FAMU president search draws fire: Leon Commissioner Bill Proctor flags weak finalist pick

One of the longest-serving county commissioners in Florida is calling for Florida A&M University's presidential search to be suspended, calling it a "farce."

A day after four finalists were announced, Leon County District 1 Commissioner Bill Proctor wrote a letter to the Florida Board of Governors and FAMU's Board of Trustees addressing the lack of qualified candidates; concerns over diversity, equity and inclusion, and other factors as why the process should be paused.

"The public now believes the process of a search is a farce," Proctor said in the letter. "Please suspend the current presidential search process at FAMU. There should be no forthcoming recommendation. Peer through the haze of this Hanky Panky Express and restart the search process."

Proctor – also also a political science instructor at FAMU – wouldn't answer directly when asked whether his concerns were over finalist Marva Johnson, the group vice president of state government affairs for Charter Communications . It bills itself as "a leading broadband connectivity company and cable operator" operating under the Spectrum brand name.

There has been wide speculation that FAMU board vice chair Deveron Gibbons insisted on adding Johnson – a former Florida Board of Education chair also appointed to other boards by both former Gov. Rick Scott and current Gov. Ron DeSantis – to what was initially a list of three final candidates that committee members interviewed and voted on during closed sessions in a downtown Tallahassee office.

In an interview, Proctor did refer to "a presidential candidate whose credentials are woefully not up to par. I will not call names. The Trustees, I believe, know exactly which one of the four I have suggested is not qualified to be the President of Florida A&M University."

An unranked list of the  four final candidates – Johnson, Rondall Allen, Gerald Hector and Donald Palm, FAMU's executive vice president and chief operating officer – was recently announced. All of the candidates except for Johnson have experience as a university administrator. 

His letter comes ahead of the FAMU Board of Trustees' virtual meeting at 9 a.m. April 24, in which Gibbons will provide presidential search updates. Attempts to get comment from Gibbons, who also chairs the university's search committee, were unsuccessful. 

The university is working on having its 13th leader named by this summer following former President  Larry Robinson's  resignation last year. Interim President  Timothy Beard  has been serving in the role since August for a one-year term.

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"Not many people believe in the adequacy of the process that produced these finalists who seek the president's job at FAMU," Proctor said in his letter. "I believe a miscarriage of ranking has occurred. One finalist is clearly innocent of any substantive or major higher education leadership experience. FAMU should not be a venue for on-the-job training for its next president." 

In the letter, Proctor also mentioned a bill this year ( HB 1321 ) to repeal the current "secret process" of selecting university presidents in Florida and how the FAMU community feels "left in the dark" during the ongoing search that he believes should have been open and transparent.

In addition, a petition to FAMU's Board of Trustees was recently started by FAMU Foundation board member Chekesha Kidd regarding the presidential search, where demands are being made for a fair evaluation of the final candidates, protection from political influence, engagement with alumni and stakeholders and a commitment to excellence and stability. Over 200 individuals have signed the form as of April 23.

"We strongly urge the Board of Trustees and the (Florida Board of Governors) to conduct a transparent, rigorous and integrity-driven selection process that places merit, experience and alignment with FAMU's mission at the forefront," the petition reads.

Regarding DEI, Proctor questioned whether the university's presidential search committee vetted candidates to determine their ability to defend, lead and protect FAMU during a time where "DEI, black thought, black history, black students" and more are under attack. 

With conversations swirling around Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare's future and Florida State University's potential ownership of the hospital, Proctor also questions whether any of the final candidates for FAMU's presidency have the skill set and connections to allow FAMU programs to continue having access to TMH. 

As FAMU's presidential search continues, open forums are scheduled to be held the week of May 12 to give university stakeholders and the public an opportunity to get to know the four final candidates ahead of campus visits.

Tarah Jean is a reporter for the Tallahassee Democrat. She can be reached at  tjean@tallahassee.com . Follow her on X:  @tarahjean_ .

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Bill Proctor blasts FAMU search, says one finalist lacks credentials