Gov’s race prospects should be asked if they’ll help FAMU alumni regain majority on BOT

L-R: Andrew Gillum, John Morgan, Gwen Graham, Mike Huckabee, and Adam Putnam

Last year, Florida A&M University alumni became a minority in the 11 appointed university Board of Trustees (BOT) seats. Alumni hold most of the appointed seats on the BOTs at the University of Florida and Florida State University.

The small number of FAMU alumni that the Florida Governor’s Office and Board of Governors (BOG) have chosen to appoint to the FAMU BOT is an insult. It suggests that FAMU doesn’t have as many alumni who are up to the task of leadership as UF and FSU.

FAMU National Alumni Association (NAA) President Gregory L. Clark and past NAA President Tommy Mitchell have spoken out publicly about the problem. But so far Gov. Rick Scott and the BOG haven’t announced any intention to correct it.

Now is the time to begin asking potential Democratic and Republican candidates for the 2018 Florida governor’s race about where they stand on this important issue.

Rattlers need to ask each potential candidate whether he or she will work to help FAMU alumni regain the majority of the 11 BOT seats. If elected, will that individual appoint more alumni to the BOT? Will that possible new governor also appoint BOG members who are committed to adding more alumni to the BOT?

Three likely candidates for the governorship already represent areas that include FAMU. Andrew Gillum, a Democrat and a FAMU alumnus, is the mayor of Tallahassee. Gwen Graham, another Democrat, is the district Congresswoman for FAMU. Adam Putnam, a Republican, is the statewide commissioner of agriculture.

The two candidates who led in the November Saint Leo University poll on the gubernatorial primaries should also be asked. Attorney John Morgan had the highest percentage of all Democrats with 19.7 percent. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee led all the Republicans at 31.5 percent.

Rattlers in Florida shouldn’t give their votes to any candidate who thinks that there aren’t enough quality FAMU alumni to fill the majority of the 11 appointed seats on the FAMU BOT.