The Trump Administration’s battle with higher education has entered its most contentious period. A full-blown showdown with Harvard University threatens to challenge the core values of the private institution, as President Trump has pursued efforts to control Harvard’s DEI policy. On May 22, the Department of Homeland Security issued a revocation of the school’s trademark ability to attract international students. The order bars Harvard from admitting foreign students and orders foreign students enrolled at Harvard to transfer. Meanwhile, the first HBCU to be hit head-on with this mindset is actually the No.1 Public HBCU in the country – FAMU.
Aligning with Trump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has his own effort to support the extreme effort to control colleges across the country. DeSantis has seated or is in the final stages of seating the presidents of most of the schools in the Florida State University System (SUS). Florida State, New College, and Florida A&M now all have presidents appointed by the governor. The University of Florida and Florida International University have solo candidates for president who were hand-picked by the governor.
FAMU’s selection of Marva Johnson, the process of selecting her, and the shuffling of the FAMU Board of Trustees even 24 hours before the vote have all caused an uproar among alumni of the proud university. Wednesday night, a Zoom call with a group who identifies as “Keepers of the Flame” was convened, and it was one filled with pledges, suggestions for combating the confirmation of Jones, and disgust in the so-called Rattlers who they feel sold out the HBCU to support the MAGA-induced initiative to control the school.
Front and center on the call was FAMU Board of Trustees chair Kristen Harper, who did not vote for Johnson. FAMU Alumni have endeared Harper as she was not complicit in her stance on the selection process and voiced her displeasure during the meeting when Johnson was selected. Harper’s dissent from the majority caused her to be removed from the position of negotiating the contract with the president-elect.
DeSantis’ board had approved a salary for the new president up to $750,000 per year. FAMU’s immediate past president, Dr. Larry Robinson had a salary of $451,000. In perspective, the largest college in Florida is the University of Central Florida. With an enrollment of over 69,000 students, their president just got a raise to $900,000 per year. FAMU’s enrollment is about 9,000 students, and the proposed salary of $750,000 is a 50% bump from the previous president. FAMU Alumni are upset at that as well because that salary has to be supplemented by the university foundation.
Florida statute 1012.975 reads, “Notwithstanding a law, resolution, or rule to the contrary, a state university president may not receive more than $200,000 in remuneration from public funds.” What that means is above the $200,000 they can’t use state funds for the salary, instead the university itself has to use raised or donated funds to cover the balance. In this case, FAMU will have to use funds from the FAMU Foundation to the tune of $550,000.
That means nearly $250,000 in new money will be pulled from the fund, which the HBCU uses for student scholarships, campus projects, and specialized fundraising. Much of the money that comes into the foundation is earmarked, so the $500,000 used annually for the president’s salary will dampen available funds for student scholarships.
The virtual town hall meeting had its share of star power. With FAMU alum and vocal advocate for keeping FAMU autonomous, Hollywood producer Will Packer made his presence on campus during the week of the selection of Johnson. In the town hall meeting, one of FAMU’s most endeared alums, Bishop A.J. Richardson, a bishop in the AME church and former Marching “100” drum major, made his push for Rattlers to remain steadfast in their effort to fight for the university.
Attendance at the town hall meeting exceeded 3,000 concerned alumni. The focus for the group is to thwart the confirmation of Johnson’s confirmation by the Florida Board of Governors. Unless there is a legal precedent that can impede the process, the effort will be an uphill battle as Governor Ron DeSantis has personally seated every member of the Board of Governors. Some of whom have already expressed their pleasure with the selection.
