FAMU trustees to meet ahead of state vote on new president, consider new budget, more

Many in the Florida A&M University community have been focused on plans to attend a state university meeting en masse in which Marva Johnson is expected to be confirmed as the school's new president.

FAMU's Board of Trustees, however, will convene much sooner.

The university's board will meet at 8:30 a.m. June 11, both in the Grand Ballroom on campus and via Zoom, for a string of committee meetings ahead of a full board meeting on June 12. Trustees will discuss other university business, such as a proposed $459.8 million operating budget for 2025-26, an increase from last year's $451.3 million .

The scheduled meetings, all open to the public, come ahead of the Florida Board of Governors' June 18 meeting to vote on the confirmation of Johnson – group vice president at  Charter Communications  – despite public outcry and efforts to stop the move. 

The proposed budget includes $208.6 million for salaries and benefits, compared to $214 million for 2024-25. 

In addition, the FAMU Foundation's proposed operating budget will be considered, along with budgets for the university's other direct support organizations. It comes after the proposal was postponed by the foundation's Board of Directors at a May 30 meeting to take a deeper look into available funds. 

At the same time, the Board of Trustees recently met to approve a high-paying presidential contract for Johnson that would be included as a line item in the foundation's budget, saying that it has the power to make the foundation's Board of Directors shift money from categories such as athletics and scholarship funds to pay for Johnson's compensation – if needed.

Johnson's presidential candidacy, followed by her selection to be FAMU's new Rattler-in-chief, has been met with frustration from many FAMU alumni, students and others who stand in opposition of her forthcoming leadership due to concerns about political influence and her lack of experience. 

But her supporters inside and out of the administration of Gov. Ron DeSantis, whose team has publicly backed her candidacy, say the university would be "quite lucky to have someone with her talents, connections, and lobbying experience," as one person put it .

Before Johnson's contract was approved – which includes a $650,000 base salary as well as annual retention bonuses and other benefits – many alumni have already declared plans to hold back any funds that would go toward her pay. 

Amid the contention, trustees are also expected to approve a banking resolution ahead of Johnson's confirmation, which says that Johnson, along with FAMU's Senior Vice President of Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer Rebecca Brown and Assistant Vice President of the Controller's Office Mattie Hood would be designated as "authorized signatories to sign checks to pay legal obligations of the university and to open any accounts necessary to house and manage funds of the university." 

The approval is effective Aug. 1, 2025.

A FAMU Athletics Committee and a Special Committee on Athletics Operating Model will also meet June 11 to include updates on the athletics department. They come as FAMU's recently appointed Vice President and Director of Athletics Angela Suggs has been charged with grand theft and making fraudulent claims for travel expenses.  

The university announced June 10 that Suggs has been placed on administrative leave with pay until further notice. 

How to listen in, comment at FAMU board meeting  

• Log on using the Zoom link provided on the FAMU board's website:  www.famu.edu/about-famu/leadership/board-of-trustees/agendas_and_minutes.php .   

• Requests to make public comments must be submitted to FAMU Administrative Services Coordinator kimberly.taylor@famu.edu by 5 p.m. the day before the meeting and must note the agenda topic that will be addressed, according to the university.

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 Board of Trustees to meet and discuss budget, among other items