State Sen. John Thrasher inserted a funding plan for a separate Florida State engineering school into the Senate’s budget bill, bypassing legislative hearings and other traditional vetting.
The two state-controlled institutions, both based in Tallahassee, established the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering in 1982 as part of the state’s effort to eliminate duplicate education programs rooted in the days of racial segregation. FSU is historically White. FAMU is historically Black.
The touted joint engineering program boasts some 2,500 students, although it is as much a separate business operation today in many respects as before the two were consolidated. Many operations remain separate when it comes to behind-the-scenes functions such as payroll and credit hour revenue sharing. The two institutions even report enrollment separately. At the same time, they have developed collaborative efforts that benefit both institutions when it comes to student access to teachers, joint research projects and similar ventures.
The funding plan for a separate FSU engineering school was inserted last week into the Senate’s budget bill by state Sen. John Thrasher (R-St. Augustine), bypassing legislative hearings and other traditional vetting, including detailed discussions with FAMU administration leaders.
Thrasher’s proposal was adopted by the Florida Senate when it passed its version of next year’s state budget. It will be considered later this month as part of the state House and Senate budget reconciliation conference.
Efforts to reach Thrasher were unsuccessful.
The proposal has been hailed by FSU’s Garrett S. Stokes, interim president, despite an instant uproar from FAMU’s top leaders and supporters in the state legislature.
