Florida A&M University has found a way to rescue summer school by offering courses according to demand by summer graduates. This is despite the University’s recent budget cuts that have signaled the beginning of crowded classrooms and fewer professors.
“Cuts are serious, but there will be some form of summer school,” FAMU President James H. Ammons said.
Ammons explained that the dean of each college and its summer graduates will put together a list of classes that students need to graduate on time. He said University officials decided summer school will be held this summer, but classes will be limited because of the lack of funding.
“Our priority is the students that are graduating,” Ammons said. “Hopefully through the dean and student collaboration we will find the courses that will be offered and get them to the student body.”
James E. Hawkins, dean of the School of Journalism & Graphic Communication, said he has in his possession a list of classes that some journalism students need to graduate.
“Professors will gather information from students, therefore providing the division director with a list of needed courses,” Hawkins said.
After receiving the list, Hawkins will approve courses for summer school.
While summer school is in the works, budget cuts will still affect classroom sizes.
“I’m sure we will receive less money than what we received in previous years, which will leave our classroom sizes larger than normal,” Hawkins said.
Hawkins said students will be uncomfortable but should be thankful that summer school is being offered.
Erogies Grigley, 22, a senior agriculture business student from Atlanta, said he was worried that there might not be summer school but was relieved to hear the University made a way regardless of budget cuts.
“At first [not having summer school] didn’t work for me,” Grigley said. “But now that we are, administration needs to make sure the classes I need are offered.”
Although Grigley is content with summer school, he is still disappointed in what he felt was the overspending that left the University in debt.
“FAMU didn’t just find out about this problem,” he said. “They haven’t looked out 110 percent for the students.”