Alums and stakeholders of Florida A&M University have filed a lawsuit to investigate Marva Johnson’s selection as the HBCU’s next president.
Tallahassee lawyers Mutaqee Akbar and Ennis Jacobs filed an emergency “Petition for Temporary Mandatory Injunctive Relief” on June 16 on behalf of ten FAMU alumni. the Tallahassee Democrat reported. The suit, which comes ahead of Johnson’s confirmation, targets the eight members of the university’s Board of Trustees who voted in favor of Johnson for president last month, as well as the Florida Board of Governors’ chair Brian Lamb and Vice Chair Alan Levine.
“The controversy is whether due process requirements, and specific legal standards related to the operation and administration of a (State University System) institution were met in the process to select and appoint the 13th President of FAMU,” the lawsuit states.
Students and notable alumni, including Will Packer, protested Johnson’s potential appointment as FAMU’s next president before she was ultimately selected. Now, the lawsuit questions whether political influence played a role in the decision and highlights concerns over Johnson’s qualifications, noting her lack of experience for such a leadership position as a group vice president at Charter Communications.
The lawsuit was filed just days before the Florida Board of Governors’ June 18 meeting to vote on Johnson’s confirmation, amid ongoing opposition from alumni and others who oppose the MAGA-affiliated candidate leading the prestigious HBCU.
“There has been a misinterpretation of what we’re doing,” Jacobs said. “This pleading is not seeking an injunction against the Board of Governors meeting. It asks for the court to mandate some investigations into the process.”
The lawsuit cites the plaintiffs’ belief that the “decision to accept Marva Johnson as a finalist for the position of president defied all logic, was based on improper factors, failed to consider essential criteria and departed from the adopted rules and procedures governing the presidential search process.”
Among the concerns raised in the lawsuit are the “undue secrecy standards” and the Florida Legislature’s recent decision to allow FAMU to use additional university funds to cover Johnson’s salary. This follows the FAMU Foundation’s proposed 2025–26 budget falling short, with her first-year pay set at approximately $839,400.
Jacobs hopes the results of the case will “bring complete transparency to the process that ensued in the presidential selection process, and whether or not it met the requirements involved.”
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