Fred Jerome Gainous (born July 6, 1947) is an American academic administrator. He was the 9th president of

Florida A&M University Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU), commonly known as Florida A&M, is a Public university, public Historically black colleges and universities, historically black land-grant university in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. ...

, serving from 2002 until 2004. He also served as chancellor of

Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...

's community college system from 1988 until 2002.

Early life and education

Gainous was born on July 6, 1947 in

Tallahassee, Florida Tallahassee ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of and the only incorporated municipality in Leon County, Florida, Leon County. Tallahassee became the capital of Fl ...

, where he grew up in the Frenchtown neighborhood and attended Lincoln High School. After high school, Gainous attended

, paying for his education by working as a janitor at the university library and a doctor's home. Gainous graduated from Florida A&M in 1969 with a bachelor's degree in

agricultural education Agricultural education is the systematic and organized teaching, instruction and training (theoretical as well as hands-on, real-world fieldwork-based) available to students, farmers or individuals interested in the science, business and technol ...

. After two years teaching high school, he enrolled in graduate school at the

University of Florida College of Agricultural and Life Sciences The University of Florida College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS), founded in 1964, is a college of the University of Florida. Overview The programs offered specialize in agriculture, natural resources, and life sciencesbr>CALS has two ...

and completed a master's degree in agricultural education in 1972. In 1975, Gainous completed an Ed.D. at the

University of Florida College of Education The University of Florida College of Education is the teacher's college, or normal school, of the University of Florida. The College of Education is located on the eastern portion of the university's Gainesville, Florida, campus in Norman Hall ...

with a thesis titled ''The role of the county adult education administrator in Florida''.

Career

From 1985 to 1987, Gainous an associate commissioner at the Kansas State Department of Education. Then from 1987 to 1988, Gainous was an associate vice president at

St. Petersburg College St. Petersburg College (SPC) is a public college in St. Petersburg, Florida. Part of the Florida College System, SPC offers several associate and baccalaureate degree programs. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools ...

. Gainous served as the chancellor of the Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education (overseeing the Alabama Community College System) from 1988 to 2002. Gainous returned to Florida A&M University in the role of university president in 2002. However, Florida A&M experienced financial struggles under his presidency such as a $1.8 million deficit, employees criminally charged with theft, and late financial aid payments to students. On September 28, 2004, the Florida A&M board of trustees voted 8–4 to fire Gainous after year's end, citing mismanagement of school finances and the move of the

Florida A&M Rattlers football The Florida A&M Rattlers football team represents Florida A&M University in the sport of American football. The Rattlers compete in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) of Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). ...

team to

NCAA Division I-A The NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), formerly known as Division I-A, is the highest level of college football in the United States. The FBS consists of the largest schools in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). As ...

, among other problems.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gainous, Fred Presidents of Florida A&M University Florida A&M University alumni University of Florida College of Agricultural and Life Sciences alumni Living people 1947 births African-American academic administrators 21st-century African-American academics 20th-century African-American academics 20th-century American academics 21st-century American academics University of Florida College of Education alumni