‘MAGA Marva’ Officially Confirmed As FAMU’s New President

Marva Johnson, the controversial pick to lead HBCU Florida A&M University, is now official, with final approval of her appointment concluded on Wednesday. Her appointment continues to be controversial with the FAMU community, with a number of voices expressing their concerns during Wednesday’s meeting. Johnson, meanwhile,

Johnson appointed as FAMU students, alumni claim she’s ‘not ready’ for position

The Florida Board of Governors, the board that oversees FAMU, voted to confirm Johnson’s appointment during a contentious meeting with members of the university’s community on Wednesday. During the comments portion of the meeting, several current and former students spoke up to reiterate their disapproval of Johnson, who was selected in an 8-4 vote by the university’s trustees in May.

“Marva Johnson is not ready to lead the nation’s No. 1 public HBCU,” said Kim Godwin, an FAMU alumna who was previously head of ABC News. “She does not have the best resume. She did not have a good on-campus interview. She appeared unprepared and short-sighted and did not present well to our stakeholders,” Godwin said.

Computer engineering student Devin Nobles Jr. declared that “as students, as primary stakeholders in this university, we are very concerned about the future of our university.” Nobles objected that “If you guys confirm this candidate, it is to reaffirm to all of us — our students, our faculty, our staff, alumni, the 18,000 people who signed a petition online — that our voices do not matter.” As Nobles notes, an online petition opposing Johnson’s appointment gathered over 18,000 signatures.

Facing ‘MAGA Marva’ accusations, Johnson seeks to address concerns

As Blavity previously reported, the selection of Johnson has been controversial throughout the FAMU community due to her ties to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who has promoted an “anti-woke” agenda within the state, and Republican Senator Rick Scott. Johnson had been nicknamed “MAGA Marva” for her ties to the conservative GOP politicians. She has also been criticized for her lack of public education experience, with several other more qualified candidates being passed over in favor of Johnson.

Johnson sought to alleviate concerns about her appointment, telling those gathered at Wednesday’s meeting, “I am listening, I hear your hope, I hear your dreams and I hear your concerns.” Johnson pledged that “my door will always be open, and I’m looking forward to full engagement on campus and in our communities.” Johnson also spoke about her plans for the university, which include plans to diversify the university’s funding sources, with less reliance on government funding and more collaboration with entrepreneurs, among other goals.

It remains to be seen whether Johnson will succeed in her goals for FAMU and if she will be able to adequately address the worries that current and former students of the university have about her fitness for the job. Time will also tell whether or not Johnson will seek to implement the conservative agenda pushed by her political allies or if she will try to carve out a different path as leader of one of the nation’s most prominent HBCUs.