FAMU alumni are demanding Vice Chair Deveron Gibbons’ immediate removal from the Board of Trustees after WCTV Channel 6 exposed his scathing, personally charged critique of former Interim President Timothy Beard—whose tenure ended Monday—amplifying outrage over what many deem governance failures within the divided board.
Board documents revealed Gibbons’ scorching assessment of Beard, whom he labeled “a complete embarrassment” and “the most ineffective leader I have seen in a long time” in the Board’s annual evaluation. Alumni swiftly condemned the comments as a “bridge too far,” with many accusing Gibbons of overstepping professional boundaries.
The backlash intensified alongside the Board’s own self-evaluation, which exposed stark internal divisions within the board. Trustees scored themselves a dismal 2.1 out of 5 on whether they “operate as a cohesive unit” — a sharp decline from prior years. The report cited communication breakdowns, a lack of accountability, and calls for “new (board) leadership” to address dysfunction.
Mixed reviews for interim president
Beard’s tenure drew polarized feedback. While some trustees lauded his stewardship—awarding “superior” marks for stabilizing FAMU and advancing strategic goals—others, including Faculty Senate Trustee Jamal Brown, Trustee Michael White, Gibbons and two anonymous reviewers, issued scathing critiques. Trustee Chair Kristin Harper praised Beard for fostering “a culture of trust, mutual respect, and accountability” among senior leaders.
Alumni rushed to Beard’s defense, emphasizing his role as an interim leader. “Dr. Beard was a guardian of FAMU’s legacy,” one graduate wrote on social media. “To call him ‘embarrassing’ reeks of a vendetta.” Others questioned the anonymity of two trustee evaluations, with one post demanding, “Why are trustees allowed to hide behind anonymous critiques?”
Calls for state intervention
Critics urged Florida’s Board of Governors (BOG) or the Governor’s Office to intervene, citing Gibbons’ conduct as harmful to FAMU’s reputation. “Mr. Gibbons is an utter disgrace,” wrote one alum. “He’s causing more damage to this university's reputation than anyone in recent memory.”
Despite turmoil, the Board acknowledged successes, including securing record state funding and selecting a permanent president.
Upcoming board retreat
The Board will address the evaluation, among other issues, at the Board's Annual Retreat set to begin on Wednesday in Orlando. Alumni and faculty alike warn the stakes extend beyond Beard or Gibbons. “This isn’t about one man—it’s about whether FAMU’s leadership can put the institution first,” said another alum.
“Deveron knows what embarrassment looks like because he’s embodying it,” quipped an alumni social media.
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Gibbons needs to go!
ReplyDeleteThis reflects negatively on the BOG and Gov. Ron DeSantis!