By Lynn Jones
Tallahassee—The controversy swirling around the new president of Florida A&M University continues as alumni and stakeholders denounce her appointment to the helm of the nation’s number one public Historically Black University.
The tradition of paying the majority of Marva Johnson’s salary is causing major blowback to the FAMU Foundation. “Alumni are very angry about the incoming president, so there will be a challenge in their giving,” said board member Monica Harris, who added, “Alumni have concerns going forward.” Harris repeatedly emphasized alumni resistance throughout a recent Foundation meeting when the board revisited the issue.
As an essential funding source, reluctant donors pose a significant problem. The Foundation’s priority is to supplement the university’s budget by allocating millions of dollars to support student needs and programs. In this instance, the presidential salary represents a huge diversion of those limited funds. Last month, the Foundation tabled a plan that would cover the first year of Johnson’s five-year contract.
Their defiance was threatened with decertification by Board of Trustees Member Nicole Washington. The BOT advocates did not act on the threat; instead, they turned to lawmakers for the $900,000 in taxpayer revenue to cover Johnson’s salary for the first year. The ability to fund student needs in the future remains a current concern for the Foundation.
Adding to the Johnson controversy is a lawsuit filed by FAMU alumni, Foundation members, and students. It reveals a pattern of manipulation and interference in the state university presidential search process, which now includes FAMU. The selection of Marva Johnson was predetermined by the Board of Governors and the Board of Trustees, in violation of rules and statutes, according to the lawsuit. The scheme unfolded with the swift removal of three BOT members who were not going to vote for Johnson or voiced serious concerns about what is described as a “compromised search process.” In an affidavit, Ernest Ellison, Jr., an HBCU graduate who served as a Florida Atlantic University and FAMU BOT member, describes a series of strong-arm tactics that appear to be Sunshine Law and fiduciary violations.
- FAU Presidential Search –Sept. In 2024, Ellison, as FAU BOT Vice Chair, BOG Chair Brian Lamb, and Vice Chair Adam Levine urge Ellison to support presidential candidate Adam Hasner, a former state House member. Ellison refuses, wanting a thorough evaluation and vetting instead.
- December 2024-Lamb asks Ellison to join the FAMU BOT-
- Jan 2025 Ellison becomes FAMU BOT member, while awaiting Florida Senate confirmation
- February 2025 FAU BOT seats Adam Hasner as FAU President
- March 2025-Gov. Ron DeSantis, floats Marva Johnson with the Legislative Black Caucus
- April 2025- The search process is sharply criticized and described as compromised.
- April 24, 2025, during BOT discussion of search turmoil, Ellison motions to suspend search & initiate independent investigation.
- In “the heat of that discussion,” Levine texts Ellison, saying he should not be sidetracked by concerns about the search, “there is no valid reason for a delay.”
- April 29, BOG withdraws Ellison’s name from Senate confirmation. He is replaced by Raphael Vazquez the day before Johnson’s BOT vote.
Ellison joined two other BOT members who were removed and would likely have voted for the overwhelming favorite FAMU COO Donald Palm, PhD. So instead of the 8-4 vote for Marva Johnson, it would have been a 7-5 vote for Donald Palm had the three remained on the board. An Alumna and plaintiff in the lawsuit, Kim Godwin, said,” We have every right to be suspicious of Marva Johnson and her bosses. FAMU cannot lose its identity at the hands of those who have never had our best interest at heart.”