Glen Gilzean, a 33 year-old Tampa resident, has stepped down from the FAMU Board of Trustees yesterday after serving just over a year.
Gov. Rick Scott originally appointed Gilzean to a term that
ran from March 14, 2013 until January 6, 2018. According to the Tampa Bay Times,
“On Tuesday, a Senate panel was supposed to confirm Gilzean's nomination to the
FAMU Board of Trustees. That decision was delayed.”
Gilzean wrote Scott and explained: “I had foreseen no
conflict between participation on FAMU’s board and my work as Vice-President of
Advocacy and Outreach for the nonprofit Step Up For Students. But as the
Legislature this year considers a bill strengthening the Tax Credit Scholarship
for low-income students, a question has been raised about whether I should be
formally registered as a lobbyist in order to advocate on behalf of these
children. I have decided to err on the side of caution and to register, which,
according to the statute, prevents me from serving as a trustee.”
The Senate had previously declined to schedule a
confirmation hearing for Gilzean during the 2013 session. Scott reappointed him
in May, 2013.