- Florida A&M alumni, boosters, and stakeholders were unanimously in support for one FAMU presidential candidate, while blasting another as a "political plant".
- All four candidates have campus visits and final interviews set up next week.
- Watch now to hear speakers at the town hall describe why they're against one of the four candidates.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
The message from the Rattler community: fight for the future of Florida A&M University.
"The key here is to make sure that long after I'm dust, when my body is dust out there at Southside Cemetery, that this school is still right there, viable and autonomous."
I'm Alberto Camargo in the Southwest Tallahassee neighborhood.
Breaking down why this group of FAMU alumni and stakeholders is in support of one candidate and strongly against another.
"We all share the same story in this room, I literally do not exist, but for Florida A&M University."
The town hall called by Leon County Commissioner Bill Proctor drew dozens of Rattlers to Bethel AME Church Wednesday — all concerned with one of the four names listed as presidential finalist: Marva Johnson.
Johnson is currently Vice President of State Government Affairs for Charter Communications.
She served eight years on the Florida State Board of Education, appointed for a first four-year term by Governor Rick Scott, then a second by Governor Ron Desantis.
But several members at the town hall say that experience does not make for a good FAMU president.
"If I was to seat a CEO or president of a business, I would not hire the president of a university which had no experience in business. By that token I say, why are we even considering a person that has a great resume in business, but no educational background?"
FAMU's search committee chair, Deveron Gibbons, has called the process transparent and inclusive, saying, "I'm grateful to my fellow trustees, who have approached this process with integrity and care every step of the way. Their commitment has been instrumental in stewarding a process that reflects the values and aspirations of the FAMU community."
Rattlers at the town hall Wednesday called Johnson a political plant, and said the other three candidates are far better suited to the job.
Rondall Allen, Gerald Hector, and Donald Palm all have years of administrative experience at universities.
"I think we have to go further than just saying who we don't want. We need to pick somebody to support and tell them that's who we want."
By virtually unanimous vote, their support is behind current FAMU COO Dr. Donald Palm.
All four candidates have campus visits and final interviews set up next week.
The action item coming out of Wednesday's town hall: to show up in numbers in opposition of Johnson on Wed., May 14, and to show up in numbers in support of Palm on Thu., May 15.
In Southwest Tallahassee, Alberto Camargo, ABC27.
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