TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – Florida A&M University President Marva Johnson is reflecting on her first year in office while outlining her vision for the HBCU\u2019s future.<\/p>\n
August 1 marked the first anniversary of Johnson, J.D., MBA, serving as FAMU\u2019s 13th president. She acknowledged her appointment was surrounded by controversy<\/a> before she set foot on campus. <\/p>\n Johnson was selected by the FAMU Board of Trustees as the sole finalist for the presidency in May 2025<\/a> before officially taking office on Aug. 1.<\/p>\n Now, one year later, the university president says she\u2019s focused on expanding campus infrastructure and improving the student experience.<\/p>\n Pointing toward the center of campus, Johnson shared one of her long-term goals. <\/p>\n \u201cI want to put a residential living facility right outside the gate; public-private partnership. So people are walking across and they\u2019re not all situated over there. Maybe return the bookstore here,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Speaking about the campus quadrangle and the area formerly known as \u201cThe Set,\u201d Johnson added, \u201cI want it to be more lively right here.\u201d<\/p>\n While discussing plans, Johnson also highlighted accomplishments from her first year.<\/p>\n She said she has held listening sessions with students, where recurring concerns centered on financial aid processing, financial decisions and access to financial aid resources. <\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve created a number of partnerships,\u201d she said. \u201cOne is with EAB that will allow us to build infrastructure that helps us get our students the information they need faster in order for students to make financial decisions.\u201d <\/p>\n Johnson also said the university has revamped its admissions process. Although admission standards remain rigorous, she said FAMU is preparing to welcome its largest first-time freshman class in more than a decade.<\/p>\n \u201cIt will be just as exceptional as the classes that came before it,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Johnson addressed challenges that came before her, such as arriving on campus to six audit corrective actions. \u201cIt\u2019s going to take a while to triage that,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n She also addressed the NCAA\u2019s Level Two Academic Progress Rate (APR) penalties for the 2026 football season announced back in April<\/a>. Johnson said accountability measures are now in place to help the university prevent similar eligibility issues in the future.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have weekly meetings on our APR. Everybody\u2019s accountable. It is a two-hour meeting. We sit and go through each and every athlete who may be at risk. We go through every program to look at their metrics, and we talk about strategically what we need to do next,\u201d she said. \u201cSo, that alone has helped move us forward.\u201d<\/p>\n Another priority, Johnson said, has been strengthening the university\u2019s leadership team. <\/p>\n More Tallahassee News<\/p>\n According to FAMU, the HBCU received nearly $109.75 million in state appropriations this year.<\/p>\n Johnson\u2019s presidency has also continued under the shadow of a lawsuit challenging her selection. Last June, a group of students and alumni filed a lawsuit against the FAMU Board of Trustees and the Florida Board of Governors.<\/p>\n In the civil lawsuit, the group claimed that Johnson\u2019s selection as the program\u2019s next president was \u201cpredetermined in violation of the state Constitution.\u201d<\/p>\n When asked how things are now when it comes to any critics and her relationships with students, the community, and alumni, she said, \u201cI say it\u2019s very different. It\u2019s very different because I\u2019ve been taking a very deliberate opportunity to meet with our alum, to meet with community stakeholders, to meet with our students. I tell people I\u2019m doing it one Rattler at a time.\u201d<\/p>\n Johnson went on to say that her goal has never been to win over every critic.<\/p>\n \u201cMy objective is not to try to win everybody over, to do something that makes everybody love me because I know that is not realistic. So, I\u2019ve been just trying to meet Rattlers where they are,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n She added that she believes more members of the FAMU community are rallying behind the university\u2019s future. <\/p>\n \u201cWhat I\u2019m seeing more than anything is that people are opening their minds to my presidency, and they\u2019re remembering more than ever that their commitment is to FAMU and to FAMU\u2019s success,\u201d she said. \u201cEven people who may have wanted a different president, I think are now getting more comfortable with the fact that in order for FAMU to succeed, my presidency needs to be a success; and they\u2019re coming to help.\u201d<\/p>\n Looking ahead, Johnson said rebuilding the university\u2019s financial leadership remains a top priority. She said an interim chief financial officer is expected to begin this month, with hopes of naming a permanent CFO within the next nine months.<\/p>\n To keep up with the latest news as it develops, follow WCTV on Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, Nextdoor<\/a> <\/a>and X<\/a> (Twitter<\/a>).<\/p>\n Have a news tip or see an error? Write to us here<\/a>. Please include the article\u2019s headline in your message.<\/p>\n Be the first to see all the biggest headlines by downloading the WCTV News app. Click here<\/a> to get started.<\/p>\n Copyright 2026 WCTV. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n