Florida A&M College is experiencing a shake-up merely weeks previous than the 2024-2025 school twelve months is able to get started. The status quo’s liked president, Dr. Larry Robinson, in recent years offered his plans to step down and wrote a resignation letter. The data comes after the varsity President were given right here beneath fireside for a lot of reasons throughout the earlier school twelve months along side that $237M donation scandal.
Supply: Don Juan Moore / Getty
The school’s board of trustees was once alerted of Robinson’s resignation on Friday, July 12th. The board’s chair, Kristin Harper, introduced a press release on behalf of the board to the College’s respectable internet web site.
“We now have accomplished outstanding sure facets and record-breaking years beneath President Robinson’s control,” she stated according to FAMU.Edu. “I’m venerated to have served with fellow trustees along our president. His love for FAMU, common control, and unwavering willpower to our faculty scholars’ good fortune will cross away an indelible mark in this school’s history.”
Robinson began his tenure as FAMU’s president in 2016 when he was once appointed meantime president. He was once then offered to take on your entire place in 2017. Throughout his time since the status quo’s leader, he greatly changed the varsity’s standing. After the worrying tenure of former FAMU president Elmira Mangum, Robinson was once made up our minds to refocus the varsity’s goals.
In reaction to the Tallahassee Democrat, all the way through Robinson’s tenure, FAMU was once named the No. 1 HBCU for five consecutive years. The school moreover broke into the High 100 national public universities. Nonetheless, in opposition to the highest of his seven-year tenure, Robinson professional only some blows.
Why Is Dr. Robinson Resigning?
Supply: Don Juan Moore / Getty
Months previous than Robinson passed in his resignation letter, the FAMU president were given right here beneath fireside for the acceptance of a giant donation. Hemp farmer Gregory Gerami provided the varsity a $237 million donation to the varsity. The donation was once set to be the most important in HBCU history. But, FAMU alumni and the board grew to become skeptical of the huge praise and its donor.
The board of trustees moreover claims they’ve been disregarded of the selection to easily settle for the donation. In difference, Robinson and other folks conscious concerning the donation state they signed a non-disclosure agreement, preventing them from disclosing positive details regarding the donation.
Gerami was once invited to speak at FAMU’s 2024 commencement, where he offered the donation. In reaction to the Tallahassee Democrat, this was once Harper’s first time paying attention to of the donation. As Gerami and his undertaking, Batterson Farms Company, have very little online presence, many grew to become concerned with the hefty donation and how it were given right here to be. The praise is now on handle and beneath investigation.
Credential Controversy
Supply: Jeff Greenberg / Getty
Along with the donation debacle, the Florida Board of Governors is increasingly concerned regarding the school’s potency. In June 2024, it was once reported that the varsity’s licensure exam fees didn’t meet necessities. These licensure programs include FAMU’s regulation, nursing, pharmacy, and physically treatment schools.
Solely 41% of the regulation school’s school scholars passed the bar exam on their first take a look at in 2023, 39% underneath the 80% goal. The nursing school falls short of the 90% transfer rate via 7%, while the physically treatment school falls short of the 92% goal via 13%. The Faculty of Pharmacy can also be in hassle, falling 22% underneath its goal 92% transfer rate.
Due to their low transfer fees and failure to fulfill goals during the last 5 years, the Florida Board of Governors chair, Alan Levine, has threatened to complete the programs.
“I’m in a position to vote to take those programs away if we can’t do it the proper manner,” Levine stated according to The Tallahassee Democrat. “It is a disservice to those school scholars and to the taxpayers who’re paying for this, and the result they’re getting is they’re going to’t transfer their forums to move apply what they went to school for.”
As for Dr. Robinson, he plans to stick president as long as the board needs him. His respectable resignation date is still pending. As quickly as he officially resigns, he intends to take a 12-month sabbatical and then go back as a professor inside the Faculty of Setting.
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