- The Tallahassee Students for a Democratic Society led the “Hands Off FAMU" rally Saturday at the Railroad Square Skatepark.
- The group expressed opposition to the selection of Florida A&M University's President-elect Marva Johnson.
- Watch the video to hear about the group wants from Johnson.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
This summer, students in Tallahassee are challenging the selection of President-elect Marva Johnson.
They say they're fighting to protect their future before classes resume in the fall.
“Being an HBCU and dealing with a lot of funding issues right now, we want to make sure that our education is protected,” FAMU student Kajari Sa-Ra said.
That means urging Johnson to protect student courses and programs at the university.
It’s the goal of a small rally Saturday called "Hands Off FAMU” organized by the Tallahassee Students for a Democratic Society.
“When we say ‘Hands off FAMU,’ we mean that we want the Republican Party to take their hands off of, not just FAMU but all of our universities,” Lain Dorsey, the SDS National Council Representative, said.
Florida A&M University Board of Trustees picked Johnson about a week ago.
During the meeting, most trustees said that the college needed a president who could secure funding.
“We’re going to need somebody who cannot only raise money. Somebody who is going to have to take in mind that students are our number one customer and constituent,” Vice Chair Deveron Gibbons said.
But some students believe a Johnson presidency could hurt the reputation of the university.
That's because of her connection to the Republican Party and lack of educational experience.
“She’s never held an administrative position in a university before. She has no ties to the university, unlike many of the other prior candidates for president,” Dorsey said.
This isn’t the first protest against her, though.
Notable alumnus Will Packer organized an on-campus rally on May 14.
An alumni group called “Keepers of the Flame” met online earlier this week.
It’s organizing boycott efforts against trustees’ businesses and telling the community to write letters against Johnson to the Florida Board of Governors.
“I think a lot of us, after seeing that she was voted in by the FAMU Board of Trustees, have already accepted that she will likely be selected, and we're already thinking about how we can move forward in supporting students and making sure that we continue on our education,” Sa-Ra said.
The Florida Board of Governors still has to confirm President-elect Marva Johnson.
That meeting is set for June 18.
These local groups are encouraging students and alumni to show up to this event to prevent her confirmation.
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