Several months of vehement opposition and some powerful support at Florida A&M University have resulted in one of four presidential finalists being named FAMU’s new Rattler-in-chief: Marva Johnson.
FAMU’s Board of Trustees met virtually and in person May 16 in the Grand Ballroom on campus, selecting Johnson to serve as the university’s 13th president following an 8-4 vote. The meeting came just days after she visited the “Highest of Seven Hills” and stood in the firing line of concerned community members who strongly opposed her candidacy as the contentious presidential search neared its end.
“Florida A&M University has long stood as a beacon of excellence and empowerment,” Johnson said in a statement released by the university hours after the vote.
“To be considered for the opportunity to lead this storied institution is the honor of a lifetime. I will approach this role with bold vision − focused on student success, innovation, and national prominence − while building strong bridges with the FAMU community and honoring the legacy that makes this university so special.”
The conclusion was no surprise to some in the FAMU community, including board member Belvin Perry, who believed the fix was in for the woman who has been a close ally to Governors Rick Scott and Ron DeSantis.
“It is a foregone conclusion as to the result of this vote today,” Perry said. “That’s the truth.”
Many view Johnson’s ascension as the latest example of DeSantis reshaping the higher education landscape in his political mold – this time at the nation’s No. 1 public HBCU (historically Black college or university).
While Johnson currently serves as group vice president of the internet and cable TV company Charter Communications, she is now the second woman in university history to be named president of FAMU. The other is the university’s 11th President, Elmira Mangum, who served 2014–16.
The selection of Johnson to serve as FAMU’s new leader comes after former President Larry Robinson stepped down last year in the aftermath of a major donation debacle, which led to interim President Timothy Beard stepping in to serve in the role since August for a one-year term.
‘History has its eye on us’
As the winning presidential candidate, Johnson was the board’s pick over University of Maryland Eastern Shore Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Rondall Allen, University of Central Florida Senior Vice President for Administration and Finance Gerald Hector and FAMU’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Donald Palm.
Palm was lauded by many in the FAMU community and even confidently declared himself the university’s “next president” in a May 15 campus interview with trustees.
Board Chair Kristin Harper, as well as Perry, Craig Reed and FAMU Student Body President Zayla Bryant made up the minority of trustees who voted for Palm instead of Johnson; Allen and Hector got no votes.
“The students have spoken, the alumni have spoken, faculty and staff have spoken,” Bryant said. “History has its eyes on us, and I would be remiss if I were to take my position in vain and not vote to be the voice (for students) ….”
As frustrations have run high in the past few weeks leading up to the board’s decision, Johnson – a Winter Garden native – endured a heated presidential candidacy. She was heavily criticized by some vocal opponents as “MAGA Marva.” Many alumni said her Republican political ties would put the university in danger and maintain she lacks experience due to her background outside of academia.
“I believe in the values of this institution – accountability, transparency, integrity and inclusion,” Harper said ahead of her vote against Johnson. “Your voice matters, and leaders can’t lead if there’s no one who is following.”
At the top of the board’s meeting, about 20 people – including FAMU students and alumni – spoke against Johnson during the meeting, both virtually and in person. Having run out the 15 minutes for public comment, Harper extended by another 25 minutes, given the gravity of the decision.
“A decision to vote in favor of Marva Johnson reflects a reckless disregard for the stakeholders who have placed their trust in you,” said FAMU alumna Amy Wheeler, a 1995 graduate.
FAMU’s Student Body Vice President Kennedy Williams said the university needs a leader who recognizes that the school is “more than just a business venture.”
But despite the concerns, Johnson remained optimistic about securing the presidency during her May 14 campus visit, saying that she will make efforts to give FAMU “a seat at the table.”
“I was not sent here to dismantle FAMU,” said Johnson, who served as a co-chair on one of DeSantis’ transition committees and was Board of Education chair for eight years under Scott. “I would love the opportunity to work with you and to grow FAMU.”
While FAMU trustee Natlie Figgers did not attend the May 16 trustee meeting, the remaining eight trustees – including Raphael Vazquez, who was appointed to the board May 15 ahead of the presidential selection – cast their votes in support of Johnson.
That came after Harper went over an analysis of feedback from campus stakeholders. The overall response to Johnson was “overwhelmingly negative,” the summary showed, with many expressing “distrust and opposition.” The consensus was Johnson was “not in alignment with the university’s needs.” Some even had “fundamental concerns about FAMU’s institutional integrity” were she to become its leader.
“I respect the viewpoints expressed, but respectively – and it’s proven by data – the skill sets and strategies that we have used to get here may not be the same strategies that we’ll take to move us forward,” trustee Nicole Washington said, “and I’m excited for new leadership who is going to be capable of navigating these complex challenges.”
‘The role of a president is changing,’ FAMU trustee says
The presidential search results come after speculation that board vice chair Deveron Gibbons, who chaired FAMU’s search committee, insisted on adding Johnson to what was initially a list of three final candidates. Gibbons has repeatedly denied such claims during previous meetings.
Ahead of the trustees’ vote, FAMU trustee and Faculty Senate President Jamal Brown, as well as other board members who voted for Johnson, said the university needs a leader who has “access and political connections” to garner the kind of funding the university needs.
Washington expressed how the landscape of higher education “is changing, and the role of a president is changing” with more university leaders focused on finance and fundraising than academics.
Following three trustees who indirectly spoke in favor of Johnson back-to-back before voting, Gibbons touched on the need for FAMU stakeholders to focus on improving their fundraising efforts.
“We should do better in giving and fundraising – we, meaning us Rattlers,” Gibbons said. “We should not be pointing fingers at other people about nonsense that doesn’t matter and trying to attack people’s integrity and impugn them.”
FAMU board also votes on salary range, steps for contract negotiations
During the meeting, trustees also approved a compensation range of $450,000 to $750,000, which Gibbons said was recommended by the university’s presidential search committee. This comes after Johnson asked for a $750,000 salary in her application for the job, where she left out how much she currently makes in her position at Charter Communications.
But what led to the board’s implosion later in the May 16 meeting was FAMU trustee Michael White’s proposal to delegate to Washington the authority to negotiate a contract with Johnson − a move that breaks the usual procedure of the board’s chair handling the contract for a new president.
“This is so interesting. This could be a Lifetime movie,” Harper said, later adding more seriously, “I take personal offense at what is happening.”
In a 6-4 vote in which the board OK’d Washington dealing with the contract, Perry said “it strikes me strange that a motion was made as if someone had discussed this beforehand, but it is very typical of what’s been going on.”
“It’s quite apparent that lightning struck and hit here at FAMU,” Perry said, backing Harper to negotiate the contract. “I find it horrible that in an institution that values love and charity, there is no love and there is no charity.”
Although the FAMU trustees voted for Johnson, her official naming as the new president is subject to an interview and confirmation by the Florida Board of Governors, which oversees the state’s university system.
“FAMU’s culture and impact are unmatched, and I am committed to upholding and amplifying that legacy as we move forward together,” Johnson said in a statement.
Tarah Jean, higher education reporter for the Tallahassee Democrat, can be reached at tjean@tallahassee.com. Follow her on X: @tarahjean_.