Atty. Marva Johnson secures nomination to become FAMU's 13th President

Get the Point!

If I seemed relatively calm yesterday in spite of the news that Attorney Marva Johnson has been nominated to be the 13th President of Florida A&M University despite her lack of university leadership experience and comparatively weak performance before skeptical crowds during interviews this week, it was because the writing was on the wall the very minute that Gregory Gerami's fake $237 million gift—and the ensuing public ridicule and media backlash—sacked the presidency of Dr. Larry Robinson.

The 12th President of Florida A&M University, Dr. Larry Robinson, resigned not long after Mr. Gerami (above) was exposed as philanthropic fraud in 2024…

That critical event last year opened the gates "On the Set" for a conservative dominated FAMU Board of Trustees (BOT) to select whomever they wish to lead the University into the future, and they have done so this day over the loud protests of 15,000 alumni, supporters, and donors who signed petitions/letters objecting to Johnson's candidacy.

While a well worn cliche, the bitter truth of the matter is that "elections have consequences" and while I join Rattler Nation in being angry, hurt, disappointed, and even a little afraid, now is the time for us to channel our emotions into an intellectual focus on organizing, strategizing, and supporting political candidates who share our concerns about the state of education in Florida, generally—and related political hot topics that impact the state's sole public HBCU, specifically.

I make these Hobbservations as a FAMU School of Graduate Studies alumnus who was born 53 years ago this week (May 20) to two proud FAMU alumni, and as one literally raised on the FAMU campus who knows that this hallowed institution had eight permanent presidents during the first 115 years of its existence—and a combined eight permanent and interim presidents in the 24 years since the legendary President Frederick Humphries retired!

Meaning, in the modern era, FAMU's average presidential term is roughly a short three year revolving door! This fact that does not portend well for a totally inexperienced Marva Johnson who, if confirmed by the Board of Governors, will walk into Lee Hall with practically no support from the students, alumni, and donors who attended (or watched) the interviews of Dr. Donald Palm, Mr. Gerald Hector, Dr. Ronnie Allen and Johnson and after noting that the other three candidates performed exceptionally well, are looking at yesterday's pick and are collectively in disbelief over the final selection.

So, while we FAMU stakeholders continue to weigh how to balance our objections to what we view as a suspect search process—all the while continuing to support our beloved school's mission, students, and employees—let us also prepare to vet, elect, and persistently lobby the next governor, state legislative leaders, and the BOT/BOG to leverage our concerns about our beloved FAMU to ensure its consistent funding and protection of its historically unique role in educating not only Black people, but a diverse panoply of professionals in every field of human endeavor who "earned it" long before the phrase "diversity, equity, and inclusion" became a politically caustic thing.

Lest we forget, “FAMU Forever!”

Reposted from Facebook and excerpted in the Tallahassee Democrat