COE split is dead

Not unexpected, sadly.

Keep in mind, Thrasher couldn't make this happen in a position of power......how idiotic is it that FSU will claim Thrasher will deliver the goods when hired as a president (and no longer has power in the state leg.)?

Like TK, he won't.  It is simply going to be a horrible hire justified with promises never to be delivered.  This is just proof the promise is empty.


Senate offers to study, not split for now, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering

"A proposal that sent shock waves through Florida A&M and Florida State universities – splitting up their joint College of Engineering after more than three decades of operation – was in doubt Sunday after the Senate appeared to cave on the idea.

Senate budget negotiators offered to give the Board of Governors $150,000 to study the proposed split rather than immediately proceed with one. The study would begin no later than Jan. 1, 2015, with the Board of Governors making a final decision no later than March 1.

As part of the study, the Board of Governors would analyze whether the joint college should remain as-is, whether a new college should be located at one or both of the universities or whether each university should have its own “differentiated” engineering programs.

Solomon Badger, chairman of the FAMU Board of Trustees, said afterward he respects the decision by the Senate.

“The Board of Governors needs to play a role in this, and they’ve been silent because they have not been part of it,” he said. “People are starting to align this whole thing in the right direction. The Board of Trustees needs a role in this, too. This is taking the right step to turn around and let everybody have who should have a hand in it have an opportunity.”

In a surprise move earlier this month, Sen. John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine, proposed giving FSU $13 million to start its own engineering college, and senators signed off. But in recent days, House Speaker Will Weatherford signaled he was more interested in taking a slower approach and allowing input from the Board of Governors.

Thrasher, whose name has surfaced as a possible contender for the FSU presidency, along with others want a separate engineering school to help FSU achieve its goal of becoming a top 25 public university.

And while he pledged that the Legislature would continue funding a separate FAMU engineering college, newly installed FAMU President Elmira Mangum expressed major doubts, saying the university would be unable to sustain one. FSU Interim President Garnett Stokes said at the time the university would support the move only if it didn’t hurt FAMU.

Thrasher said Sunday he was satisfied with the $150,000 line-item for a feasibility study, adding his main intention was to get the issue discussed by the universities and lawmakers.

“The House probably didn't want to do the full amount of the money, which I understand,” he said. “I've said all along I wanted to start a conversation about this and by putting the money in the budget we started the conversation. I think the Board of Governors is well-suited to continue the discussion and look at it, and hopefully make some positive recommendations for moving forward.”

When asked about the proposed deal after an afternoon budget meeting, Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stuart, and chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said the Senate hadn’t changed its position.

“We're looking at the speaker's request of having the Board of Governors involved in that process,” he told reporters, adding he didn’t know whether the proposal to split was dead this legislative session.

Rep. Alan Williams, D-Tallahassee and a FAMU graduate, said the Senate offer will allow more time to examine the proposal, though he said the Legislature should focus instead on finding ways to support the joint college.

“Obviously, both institutions have some concerns that we need to address,” he said. “But we should be looking for that Rose Garden moment here where both institutions if they ever decide to split should have the opportunity to do it on their terms and not the Legislature’s terms.”