FAMU Jumps in Florida's Performance-Based Funding Rankings

Florida A&M University is producing graduates who are making more money, awarding more graduate degrees in competitive industrial areas, and retaining more students than it did last year, and the school will be eligible for increased future funding under the state’s performance-based scoring system.
The Florida Board of Governors yesterday revealed its 2014-15 institutional performance rankings, which lists FAMU as the eighth most productive university out of the state’s 11 public four-year institutions. It is a three-slot jump for Florida’s flagship HBCU from last year, and just three points below sixth-place Florida State University for the last academic year.
“The improvements shown in our 2014-2015 performance score are a reflection of the FAMU community unifying to ensure growth in our student success efforts. All hands were truly on deck, including our alumni and supporters who helped to sustain our efforts,” said FAMU President Elmira Mangum. “Through the implementation of new technologies and initiatives to promote student success, we were able to exceed last year’s results by 13 points, and we look forward to even greater gains next year.”
In a release, FAMU officials indicated considerable increases in the percentage of graduates employed full-time or continuing their education, Bachelor’s degrees awarded within programs of strategic emphasis, the total number undergraduates receiving Pell Grant funding, and research and development expenditures.
Florida legislators have proposed a $225 million investment in institutions meeting performance standards for the 2016-2017 year, with state universities contributing $275 million to match a $225 million investment from the state.
“Universities are designed to be hubs of creativity, so it’s no surprise that they’ve risen to the challenge by the Governor, Legislature, and our Board by putting some unique new ideas into action,” said Ned Lautenbach, vice chair of the Board of Governors. “The result is a better education for students and a more prepared workforce for our state.”