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Inquiry ends into how FAMU spent grant

The university will settle the federal investigation by agreeing to repay $1.4-million plus investigative costs.

Florida A&M University has reached a $1.5-million proposed settlement to end a three-year federal investigation of how it spent a grant to train minority college students in math, science, engineering and technology.

But the settlement does not resolve all of the National Science Foundation's concerns about how the university manages its grants. Spokeswoman Leslie Fink said Monday that foundation officials will visit the university in Tallahassee this week to check its recordkeeping and accounting practices.

In an April 27 letter, the foundation threatened to terminate all its federal grants to the historically black school if it didn't solve its financial problems within two months. All grants recommended for approval were put on hold.

FAMU trustees are scheduled to vote on the settlement Thursday.

The university received $4.8-million from Sept. 1, 1997 to Dec. 25, 2004, to run a Center for Research Excellence in Science and Technology. It could not account for how $1.4-million was spent, according to the settlement.

The science foundation began investigating in June 2002 because of "questions concerning whether FAMU had appropriately spent NSF award funds and whether FAMU accurately reported the financial status of the award to NSF," the settlement said.

The settlement requires the university to repay the foundation $1.4-million in grant money, plus $95,000 for investigative costs. FAMU would also undergo an annual audit to ensure compliance.

"Even though FAMU believes the money was spent properly, we don't have the documentation to support it," said Challis Lowe, chairwoman of the board of trustees.

[Last modified June 29, 2005, 01:18:19]