FAMU looks to carve out major role in FSU-TMH academic health center deal

Florida A&M University is looking to carve out a major role in the academic health center agreement between Florida State University and Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare.

The FAMU Board of Trustees is set to meet this afternoon (Oct. 10) at 5 p.m. with the sole purpose of discussing the deal which supporters are hailing as a gamechanger for healthcare in Florida's capital city.

On Friday morning ahead of the meeting, the board released a strategy document titled "FAMU's Proposed Collaboration/Partnership With FSU Health/TMH Academic Health Center."

It proposes a long list of recommendations – from governance, to branding, to research – that would add FAMU representation to all aspects of the deal. Specifically, it also suggests that three members representing FAMU be added to "the governing board."

"This strategy fully integrates FAMU into the leadership, academic, and operational framework of the Academic Health Center," the document states.

The proposal could throw a curveball into the non-binding Memorandum of Understanding between FSU and TMH that is currently being considered by city commissioners, and bring FAMU representatives into the voting board. Months of tense negotiations between FSU and TMH ended with a proposal for a 17-member board where TMH ultimately has a slim majority with one extra member.

FAMU's strategy document doesn't clarify if the governing board referenced is the voting board of directors, but if FAMU insisted on having three votes it could upend the TMH-FSU MOU and send negotiators back to the drawing board. A FAMU spokesperson said she was trying to get clarity on the agenda item.

For the proposal to advance it would need to get the backing of FAMU trustees and elected leaders of the city, which controls all the assets of TMH as part of a $1-a-year lease deal. The city commission is set to take up the issue again during a public hearing on Oct. 22 at 6 p.m. in City Hall. 

The current MOU between the hospital and university only mentions FAMU once as it notes its intent to grow partnerships with the city's other higher education institutions.

"TMH will utilize good faith, commercially reasonable efforts to recruit FSU, Florida A&M University and Tallahassee State College students and alumni and will participate in FSU career fairs and other events," the MOU states on page 11. "It is the intent of the Parties to work to expand the Hospital's relationship with FAMU and TSC."

FAMU's proposal comes as some city commissioners and community advocates have vocally pushed for Rattler representation on the board. Commissioner Dianne Williams-Cox has pointed to "great distrust" around the deal noting the pain of  losing FAMU hospita l in the early 1970s after an integrated TMH took over the hospital and ultimately closed it down. While not delivering an ultimatum to secure her vote, she said she would prefer "compliance" over "confrontation."

▶Click here to read the full document if it's not displaying above.

Specifically, FAMU's strategy document calls on FSU and TMH to:

• Guarantee dedicated clinical training placements for students in FAMU's Nursing, Pharmacy, and Allied Health Sciences programs.

• Establish shared faculty appointments and collaborative research opportunities.

• Safeguard the continued growth of FAMU's distinct health sciences programs while promoting future affiliation opportunities.

• Establish clear protections to preserve FAMU's training and research access in the event of institutional disputes.

• Include FAMU as a named co-lead and beneficiary in joint funding proposals (e.g., NIH, HRSA, CDC, and philanthropic initiatives).

• Ensure FAMU's brand and identity are prominently displayed across clinical, academic, and research facilities.

• Explore opportunities for FAMU to lease designated space within the Academic Health Center's real estate footprint (locations TBD).

• Launch a workforce pipeline program prioritizing FAMU graduates for employment within FSU Health, TMH, and affiliated healthcare systems.

"This framework ensures that FAMU's voice, presence, and impact remain central to shaping the future of health education, research, and service for our region," the strategy document says in conclusion.

Check back with tallahassee.com for complete coverage of the meeting.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU looks to carve out major role in FSU-TMH hospital deal