Over the hours, the environment at the trustees' meeting turned from collaborative to tense and ultimately defensive and accusatory.
It was decision day for the Florida A&M University Board of Trustees. And that decision was to recommend lawyer and corporate lobbyist
Marva Johnson as the institution's next president. After a parade of four presidential finalists through campus, the trustees
met this morning virtually and in person to
decide the pay for its next Rattler-in-Chief and
pick Johnson as the 13th president of the top public HBCU in the nation. Her hiring must ultimately be OK'd by the State University System's Board of Governors, which is virtually guaranteed. The selection process was overshadowed by an outcry against Johnson, whose ties to Gov. Ron DeSantis and the GOP establishment have
alarmed alumni and the campus community . They derided Johnson's candidacy as "MAGA Marva," while Palm picked up an endorsement from the alumni association and local FAMU boosters. Over the hours, the environment at the trustees' meeting turned from collaborative to tense and ultimately defensive and accusatory. By the end, fellow trustees had stripped board chair Kristin Harper – who voted for Palm – of the chair's traditional role of negotiating a contract with the prevailing candidate. That was given instead to trustee and education consultant Nicole Washington by a majority vote.
Here are the live updates from the board of trustees meeting ,
which began at 9 a.m. 12:32 p.m. — The motion to adjourn has failed, so the main motion was back on the floor for Washington to negotiate a contract with Johnson. Now there is a question about a motion to "call the question," a parliamentary procedure used to end debate and immediately bring a pending motion to a vote. "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." Trustees then approved delegating contract authority to Washington on a 6-4 vote. "This meeting is now adjourned," Harper said, loudly slamming the gavel.
12:21 p.m. — Trustees are locked in a procedural maelstrom involving the motion to designate Washington, adjourn the meeting and return to "orders of the day," or go back to the agenda, and which takes precedence. If the motion to adjourn prevails, it would cut off any action to let Washington handle the contract negotiation. General counsel Avery McKnight was trying to untangle the confusion.
11:57 a.m. — Johnson received eight votes, Palm got four votes. She now has been selected for recommendation to the Board of Governors to become the 13th president of Florida A&M University. She is now president-elect. Washington was nominated to negotiate a contract as the board's designee with Johnson; the BOG meeting is June 18. Perry asked why Harper couldn't do it; White, who made the suggestion, said Washington had the experience to do it. "This is so interesting. This could be a Lifetime movie," Harper said. She later said, "I take personal offense at what is happening." After some procedural back and forth, Harper paused the meeting to consult privately with the university's general counsel.
11:42 a.m. — Trustee Craig Reed, who worked in procurement, said the university "needs to ensure it gets its fair share," but that the next president needs to have "acumen" in a lot of other areas besides fundraising. Looking around campus, "we're not broken," he said of FAMU. Harper, as chair and a "two-time alumna," said she takes her duty seriously. She married a fellow Rattler and her daughter also graduated from the HBCU to go on to a job at a Fortune 100 company, she said. "This is a thankless job but I do it for the love of FAMU," she added. That's why she read every email and responded to everyone she could about the selection: "Your voice matters. Leaders can't lead if no one is following." She recognized the deep concern centered around "one candidate." She apologized if candidates' names were leaked when they are supposed to be confidential.
11:21 a.m. — Trustee Jamal Brown, the faculty senate president, said the next president needs to have "access and political connections" to garner the kind of funding the university needs. Trustee Kelvin Lawson said FAMU needs a president "to propel us into the future ... a bold leader prepared to work with this board," alumni, faculty and students, and outside funders.
11:11 a.m. — Trustee Nicole Washington said the takeaway from community reactions was that "there is no perfect candidate." The landscape of higher education "is changing, and the role of a president is changing." More university leaders are focused on finance and fundraising than academics, she said. "I need people to understand (the state's) '
performance funding ' (model) is no 'gotcha' to this institution," that the expectation is "students should graduate on time with minimal debt" and be able to get a good-paying job, Washington said. That guarantees additional funding. She also complained that she was "belittled and derided" when she started asking questions after learning about the Gerami donation. An
investigative report determined that donor's $237 million gift to Florida A&M University was "fraudulent" and that he hoodwinked administrators. "And here we are," Washington said.
11:00 a.m. — Trustee Belvin Perry Jr. defended former board member Earnie Ellison, who was forced to resign after he unsuccessfully tried to pause the presidential search process. He noted how Ellison's departure was "mysterious," but also said no one in Gov. Ron DeSantis' office "ever tried to put any pressure on me." Perry, a former prosecutor and judge, looks at a broad swath of qualifications to pick a new leader but said he cannot overlook the strong reaction from many in the FAMU community, seemingly alluding to Johnson. He also questioned the relatively high salary range recommended for the next president, saying former President Larry Robinson made $561,000 at most. But Perry added: "It is a foregone conclusion as to the result of this vote today. That's the truth." Further, he made clear the governor's office was involved in the selection process, saying a staff member he did not name went over the "pros and cons of each candidate" with him.
10:52 a.m. — Palm's assessment was "overall constructive and leans toward the positive ... even as they addressed hurdles that need to be addressed." His strengths include his teaching, collaboration, community engagement and "fostering a supportive environment." Concerns included "communication and information flow ... external engagement." The final summary: There were concerns about his "research productivity" and his lack of fundraising experience, but respondents said he had a "solid foundation with areas for improvement."
