The Board of Trustees of FAMU has asked a state court to throw out a lawsuit filed by alumni who allege that the selection of the university’s new president, Marva Johnson, was predetermined and improperly influenced by political interests.
In a motion filed this week in Leon County Circuit Court, the board’s attorneys argued that the plaintiffs lack legal standing to challenge the presidential search and described the suit as a “shotgun pleading” — a legal term for a complaint so vague or poorly organized that it fails to clearly tie specific facts to allegations.
The motion, submitted to Judge John Cooper, comes as Atty. Johnson has been serving as FAMU’s president since August, following her confirmation in June by the Florida Board of Governors.
The lawsuit, filed on June 16 by a group of FAMU alumni, claims that the search process leading to Johnson’s appointment was not conducted in good faith. It alleges that her selection was effectively decided before the board’s final 8–4 vote and that political pressure played an improper role.
Just two days after the suit was filed, the state’s Board of Governors formally approved Johnson’s appointment.
In their filing, the university’s legal representatives contended that the alumni group has no grounds to bring the challenge.
“The complaint is a vague, ambiguous, unanswerable and impermissible shotgun pleading which violates basic rules of pleading and is incapable of response,” the motion stated.
Legal experts note that “shotgun pleadings” are often dismissed for failing to provide defendants with clear and specific allegations to which they can respond.
The plaintiffs, who include several prominent FAMU graduates and donors, have called for an investigation into the search process. They argue that the university’s board ignored more qualified candidates and rushed the selection under external influence.
A hearing on the motion to dismiss has not yet been scheduled.
Atty. Johnson, former chair of the Florida State Board of Education, assumed the role in August amid skepticism from most of the university community. She has not publicly commented on the litigation.
The outcome of this suit could influence not only the perception of its current administration but also the integrity of future executive searches at public universities in Florida.
University officials declined to comment beyond the filed motion. Attorneys for the plaintiffs did not immediately respond to requests for comment.