TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) Political Contributor Trimmel Gomes stopped by the WTXL studio to discuss the controversy over breaking up the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering.
Florida A&M University has come out against the proposal originally put forth by State Senator John Thrasher, mandating the creation of two separate colleges of engineering.
FAMU says creating a new college would cost $100 million, and President Elmira Mangum has told Governor Rick Scott that Florida risks "federal intervention," if the state moves ahead with the plan.
Florida State University is supporting the measure. FSU Interim President Garnett Stokes says the move is necessary to seek a national Top 25 ranking for public research institutions.
WTXL Political Contributor Trimmel Gomes says the recent state of flux both universities have experienced may have contributed to the timing of the proposal.
"This is something that has been talked about in circles at both FAMU and FSU, but this is a unique time for it," said Gomes. "You can see both leaderships at both institutions weren't really there, so it was a perfect time. If you were going to make something like this happen, this was the time to do it."
Trimmel Gomes joins appears on WTXL weekly to talk politics; Tuesday mornings on the News at Sunrise, and Thursday nights on the news at 6:00.
