Statement on FAMU’s Presidential Search Hostile Takeover

We are deeply disappointed and troubled by the Florida A&M University (FAMU) Board of Trustees' decision to move forward with Marva Johnson as the next president of the university. This decision stands in direct opposition to the overwhelming voices of alumni, students, faculty, and community stakeholders who clearly and repeatedly expressed concern and opposition to her candidacy.

As a voting rights and democracy-centered organization, we recognize that higher education - particularly at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) - is a pillar of Black civic power and self-determination. The process by which FAMU’s next leader was chosen violates the fundamental principles of democracy that we fight to protect.

The integrity of this process was further compromised by the sudden appointment of Raphael Vazquez to the FAMU Board of Trustees just one day before the critical vote. Vazquez replaced Trustee Earnie Ellison, who was forced to resign after calling for the presidential search process to be paused, and members of the politically appointed Board of Governors rescinded his nomination. In his place, Governor Ron DeSantis appointed Vazquez, who had not participated in any of the interviews, stakeholder forums, or campus visits - yet was allowed to cast a decisive vote in favor of Marva Johnson.This last-minute maneuver has justifiably raised widespread concern and underscores how the Board of Trustees has become increasingly vulnerable to undue political influence.

While a seasoned corporate executive, Marva Johnson does not possess the essential qualifications or lived experience that FAMU itself outlined as critical in the job posting. These were not preferences, but essential requirements at a pivotal time for the university’s future.

FAMU is more than an academic institution - it is a cornerstone of Black excellence and progress. Appointing a president through backdoor politics, rather than a transparent and community-centered leadership selection process, betrays the trust that generations have placed in this university. It sends a chilling message - that even our most treasured institutions are not immune from political manipulation.

We must not become desensitized to this. Right before our eyes, we are witnessing the co-opting of our beloved institutions - institutions built by, for, and with the vision of Black liberation and self-determination. We cannot normalize this. We must fight to defend the integrity of our institutions and the voices of the people they were created to serve.

This moment is about more than one hire. It is part of a disturbing trend in Florida and across the country, where powerful interests seek to weaken institutions that serve and uplift Black communities through voter suppression, the rollback of DEI, academic censorship, and now, the co-opting of our universities.

We stand in unwavering solidarity with the FAMU alumni, students, faculty, and supporters who are organizing, speaking out, and demanding better. We call on the Board of Trustees to reverse course, recommit to a transparent and community-driven process, and select leadership that reflects the excellence and integrity that FAMU has always stood for.

Genesis Robinson

Executive Director, Equal Ground 

FAMU Class of 2012