As of last spring FAMU has resumed construction of the Center for Access and Student Success building just north of Gaither Gym. The university is also at work on a new residence hall located on the far southeast end of campus.
And though both of these major projects cost the campus more than half of a main parking lot, the student population was able to gain two new lots during the early weeks of the fall semester: The MLK gravel lot located on the corner of MLK and Osceola Street and the Eugenia lot at Ardelia Court.
“OK FAMU we can shut up about parking now,” tweeted @JanuarysFav.
An amphitheater is also in the process of being built. This project took away four historic dorms; Cropper, Wheatley, Diamond and McGuinn. It’s said the amphitheater will enhance the Set Friday experience for students and overall campus appeal.
In other new developments at the university, FAMU created new signs in front of each residence hall and main instructional buildings around campus while improving landscape in various areas.
Aside from the advancements toward beautification and structure to the campus, FAMU has upped its technological advancements by bringing in the new Venom Tracker App and included a solar powered charging table right outside of “the caf.”
“One thing FAMU needs is a venom tracker app,” said twitter user @_knicolem_ .
The Venom app launched officially in August after being in production during spring 2019. The app allows students to know when the venom will arrive to their desired stop and where it is located as it runs the normal transportation route through campus.
The new charging tables outside of the café and near the quad hold three phone charging ports each for student, faculty and visitor use. The tables are solar powered and are a part of FAMU’s campaign to “be green.”
Most of these new additions to the campus are beneficial with minor cons but some changes have caused trouble from the start.
This semester Metz food service has changed the pricing of meal plans making all of them gold instead of the usual bronze, silver and gold plans, with different meal swipe and flex bucks variations.
Many students were affected by this change of on and off campus meal plans.
“I feel like we’re being short-changed for what we pay for,” said Sylniqua Amos, a political science major who is also a resident assistant on campus. “And it’s unfair how we have a limited amount of meals with no flex bucks, when most of the food options are not fulfilling being a student and university employee,” Amos added.
It’s safe to say that change at FAMU is far from over and that within a few years, the campus may be completely different.