Scott cronies mulling special meeting to replace Badger with Montgomery

Gov. Rick Scott let the entire nation know he was happy after University of Florida President Bernie Machen accepted his request to rescind his resignation. When Machen agreed to do what the governor asked him to do, Scott released a joint statement with the UF Board of Trustees chairman in order to show his approval.

Yesterday, FAMU also decided to suspend its presidential search just like UF did back in January. But the governor’s office hasn’t come out to publicly praise the move. Scott has responded with dead silence.

It is more of the same chilly reception that the governor gave after FAMU’s vote to appoint then-Provost Larry Robinson as interim president in 2012. Ahead of the vote to tap Robinson to lead, a number of trustees were told that Scott wouldn’t welcome his selection.

Rattler Nation has learned that there are currently behind-the-scenes efforts to push for a special meeting of the FAMU Board of Trustees. The purpose of the meeting, we’re told, will be to hold a vote to try and boot Chairman Solomon L. Badger, III out of office. Rufus Montgomery’s name is being floated as a possible replacement.

If Rufus gets ahold of the gavel, Scott will have the same level of power over FAMU’s chairmanship that he has over the UF chairmanship.

Scott’s decision to inject himself into FAMU and UF’s presidential employment matters has gotten strong attention from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). Back in December of 2011, SACS scolded Scott for interfering in the FAMU Board of Trustees’ duties by trying to pressure then-President James H. Ammons to resign. SACS is now investigating whether Scott went too far in his involvement with UF’s presidential decision.

There are still some FAMU trustees who are determined to advance their political careers by working to appease the governor’s office no matter what the cost to FAMU’s accreditation. But the majority of FAMU’s board members must remain committed to protecting the university’s compliance with SACS Standard 3.2.4.

Standard 3.2.4 states that each member institution’s governing board must be “free from undue influence from political, religious, or other external bodies and [protect] the institution from such influence.”