- FAMU trustees voted to delay presidential search decision further after discussions of DEI and parity.
- The plan is to find its next permanent president by the beginning of the next academic year.
- Watch now to hear what comes next in the presidential search process.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
The process to select the next president at Florida A&M University has been delayed… yet again.
I'm Alberto Camargo your College Town neighborhood reporter.
I'm breaking down what led to the decision and how it affects the presidential search timeline.
FAMU trustees were meant to select an outside search firm to help in the process.
A process that I told you has already been delayed since October.
When not enough trustees showed up to a special board meeting solely for that decision.
"My commitment is compliance, prudence and wisdom. And getting a president in place for the next academic year. So I do not want to delay this."
Three of the seven search firms considered as options joined the meeting by Zoom to answer questions.
One question focused on each firm's history of presidential searches.
Another asked about diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at each firm.
Florida higher education law says no public university may purchase services from organizations that "discriminates on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or religion."
That's what the law says.
All three firms on the call clarified that they can work within Florida law.
"We asked the question to them, to affirm if could they comply, and they all said yes. I don't know why we're still having this conversation about DEI, this is not a DEI discussion. This is a presidential search discussion."
But several trustees agreed that not asking the same questions to the four firms not on the call was unfair to them.
"I am concerned of an attack from the rest of these firms because we did not ask them the same questions, and then we're going to go back and rescore? I just think it's tainted."
Ultimately, a vote passed to delay the decision to another special board meeting in the near future.
To give all seven firms time to answer all questions from trustees.
Chair Harper says a date and time for that special board meeting will be decided as soon as a vast majority of trustees are available.
At FAMU, Alberto Camargo, ABC27.
