The fact that FAMU Provost Debra Austin is calling it quits is not news anymore. But it might have been when the St. Petersburg Times asked about it a month ago. Rumors about Austin - the third FAMU provost since James Ammons left in 2001 - have been swirling for weeks, and the provost herself confirmed it during Monday's trustees meeting. But it's worth noting that when the Times asked about it in mid-April, FAMU officials would not confirm it. On April 18, the Times even requested a copy of the resignation letter, but it didn't surface until this morning. It's two-paragraphs long. It's dated March 30. It's addressed to interim President Castell Bryant and President-Designate James Ammons. And it says: "I have decided to resign from this position effective May  31, 2007." Certainly looks like a resignation letter to The Gradebook. No disrespect to the many hard-working employees at FAMU, but getting public records from the university is often a slog - and for what? Would it have been so bad to acknowledge the provost is leaving shortly before the new president takes the reins? For another example of a public records runaround - in fact, a much more important example - read this missive from the executive editor of the Tallahassee Democrat.

- Ron Matus, state education reporter