Florida A&M University hosted a listening session Monday evening for faculty, staff, and students to give input on what they’re looking for in the school’s next president.
More than 160 people attended Monday night’s virtual and in-person listening session.
“We need your input," said Deveron Gibbons, Vice Chair of the FAMU Board of Trustees. "The search committee will come up with a criteria based on your feedback.”
Gibbons chairs FAMU’s presidential search committee. He told attendees on Monday that the committee wanted to give the community an opportunity to ask questions and provide input about who the school should hire as the next president.
FAMU’s former president Larry Robinson resigned last year after he accepted a multimillion-dollar donation that turned out to be too good to be true. Since then, the school has set its focus on rebuilding.
"I am confident that the search committee will identify and choose a candidate who will lead FAMU into the future," said Gibbons.
Darius Hawkins, a student at FAMU, said he wants this next president to possess leadership skills and a strong education and fundraising background.
He also said he believes that every president should treat the university as a "successful" business.
“I wonder about the connections that the president will have and the people that he will surround himself with," said Hawkins. "I hope that it’s someone that is positive, and someone that thinks forward and considers the people within in the school.”
The school is accepting applications for the position through the end of the month. After that, the search committee will conduct a series of interviews and will host finalists for on campus visits.
Committee members hope to name a new president by June 30th.