TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – Florida A&M University President Marva Johnson had her first sit-down interviews with local reporters on Friday to talk about the governor’s influence, her 100-day plan and what comes next.
President Johnson seems to be trying to mend fences after what she called an “intense” appointment process. She answered questions about how much power the governor has over the university, and what’s gone right in her first three months on the job.
In her first 100 days, President Marva Johnson dealt with nationwide threats to HBCUs, six audit findings and a bruising confirmation process.
“Whether they supported me at the onset or not, the university’s success is tied to my success,” she said. “And they are committed to helping to advance the legacy [of the university].”
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In her first 100 days, Johnson said she’s most proud of “stabilizing” the university.
“What I am most proud of in that short 100 days is that we’ve stabilized the enterprise and one of the things that helped in my effort to stabilize the enterprise is making sure we had good leaders,” Johnson said.
During her confirmation process, some trustees questioned whether Johnson’s ties to Gov. Ron DeSantis were the real reason she was named the frontrunner. The president did not shy away from mentioning the governor’s influence.
“They do have an opportunity to have a strong hand in guiding the outcomes, and that there’s alignment across all 12 of the SUS institutions. And that’s consistent with the vision of our leaders for the value we’re bringing our taxpayers,” she said.
Johnson said it first set in that she was the president when she spotted a banner waving over Lee Hall with her name on it.
“And [I’m excited] to transform our curriculum and our campus in a way that allows us to sustain our growth well into the future and to continue to add value to not only our students, but the communities we serve and to the state,” she said.
In terms of those threats, President Johnson said the university has spent significant money on hardening the campus, but that additional asks from the legislature are likely.
Johnson recalled her own sadness when dropping her child off at college wondering if she would be safe or not.
“And to me, there’s no amount that I should avoid spending to ensure that when parents leave their students, their children here with us, that they are confident that they have left them somewhere safe,” she said.
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