Marva Johnson is now FAMU president despite widespread pushback

Marva Johnson was approved Wednesday by the Board of Governors as the next president of Florida A&M University, the last confirmation needed on a search that’s been accompanied loudly by protests. 

Johnson is set to start Aug. 1 and will take the reins from Timothy Beard, who has served as interim president for the past year. 

“I want to acknowledge the significance of this moment and the responsibility that I will carry to preserve the legacy while carving a path forward for this institution,” Johnson said in her confirmation hearing during the Board of Governors meeting at Florida Atlantic University. 

FAMU alumni appeared at the meeting in Boca Raton, strongly opposing Johnson’s candidacy during an open forum that was limited to 15 minutes, turning away some members of the public. 

“I believe the dedicated 15-member search committee reflected our commitment to identifying candidates who possess the requisite qualities to advance Florida A&M University’s objectives,” FAMU Board of Trustees Vice Chair Deveron Gibbons said, to which the FAMU attendees groaned, causing BOG Chair Brian Lamb to tell them to stop. 

Johnson was appointed to boards by former Gov. Rick Scott and Gov. Ron DeSantis, prompting protesters’ concerns that she may prove a political president.

Those political fears were paired with a perceived lack of higher education experience and resulted in petitions and community events opposing her presidency and prolonged FAMU Board of Trustee meetings.

Johnson is a group vice president for Charter Communications and previously served as chair of the Florida Board of Education, which oversees K-12 education and the Florida College System.

Lamb advised Johnson to commit to keeping her door open. “The voices aren’t going to go away,” he said. 

He went on to ask FAMU Board of Trustees Chair Harper and Gibbons to commit to supporting Johnson during her presidency. 

“To the Rattler community, students, faculty, alumni, stakeholders, I am listening and I hear your hope and I hear your dreams and I hear your concerns, and my door will always be open, and I’m looking forward to full engagement on campus and in our communities,” Johnson said while looking at the FAMU community in the room.

FAMU community members stood with their back turned to Johnson. 

BOG members pointed to Johnson’s sticking with the process through the turmoil as a measure of resiliency. 

“This is a new era, not for retreat, but for bold leadership and advancement. This moment is not about dismantling, it is about building, it is about advancing excellence, and together we can take FAMU to a top 50 public university in America,” Johnson said. 

Johnson’s contract will provide total compensation of about $840,000 in the first year and rises to about $981,000 in the final year.

The Florida Legislature this week approved a one-year rule change to allow the FAMU board to use otherwise restricted funds to pay for Johnson’s contract after the FAMU Foundation expressed a hesitancy to fund her full contract.

Two more presidents

The Board of Governors also approved former Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez as Florida International University president after she served as the school’s interim president. She was the sole finalist in a search that began when former President Kenneth Jessell stepped down.

Her contract will pay her a base salary of $925,000 and up to $400,000 in performance incentives. She will get a $245,000 annual retirement supplement, too, among other stipends.

The board approved Manny Diaz Jr. as the University of West Florida’s interim president. He will leave his job as the education commissioner of the state. 

His salary and benefits will pay him about $750,000, doubling his salary as education commissioner. 

Board member Eric Silagy said he thinks the search for a permanent president at UWF will be “undermined” by his contract. Silagy’s concern involved the lack of performance incentives and the ability for the university and Diaz to negotiate an interim extension if the search fails. 

“I think we’re going to end up with a failed search and we’re going to end up with Commissioner Diaz by default,” Silagy said. 

At FAU two years ago, the search was called off after now-U.S. Rep. Randy Fine was not named a finalist after DeSantis positioned him for the job. 

“I look forward to great things at UWF coming soon,” Diaz said.