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At FAMU, Ammons Says He'll Hit the Ground Running

By Carnell Hawthorne Jr.
Black College Wire

North Carolina Central University Chancellor James H. Ammons walks in his last procession at North Carolina Central University at commencement exercises on May 5.

Dorm room chats, faculty and staff empowerment and greater emphasis on enrollment are just three of James Ammons' objectives when he arrives to claim the top spot at Florida A&M University this summer.

"Everything we do will be to make our students successful and competitive," said FAMU's incoming president in an interview with the campus newspaper, the Famuan.

Ammons said he wants FAMU students, who undertook a week of protests shortly before the semester ended, to know he plans regularly to attend Student Government Association meetings, make regular stops to the Student Café and stay informed with the day-to-day happenings of campus clubs.

The FAMU alumnus, now chancellor of North Carolina Central University, will be confronting a level of student dissatisfaction.

Preparing for a week of protests in April, Amir Shabazz, a 21-year-old junior philosophy student, said, "The University Board of Trustees do not adequately operate as the voice of the students and the faculty."

Shabazz led student objections to a report that recommended that FAMU grant only baccalaureate degrees, and SGA leaders spoke with state legislators after the House and Senate shifted $10.4 million from FAMU's budget to Florida State University to run their joint engineering college.

Ammons said students like Shabazz will be well represented by his administration and can expect to have "accessibility" to leaders under his presidency.

"I've been known to show up at dorms with pizza to sit around and chat with students," Ammons said.

Some students said they were pleased.

"Having a new president will be a good change to FAMU," said Desiree Foster, a physical therapy student. "There will be less protests and FAMU will get a tad better," said the 19 year-old from Lakenheath, England.

The new president said campus staff members can look forward to "utilizing their skill sets" to serve the students efficiently.

"I have not planned to bring any faculty from (North Carolina Central), but I plan to utilize those already at FAMU," Ammons said.

Since the Florida Board of Governors approved his appointment on March 19, Ammons, who will be paid $325,000 annually, said he had met with Interim President Castell Bryant, faculty and staff members to gather as much information as he can about the status of the university.

"When I start on July 2, I'm going to hit the ground running," he said.

During his transition, Ammons said he plans to conduct an assessment before he and his transition team make decisions about leadership and staff.

Enrollment numbers are down this year, despite the university's selection by Black Enterprise magazine as the "Best School for Blacks to Attend" in 2006. The honor was based primarily on enrollment and retention numbers in the 2005 Florida Department of Education report.

"My plan is to put together an enrollment engagement plan for recruitment," Ammons said. "We will network with school systems statewide and nationally, while working with community colleges to have a marketing and recruitment strategy."

He said the school would use honors students and national achievement scholars in a strategy he calls his "target enrollment management plan."

Ammons said he especially wanted to place more emphasis on the university's Alumni Association.

"The alumni represent the legacy of the University," he said. "They are our ambassadors.

"Financial support from the association will allow the University to improve its endowment," he said. Money generated through the alumni organization would operate as a separate stream of income for the institution.

The well-known FAMU snack man and Rattler icon known only as "Soul Train" agreed that Ammons is headed in the right direction fiscally.

"I definitely look forward to him coming here because he already has his connections here," he said. "He has ties with the people who hold the money here in Tallahassee, plus he's got connections to draw government money to campus."

Ammons said he has met with state legislators and members of the Board of Governors to reestablish old relationships and build new rapport with state leaders.

He also said he looks forward "to working with the Board of Governors task force appointed to help put FAMU on right financial grounds."

Discussing colleges and schools that are facing probation or are unaccredited, Ammons said he had researched the guidelines and requirements to bring each program up to standards and would work to assist deans and directors.

"We are working to progress the law school from provisional probation," he said.

"We are also seeking accreditation for the business school, which would be the first time the school would be accredited," Ammons said.

Ammons said he and his wife, Judy, are excited.

"It's off the charts," he said. "FAMU has always been my highest goal because I have always felt that there is no greater goal than leading my alma mater."

Carnell Hawthorne Jr., a student at Florida A&M University, is news editor of the Famuan. To comment, e-mail [email protected]

Posted May 7, 2007