Florida A&M University is experiencing a shake-up just weeks before the 2024-2025 school year is set to begin. The institution’s beloved president, Dr. Larry Robinson, recently announced his plans to step down and wrote a resignation letter. The news comes after the university President came under fire for several reasons during the past school year including that $237M donation scandal.
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The university’s board of trustees was alerted of Robinson’s resignation on Friday, July 12th. The board’s chair, Kristin Harper, released a statement on behalf of the board to the University’s official website.
“We have achieved remarkable gains and record-breaking years under President Robinson’s leadership,” she stated per FAMU.Edu. “I am honored to have served with fellow trustees alongside our president. His love for FAMU, steady leadership, and unwavering dedication to our students’ success will leave an indelible mark on this university’s history.”
Robinson began his tenure as FAMU’s president in 2016 when he was appointed interim president. He was then announced to take on the full role in 2017. During his time as the institution’s leader, he drastically changed the school’s reputation. After the tense tenure of former FAMU president Elmira Mangum, Robinson was determined to refocus the school’s goals.
According to the Tallahassee Democrat, during Robinson’s tenure, FAMU was named the No. 1 HBCU for five consecutive years. The school also broke into the Top 100 national public universities. However, toward the end of his seven-year tenure, Robinson experienced a few blows.
Why Is Dr. Robinson Resigning?
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Months before Robinson handed in his resignation letter, the FAMU president came under fire for the acceptance of a large donation. Hemp farmer Gregory Gerami offered the school a $237 million donation to the school. The donation was set to be the largest in HBCU history. Yet, FAMU alumni and the board became skeptical of the large gift and its donor.
The board of trustees also claims they were left out of the decision to accept the donation. In contrast, Robinson and those privy to the donation state they signed a non-disclosure agreement, preventing them from disclosing certain details about the donation.
Gerami was invited to speak at FAMU’s 2024 commencement, where he announced the donation. According to the Tallahassee Democrat, this was Harper’s first time hearing of the donation. As Gerami and his business, Batterson Farms Corporation, have very little online presence, many became concerned with the hefty donation and how it came to be. The gift is now on hold and under investigation.
Credential Controversy
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In addition to the donation debacle, the Florida Board of Governors is increasingly concerned about the school’s performance. In June 2024, it was reported that the university’s licensure exam rates did not meet standards. These licensure programs include FAMU’s law, nursing, pharmacy, and physical therapy schools.
Only 41% of the law school’s students passed the bar exam on their first attempt in 2023, 39% below the 80% goal. The nursing school falls short of the 90% pass rate by 7%, while the physical therapy school falls short of the 92% goal by 13%. The College of Pharmacy is also in trouble, falling 22% below its goal 92% pass rate.
Because of their low pass rates and failure to meet goals over the last five years, the Florida Board of Governors chair, Alan Levine, has threatened to end the programs.
“I’m prepared to vote to take these programs away if we can’t do it the right way,” Levine stated per The Tallahassee Democrat. “This is a disservice to those students and to the taxpayers who are paying for this, and the result they are getting is they can’t pass their boards to go practice what they went to school for.”
As for Dr. Robinson, he plans to remain president as long as the board needs him. His official resignation date is still pending. Once he officially resigns, he intends to take a 12-month sabbatical and then return as a professor in the School of Environment.