Famu's new president-elect, Marva Johnson, makes a whopping salary demand; she'll earn…

The Florida A&M University (FAMU) Board of Trustees on Friday recommended lawyer and corporate lobbyist Marva Johnson as the institution's next president.

Published on: May 17, 2025, 24:03:04 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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The Florida A&M University (FAMU) Board of Trustees on Friday recommended lawyer and corporate lobbyist Marva Johnson as the institution's next president. Her hiring is expected to pass the State University System's Board of Governors' vote. Johnson beat University of Maryland Eastern Shore Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Rondall Allen to win the race.

Marva Johnson is the new FAMU president-elect (Lastinger Center for Learning )

As soon as the decision was announced, social media users scanned through Johnson's FAMU application only to discover her massive salary demand. According to the document uploaded on famu.edu, she was expecting a $750,000 base salary, plus additional performance-based compensation and commensurate benefits while filing out the application.

Marva Johnson, however, did not mention her current salary. According to reports, the search committee had discussed a salary proposal ranging from $600,000 to $750,000. It was ultimately approved. This came after a high-end salary recommendation ranging from nearly $900,000 to over a million dollars was initially suggested.

Marva Johnson is a controversial figure, with several FAMU alumni protesting her selection. The vote was overshadowed by an outcry against her ties to Gov. Ron DeSantis, and the GOP.

Who is Marva Johnson?

Marva Johnson was selected as Florida A&M University’s (FAMU) 13th president-elect by an 8-4 vote of the FAMU Board of Trustees, pending confirmation by the Florida Board of Governors.

A Winter Garden, Florida, native and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. member, Johnson is the Group Vice President of State Government Affairs at Charter Communications.

Her career includes telecommunications leadership and public education policy roles, notably as a political appointee under Governors Rick Scott and Ron DeSantis.

Despite her selection after a 10-month search, Johnson’s candidacy sparked controversy due to her lack of higher education experience and perceived ties to GOP figures, prompting protests from FAMU students and alumni.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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