FAMU trustees vote to hire Elmira Mangum as the university’s 11th president

Today, the FAMU Board of Trustees voted 10-2 to hire Elmira Mangum as the university’s 11th president. Pending her acceptance and successful contract negotiations, she will become the first woman to lead FAMU on a permanent basis.

Mangum is currently the vice president for budget and planning at Cornell University.

The yea votes were: Solomon L. Badger, Torey Alston, Kimberly Moore, Rufus Montgomery, Narayan Persaud, Belinda Reed Shannon, Anthony Q. Siders, II, Marjorie Turnbull, Cleve Warren, and Karl White.

The two no votes came from Spurgeon McWilliams and Glenton Gilzean. McWilliams said he believed that Interim President Larry Robinson would be a better choice for the permanent position (even though he did promise to give Mangum his full support). Gilzean wanted to reopen the presidential search process.

Kelvin Lawson was not present at the meeting and did not participate via phone.