10:41 a.m. — Reaction to Johnson, mostly from alumni, showed "widespread concerns," though noting her strengths in the law and her personal connections. Her "strong political affiliations" turned off many. Some said she would "jeopardize" the university if made president, noting her lack of any higher education management experience" and "lack of support from key stakeholders." The overall response was "overwhelmingly negative," the summary showed, with many expressing "distrust and opposition" and said 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.
10:35 a.m. — Respondents were also "cautiously positive" about Hector, though there were concerns about his lack of a terminal degree, such as a doctorate. Some said he had other leadership gaps and was too focused on finance.
10:27 a.m. — The meeting resumed with chair Harper going over an AI-produced summary and overview of comments on each candidate from alumni, faculty, students and others. The response to Allen, for instance, was "cautiously positive" with some expressing concerns about a "lack of large-scale leadership experience," among other things. The final summary: "Substantial gaps between current experience" and the needs and demands of the FAMU presidency.
10:06 a.m. — The trustees take a break, to resume at 10:20.
10:01 a.m. — A motion was approved to pay the next FAMU president anywhere from $450,000 to $750,000.
9:54 a.m. — "I'm emotional right now," chair Harper said, quivering with emotion as she responded to one student speaker who said he had been suspended after protesting Johnson's candidacy earlier in the week. He also said he received a trespass warning for the campus. "I will be following up with President Beard," she said, noting that the student "has unfortunately been escorted out and I don't know why. This is unacceptable ... FAMU is nothing without its students." Trustee Kelvin Lawson agreed and also urged Harper to follow up with Beard.
9:42 a.m. — Tampa attorney
Monica Williams Harris , a member of the
university's foundation board , denounced Marva Johnson, saying she was "not ready to lead this institution." Johnson came to campus for meetings and interviews with "no facts, no plans," and instead "said she would have 'conversations' with people." That wasn't enough for Harris: "The hiring of Ms. Johnson would be a breach of your duty of care," she told trustees.
9:31 a.m. — Having run out the clock for public comment (15 minutes), trustees agreed to extend by another 25 minutes, given the gravity of the decision. Curtis Johnson, the FAMU national alumni association president, reminded the board that a poll of his members showed strong support for Palm. "He's been there, he has led ... He understands what needs to be done," Johnson said.
9:26 a.m. — On the eve of selection day, one of
Florida A&M University 's most illustrious alumni offered the board of trustees a carrot and a stick. Celebrated Hollywood producer and FAMU grad Will Packer has been an outspoken critic of Marva Johnson. In a letter to trustees released Thursday evening he said he has “never seen a united outcry so clear and so forceful from the FAMU community.” “In discussions you are going to hear a lot about political capital, corporate ties and relationships, and the need to choose an unconventional candidate for unconventional times,” he continued. “But the truth of the matter is that the baggage that comes with finalist Marva Johnson is not worth any perceived value brought by being a nontraditional candidate.” He said due to the outcry against Johnson any other choice for the job will “have the full attention and a preponderance of support amongst the FAMU community.” “I personally pledge to amplify the efforts of such a President to use that unifying energy to increase the percentage of alumni donors,” he wrote. “I know Common, K Michelle, Roy Wood Jr, Rob Hardy and many, many other influential alums who are aligned with the opposition to Marva Johnson would support these efforts.” But he warned trustees that choosing Johnson would be detrimental to FAMU’s future. “Because make no mistake as tired as we are, a RATTLER when backed against a wall and forced to fight for its own self preservation will strike like hell for its survival. Do not underestimate the passion of this community.”
9:12 a.m. — Twenty people signed up to speak. Among those was Will Packer, Hollywood producer and FAMU alumnus, who told trustees they can't "afford" Marva Johnson, especially after the Gregory Gerami incident: "Do not set (her) up to fail," he said, calling her "offensive" and adding "FAMU doesn't need this." He mentioned a string of celebrities, including rapper-actor
Common , who would step up to support the university iof another candidate was chosen. Packer was cut off after exceeding his given time. Several others who followed, some who mentioned Johnson by name and others who alluded to her, inveighed against her candidacy. "FAMU doesn't need any more bad press," one speaker said, supporting Palm and comparing him to the legendary late President Frederick S. Humphries.
9:08 a.m. — With the trustees' meeting having a quorum, the meeting kicked off shortly after 9 a.m. on May 16. Newly appointed trustee Raphael Vazquez introduced himself, and chair Kristin Harper asked the board, under advice of counsel, to suspend the BOT's requirement for a 7-day notice for the meeting. The motion was approved unanimously.
Less than 24 hours before
Florida A&M University's Board of Trustees will choose a new president, the Florida Board of Governors has appointed local businessman and FAMU
presidential search committee member Raphael Vazquez as a new trustee – effective immediately. At a May 15 meeting, Board of Governors Vice Chair Alan Levine – also a member of FAMU's search committee – nominated Vazquez, owner and operator of
J.V. & Sons, Inc ., for the position vacated by former trustee
Earnie Ellison , who was forced to resign May 5. Vazquez could prove to be a swing vote. With the new appointment, the board is now back to a full 13 members and can vote on a new president at its 9 a.m. virtual meeting May 16 with no threat of a tie. On the search committee, Vazquez was among those in favor of the high-end salary, which comes after presidential search finalist
Marva Johnson − whose candidacy has received criticism from many in the FAMU community − asked for a $750,000 salary in her application.
This live blog contains previously published material. Jim Rosica can be reached at . Follow him on Twitter/X: @ JimRosicaFL .
