The FAMU Board of Trustees unanimously approved an amendment to President Marva Johnson’s contract on Thursday that will provide her with a $5,000 monthly housing allowance and $25,000 for relocation expenses, a measure officials said was necessary because the designated president’s residence on campus is undergoing renovations and is not currently suitable for occupancy.
The vote, which took place during a meeting in the university’s Grand Ballroom, followed a brief summary of the amendment by FAMU’s chief legal officer, Avery McKnight. It was passed without discussion or questions from trustees, despite the fact that Ms. Johnson has been living off-campus at university expense since she began her tenure on Aug. 1, 2025.
According to the amendment, the monthly stipend will continue “until such time that the University’s President’s House becomes available for permanent occupancy.” University representatives did not specify when renovations will began, what specific deficiencies prompted them, or why the request for a formal allowance — which comes more than six months into Johnson’s presidency — arose now.
The situation stands in contrast to that of Timothy Beard, who served as interim president from August 2024 to August 2025 and lived in the on-campus residence throughout his term without reported issue. That the house was deemed acceptable for Dr. Beard but not for Ms. Johnson raises questions about the standards being applied — and whether the timing of this amendment reflects emergent necessity or a renegotiation of terms after arrival.
The $5,000 monthly allowance, which is in addition to Ms. Johnson’s base salary of $650,000 and other benefits, will begin on March 1. The $25,000 payment — which mirrors a relocation sum already allotted in her original contract — will be disbursed within 30 days.
The lack of public deliberation before the vote drew attention from observers, who noted that such significant financial commitments, particularly those related to executive comfort, often less scrutiny than those related to academic or programmatic issues.