The Florida Board of Governors confirms Marva Johnson as FAMU's 13th President

Get the Point

The irony is not lost upon me that the same Florida Board of Governors that raked an objectively well qualified Dr. Santa Ono over the hot coals during his unsuccessful confirmation hearing to become the University of Florida's president a few weeks ago, chose to give thunderous applause and overwhelming support in confirming Marva Johnson, a successful lobbyist with zero experience as a faculty member or administrator at a Research intensive/NCAA Division university, as the next president of Florida A&M University earlier today during its meeting in Boca Raton, Florida.

FAMU stakeholders stand and turn their backs as Marva Johnson is confirmed by the BOG

As I listened to Board of Governors Chair Brian Lamb, a FAMU High alumnus no less, comment about the "emotions" surrounding opposition to Johnson's presidency, while his colleague, Alan Levine, chastised the thousands of FAMU stakeholders who have raised their voices in opposition to the same, I couldn't help but realize that the Governors who spoke on record today did so FILLED with emotion in defense of their "colleague/friend" Johnson—and did so without ever addressing the unemotional above mentioned criteria—and Johnson's objective failure to meet those two and arguably all three if, as has been opined by some experts, the juris doctorate degree that she holds is not considered terminal in the academy.

I can already tell from some social media comments that many within Rattler Nation are upset by today's vote and to that end, I feel your righteous indignation! But I am actually very calm because since April, I have read the news reports, attended the town halls and zooms, participated in Johnson's full day of on-campus interviews, and spoken to folks behind the scenes who are very much in the know about how she came to be chosen, and I concluded way back in May that Johnson most definitely would be confirmed by the Board of Governors on this day. My lack of surprise, however, does not mean that I am not disappointed by the spiritual wickedness running amok in political high places here in Florida.

Now, I would never dare tell any fellow Rattler how to cope with this unwanted news, but I will remind that there is still a lawsuit pending before Leon County Circuit Judge John Cooper that delves more deeply into allegations that the “fix”was on for Johnson a long time ago, a factor that still leaves "what's next" within the hands of the judicial system!

So while we watch to see what the end's gone be in this process, remember the Shakespearean line from Macbeth that "thou doth protest too much," or, more plainly as my sharecropping ancestors used to say, "a hit dog will holler!" Indeed, when you see who applauded today's vote and listen to them rationalize that there's "no there, there"— despite still yet to be concluded investigations by the BOG, the SACS accrediting agency, and the pending civil suit filed by Attorneys Mutaqee Akbar and Ennis Jacobs earlier this week which question ALL of the “there” that is there, I encourage you to stay woke, stay hopeful, and stay tuned in the days to come!