Florida’s only public historically Black university, Florida A&M University (FAMU), may soon be led by someone with close ties to Republican Governor Ron DeSantis. Marva Johnson, a lobbyist and executive at telecom company Charter Communications, has been named one of the four finalists for the role of president. Johnson, a former member of the state Board of Education, has been appointed to state boards by both DeSantis and former Governor Rick Scott. Her candidacy has raised concerns among students, faculty, and alumni, particularly given her lack of experience in higher education.
FAMU, founded in 1887, has a longstanding mission to educate African Americans, a legacy that students, faculty, and alumni are fiercely protective of. Many are worried that someone aligned with DeSantis, who has restricted the teaching of African American history and banned public colleges from using taxpayer money for diversity programs, could undermine the university’s commitment to Black excellence, cultural pride, and social mobility.
Johnson has faced criticism over her lack of higher education experience, though she has emphasized her corporate and legislative expertise during her interview with FAMU’s Board of Trustees. “As the leader, I am championing resources. I am moving mountains if they get in your way,” Johnson said. “I’m not going to be the best academician at this point in my career.”
While Johnson answered questions from trustees, a rally took place on campus with dozens of students and alumni voicing their concerns. “We cannot go down in history saying that we had a responsibility and we lost the illustrious FAMU,” said Quincy Griffin, a pastor and FAMU alumnus. “Not on my watch.” Elijah Hooks, a political science student and chief of staff at the Florida Student Association, expressed concern over the political influence DeSantis’ allies have tried to exert over other state universities, like the University of West Florida and New College of Florida. He fears this could lead to a similar “hostile political takeover” at FAMU, particularly with regards to limiting the teaching of Black studies. The rally included chants of “No MAGA Marva!”, in reference to the “Make America Great Again” movement associated with former President Donald Trump.
FAMU supporters have long argued that the state has underfunded the university, funneling more resources to predominantly white institutions like Florida State University, located just across the railroad tracks. The fear that DeSantis’ administration could seize more control of FAMU has triggered anxieties about the future of the school, particularly that state lawmakers could push to merge FAMU with FSU—a proposal that was debated in the 1960s.
Last year, FAMU faced increased scrutiny due to a multimillion-dollar donation from a questionable donor, which led to the resignation of then-president Larry Robinson and opened the door for new leadership. The DeSantis administration’s growing influence over Florida’s public universities has added another layer of concern for those invested in FAMU’s future.
Deveron Gibbons, a FAMU trustee who chairs the presidential search committee, defended the process as transparent and inclusive. He expressed gratitude to fellow trustees for their careful approach, emphasizing that the search reflects the values of the FAMU community.
The Board of Trustees is scheduled to vote on the finalists for president on Friday. The chosen candidate will need to be confirmed by the state’s Board of Governors.