FAMU President Steps Down Amid Donation Scandal at Florida's Sole Public HBCU
Dr. Larry Robinson’s tenure as President of Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University is ending.
Dr. Robinson, who has led Florida’s only public, historically Black institution since 2017, submitted his resignation letter earlier this month following the school’s controversial multi-million dollar donation scandal last May.
In a letter to FAMU, Dr. Robinson stated that although he is stepping down as president, he is not bidding farewell to his FAMU family. He did not provide a reason for his resignation.
He wrote, “Following a sabbatical, I will return to my role as a Distinguished Service Professor in the School of the Environment.” He added, “I look forward to continuing to contribute to our students’ lives and shaping their ability to address the complex problems confronting our world.”
Dr. Robinson’s resignation comes two months after he admitted to mishandling and not correctly vetting a donation given in the form of stock worth more than $237 million from a business executive named Gregory Gerami and a family trust.
Just four days after the historical announcement, Mr. Robinson told the university’s board that he had “received information suggesting the gift was not as it appeared,” according to minutes from a May 15 meeting obtained by the New York Times.
Subsequently, he and Shawnta Friday-Stroud, who was the school’s vice president at the time, contacted the donor to cease the engagement agreement.
The university has stated that Dr. Robinson’s departure date will be determined once the Board of Trustees gathers for a virtual meeting on July 23. However, an agenda has not yet been posted.