FAMU president explains why Angela Suggs will be special advisor after arrest, paid leave

Florida A&M University's former Vice President and Athletics Director Angela Suggs has stepped into a new role, where she will work closely with FAMU President Marva Johnson as special assistant to the president and advisor for Intercollegiate Athletics.

Johnson confirmed Suggs new position during a Nov. 14 interview with the Tallahassee Democrat, saying "I am extremely excited that she's willing to support me as special advisor to the president." The transition comes after Suggs was arrested in June on fraud and theft charges from her previous role as president and CEO of the Florida Sports Foundation.

"As you know, the culture at FAMU is different than any other university – not just any HBCU," Johnson told the Democrat. "It is one that is deeply grounded in pride and deeply grounded in tradition, and when they say Rattlers brag different, it is absolutely true." 

"To have someone who's just an extremely competent culture bearer and an extremely competent leader and manager at my side as a personal advisor to the president is going to help me run faster and get a lot of special projects completed in a way that will accelerate them," she added, "given her understanding of the institution and her grounding in the leadership team already."  

It's been over a month since Suggs' criminal case was resolved by her acceptance of a deal in which prosecutors will drop the charges in two years if Suggs meets a list of conditions, including completing a course for gambling addiction. Following her arrest, she continued to receive a paycheck while on administrative leave for the last four months with an annual salary of $250,000.

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It's unclear how much Suggs will be paid in the new role. The Tallahassee Democrat submitted a public records request to FAMU on Nov. 4 for information about Suggs's new FAMU position – including documents confirming her acceptance of the new role, her start date and her new salary – and is awaiting a response.

As Suggs steps into the new role, John Davis was officially announced FAMU's new vice president and athletics director Friday afternoon. Davis, who starts Jan. 5, is a longtime Republican operative who has been serving as Secretary of the Florida Lottery since October 2020, appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

FAMU's Interim Director of Athletics Michael Smith will continue to lead the university's Department of Athletics and will assist with the transition until Davis starts next year.

"I'm excited to see John Davis lead Florida A&M University Athletics, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the continued success and elevation of my alma mater," Suggs said in a prepared statement. "President Johnson's visionary leadership will position this institution for transformative growth, and it is an honor to support this great work in advancing our mission and serving our students, faculty, staff and broader community."

While Johnson declined to confirm that Davis was the pick about an hour before the university announcement – saying to "stay tuned" – he has been meeting with coaches and other FAMU stakeholders in recent days.

As for Suggs's title as special advisor to the president, she will directly report to Johnson, who says her duties will go beyond athletics since "she will also support special projects for the president's office as they may be defined."

At the same time, Suggs role includes serving as a strategic advisor and primary liaison for Johnson regarding all aspects of the university's National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I athletics program within the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), according to a university release.

Tarah Jean is the higher education reporter for the Tallahassee Democrat, a member of the USA TODAY Network – Florida. She can be reached at  tjean@tallahassee.com . Follow her on X:  @tarahjean_ .

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU President Marva Johnson hires Angela Suggs as special advisor