FAMU trustee Earnie Ellison resigns after Board of Governors' pushback forces exit

Following a mere four months of serving on Florida A&M University's Board of Trustees , businessman Earnie Ellison was forced to resign May 5 after the Florida Board of Governors changed its mind about appointing him. 

While the Board of Governors' trustee appointments require confirmation by the Florida Senate, the governing board's Chair Brian Lamb and Vice Chair Alan Levine, along with State University System Chancellor Ray Rodrigues, asked that Ellison's name be withdrawn from consideration. 

Senate "President (Don) Gaetz received a formal request from the chair and vice chair of the Board of Governors and from Chancellor Rodrigues not to move forward with bringing Mr. Ellison's appointment to the floor," Florida Senate spokesperson Katie Betta said in a May 9 email to the Tallahassee Democrat. 

"Since the Board made the appointment, President Gaetz deferred to their request, just as he would if the governor asked the Senate not to move forward with an appointment."

The exact date of the Board of Governors' request is unclear, as it was made via phone, Betta said, but it was at some point after a March 31 meeting by the Senate Committee on Ethics and Election, which has responsibilities that include reviewing appointments and suspensions.

After the Tallahassee Democrat's attempts to reach Ellison for comments via email May 9, a FAMU spokesperson said he declined to comment. Levine was not immediately available. "While his time was brief, the board extends appreciation for his service," FAMU board Chair Kristin Harper said in a May 8 statement.

More on Ellison: Board of Governors appoints former FAU trustee Earnie Ellison to FAMU's Board of Trustees

Ellison departs amid search for leader of state's only public HBCU

The move to dump Ellison comes during what has been FAMU's ongoing and contentious search for a new president. Amid circulating rumors , frustrations are running high in the FAMU community as many are concerned about political influence and a lack of transparency in the process. 

Ellison left a trustee position at Florida Atlantic University to serve in the FAMU role and was praised by Levine while being appointed in December.

But he recently triggered a tense discussion during a trustee meeting less than two weeks before his resignation: He proposed that the board suspend the search altogether and start from scratch. Trustees considered pausing the process after a lengthy discussion, but the push failed during a vote. 

The search for FAMU's new president continues with four finalists . They include group vice president of state government affairs for  Charter Communications  Marva Johnson – an ally of Gov. Ron DeSantis who is widely disliked, if not reviled, by many in the FAMU community – and FAMU's Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Donald Palm, who has been lauded .

More: FAMU alumni, community express anger, flex muscle in ongoing presidential search

Ellison's resignation leads to incomplete board ahead of vote for president 

Ellison – an Alabama A&M University alumnus with a bachelor's degree in accounting – is the managing partner of the Ellison Consulting Group in Palm Beach Gardens, which consults with professional sports organizations and sports businesses to develop and implement strategies and event management. 

Before Ellison began serving as a FAMU trustee on Jan. 7, he served on FAU's Board of Trustees but resigned during a five-year term that would have expired in January 2026.

"I think he's a great pick," Levine previously said in a December Board of Governors meeting. "There was no reason for him to leave that great board at FAU, but it was (because of) his affection for FAMU and what we're trying to do there."

An April 29 letter listing executive appointments who were referred to two Senate committees did not include Ellison's name as a FAMU Board of Trustees appointee as a result of the Board of Governors' request.

Instead, the members listed were Nicole Washington and Emery Gainey – who were appointed to five-year terms by Gov. Ron DeSantis in December – and Belvin Perry Jr. , who was reappointed by the governor in November. All three candidates were confirmed by the Senate.

In other news, FAMU's new Student Government Association President Zayla Bryant began her term as a student trustee May 5 – the same day as Ellison's resignation – and succeeds outgoing SGA President Loryn May. 

With the incomplete FAMU board currently having 12 sitting members instead of 13, it creates the possibility for a tie vote during a time where the trustees are expected to meet May 16 to select the university's next president following a series of campus visits with its four finalists May 12 to 15. 

But according to the board's operating procedures, "No business will be transacted without an affirmative vote of the board, and a majority vote of all the members of the board is required for establishing policy, for making rules and regulations, for appointing and removing the president, and for approving or terminating programs." 

In the meantime, the Florida Board of Governors will meet virtually at 11 a.m. May 15, when its Nomination and Governance Committee is expected to consider the appointment of university trustees. Specific universities are not on the agenda.

How to watch Board of Governors meeting 

• The meeting is open to the public and can be accessed at https://flbog.zoom.us/j/82385398741?pwd=jDVLpFRqOfqfSiSPipTm1WrY3yZx78.1 . 

• For meetings held via phone or Zoom, public comment forms can be obtained from the corporate secretary and must be submitted by the close of business the day before the meeting.

• The corporate secretary can be contacted at generalcounsel@flbog.edu or by calling 850-245-0466. 

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: FAMU Board of Trustees member Earnie Ellison resigns after 4 months