Florida A&M University’s (FAMU) 2018 score on the State’s Performance Based Funding Model was presented by the Florida Board of Governors during its meeting on June 27 in Orlando, Florida. FAMU’s total score of 72 is the University’s highest since the State University System (SUS) implemented the model in 2014. FAMU’s 2017 score was 65.
FAMU President Larry Robinson, Ph.D., also presented the University’s 2018 Accountability Plan, which highlights key initiatives that the University will implement over the next three years to improve outcomes on several key performance indicators.
“The results show growth and improvements in several metrics, which is evidence of the progress being made as the University implements its five-year strategic plan, “FAMU Rising,” Robinson said.
FAMU showed progress in several key areas, including retention, four-year and six-year graduation rates and reducing the overall cost to the student. Additionally, the median wages of FAMU graduates increased as well as the percent of graduates employed or enrolled in graduate school.
“We have made tremendous progress in reducing the average cost to the student, and we are currently among the leaders in the SUS in this area. We will continue to place an emphasis on providing our students with an affordable education,” Robinson said.
Despite the improvements in several key metrics, FAMU’s score was not sufficient to receive additional performance funding, but it was well above the level required to retain approximately $14 million in base funding.
“We acknowledge that we have a lot of work to do. I want to reiterate to our stakeholders that we have the appropriate level of focus on improving student success,” Robinson said. “We will be even more aggressive this year as we move to implement our Four-Year Graduation Plan and improve performance on licensure exams.”
FAMU also saw increases in its overall enrollment and the number of students enrolled in online courses. The fall 2017 enrollment grew to 9,909 from 9,614 in the fall of 2016. This growth included an increased number of transfer students and the retention of undergraduate students. FAMU exceeded its goal for transfer student enrollment for the 2017-2018 academic year by implementing the IGNITE Transfer Student Program.
A strategy to expand FAMU’s degree offerings in areas of strategic emphasis is also part of the accountability plan. Dr. Robinson emphasized that the University is focusing its attention on supplying the critical needs of Florida’s workforce, by developing programs such as cybersecurity, biomedical engineering and systems engineering.
Links:
PDF: FAMU’s 2018 Accountability Plan Presentation
PDF: President’s Accountability Plan Remarks
PDF: President’s Message to Stakeholders
