guard outside the bus on which their son was being hazed.


“Defendant Millette was standing ‘guard’ at the door of the bus to monitor ingress and egress to Bus C. Defendant Millette, upon seeing the injured decedent, ignored the apparent health risks of (Champion) vomiting…Defendant Millette advised (Champion) that he would be alright as she forced him back on the bus.”

Hollis did not mention anything about Millette "standing guard" outside or monitoring “ingress and egress to Bus C.”

In December, Fabulous Coach Lines owner Ray Land told the Associated Press that the bus driver was outside assisting the band members who were unloading instruments when Champion collapsed on the vehicle. He says she and the rest of the drivers did everything they could to help after they learned that the drum major was hurt.

Land told CNN he thinks the lawsuit is targeting the money in the high insurance limit that his company holds.

It seems everyone wants to know why Huijun Li (pictured right) left Harvard University for Florida A&M University to continue her research on mental illness. When asked why she chose to leave the Ivy League institution after four years to work at an historically black college and university, she chuckles, “I get asked that question a lot.” Then, immediately her voice steadies and in a more serious tone she explains the decision as a choice between faculty.

“The research focus of the faculty members in the FAMU psychology department matched my interests,” said Li. “So, it is relatively easier for me to build research collaborations here compared to Harvard.”

In fact, she enthusiastically expresses how supportive faculty have been since she arrived in Tallahassee three months ago.

“From the teaching, research and the resources…I think it was a very good choice for me to come to FAMU.”


Gwendolyn Singleton, chair of FAMU’s Department of Psychology, shares Li’s enthusiasm.

“We are doing our very best to help Dr. Li adapt to life on the Hill,” said Singleton, psychology department chair. “Her research is extremely important to our efforts to gain additional insights on mental health disparities in the creation of innovative culture-specific interventions for the treatment of mental illness.”

Last year, Li was a full-time researcher at the Harvard University Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center conducting multicultural competence training seminars and clinical studies that promote diversity in health-related research. She was also a psychiatry instuctor in the Harvard Medical School. Today, her time is split between teaching two classes as an assistant professor of psychology and conducting new research at FAMU under a $250,000 grant funded by the National Institute of Mental Health.

The study, “Broadening the Investigation of Prodromal Psychosis to Different Cultural Groups” examines mental health disparity issues among adolescents and youth on an international domain. During the next two years, FAMU will collaborate with the Shangai Mental Health Center in Mainlaind China and Harvard Medical School to build research capacity in a low-middle income country.

“We chose China as the study population because 30 percent of its 3.1 billion inhabitants are between the ages of 15 and 35,” said Li. “Adolescents and young adults are the most vulnerable to mental health issues, especially psychotic disorders.”

China is also Li’s homeland. She grew up in the province of Hebei and received a master’s degree in applied linguistics from Kunming University of Science and Technology. After teaching English as a second language for 10 years, Li became increasingly interested in pursuing a career in psychology, a field she says was very minimal in China just 15 years ago in terms of scope . She has a doctorate in psychology from the University of Arizona.

“Mental health is very critical to the country and the world,” said Li. “It is my professional goal to infuse my passion and dedication to this field within the communities that I serve and to those in need.”