FAMU Foundation budget OK is delayed over Marva Johnson pay shortfall

The Florida A&M University Foundation's budget approval continues to be delayed as all the terms of Marva Johnson's presidential contract have not yet been factored in. 

Instead, the proposed budget covers only $388,562 of Johnson's compensation , which in total includes a $650,000 base pay along with annual retention bonuses and other benefits. 

"It just seems to start to be exhausting that we are trying to literally work against each other as it relates to a lot of different issues," FAMU Board of Trustees vice chair Deveron Gibbons – who has been a strong supporter of Johnson's presidential candidacy – said during the board's Direct Support Organizations and Athletics Committee meeting June 11 in the Grand Ballroom on campus, where the foundation's budget was considered. 

"There has never been a time in the history of the university in which we started paying for portions of salaries out of the foundation for presidents that the foundation did not make an adjustment to meet the needs of the contract that was approved by the board."

Ahead of a full board meeting June 12, trustees of the committee decided not to vote on the foundation's proposed budget since it had a predetermined $388,562 line item for the president's compensation that was approved in April but was not updated following a recent presidential contract approval. 

And with the foundation's board of directors being required to give a seven-day notice before meeting to make necessary amendments, the proposed 2025-2026 fiscal year budget may not be approved before Johnson's expected confirmation by the Florida Board of Governors meet on June 18. 

Once the board of trustees provides the foundation with the exact amount needed to cover Johnson's salary for her first year – including specific costs for areas such as travel and security – the foundation's board of directors will circle back with updates on whether they can cover its portion of the total compensation amount or if they will need to reallocate money from other areas within the budget. 

Trustees did not indicate whether the foundation's budget would need to be approved by June 18. 

More: FAMU Foundation board holds off on budget approval that would include Marva Johnson's pay

FAMU trustee says budget approval 'does not have to be a stalemate'

The continued delay of the budget proposal comes after it was postponed by the foundation's board of directors at a May 30 meeting to take a deeper look into available funds. It also comes as frustrations continue to run high among FAMU alumni, students and many others who stand in opposition of Johnson's selection for president. 

The foundation included the $388,562 in its budget as the amount of money it would be able to contribute to Johnson's salary this year, taking into consideration the state's maximum contribution of $200,000 for university presidents. 

But according to a chart that summarizes Johnson's annual compensation for the next five years, Johnson would start off with about $839,400 during her first year in office, board chair Kristin Harper said. This means the state and the FAMU Foundation's combined contributions would come short of the estimated amount that Johnson would be paid this fiscal year by over $250,000 – all while some additional costs have not yet been set in stone. 

"Specifically, there were no caps on spouse travel, appropriate security, professional dues, meetings and entertainment," said Harper, who did not vote in support of Johnson's candidacy. "I don't think that the foundation truly has a baked-in number of what the need is. It's a partial picture, not the complete picture." 

During the June 11 committee meeting, FAMU trustee Belvin Perry Jr. asked FAMU Foundation Board of Directors' Finance Committee chair Twuanna Munroe Ward if there are available funds anywhere in the proposed budget to cover the difference in the presidential compensation that was approved by trustees. 

"At this time, there aren't any contingency reserves that we could use," Ward told Perry. 

But three areas in the foundation's proposed budget that Ward said could be considered for potential reallocations to Johnson's salary would be an "Office of the President" category with a $100,000 allocation, "University Auxiliary Support" with $269,594 and "University Support," which has $71,891.

Given the longwinded process of the foundation's budget being approved, Harper said it's due to the $450,000 to $750,000 overall salary range that was disregarded following its approval as a compensation package exceeding the $750,000 high end – with bonuses and other incentives included – was supported by majority of trustees instead. 

As tensions remain between FAMU trustees and other stakeholders on topics surrounding the contentious presidential search and its outcomes, Gibbons said "we need to put all this nonsense aside and try to work together" as he urged the foundation's board to "go back to the drawing board" with the budget. 

"This does not have to be a stalemate, and it does not have to get to the point where everybody is fighting," Gibbons said. "This is not about winning right or wrong. It's about moving FAMU forward."

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 Foundation budget OK is delayed over Marva Johnson pay shortfall