FAMU’s interim chief of staff to earn $225,000 while maintaining his full-time role with the BOG

FAMU's newly appointed interim chief of staff Altony "Tony" Lee will be paid $225,000 while maintaining his full-time role with the state’s higher education oversight body — an arrangement that has drawn sharp questions from faculty and alumni about transparency, spending, and the blurring of institutional lines.

 Lee, the associate vice chancellor of public affairs for the State University System of Florida and its Board of Governors, was named to the temporary post at FAMU earlier this month by President Marva Johnson. Under the terms of an Employee Interchange Agreement obtained by the Tallahassee Democrat through a public records request, Lee will serve through Sept. 11 while continuing his duties with the Board of Governors.

During that time, his total compensation will rise to an annualized rate of $225,000 — a significant bump from the $134,476 he earned in his previous role. FAMU will reimburse the Board of Governors for the portion of his salary attributable to his work as chief of staff, effectively adding roughly $90,000 to his pay for the six-month period.

The move has prompted unease among some who see in Lee’s dual roles and temporary pay increase not just a questionable use of public funds, but also the latest example of an uncomfortable pattern of missteps by Johnson.

 But for a campus still wrestling with questions about administrative priorities and shared governance, the explanation has done little to soothe concerns.

“On its face, this looks like you're inviting a 'BOG trojan horse' into the university,” said one FAMU faculty member who has requested anonymity. “It's one thing for us to know our challenges, but here you are giving the BOG and the folks downtown a front row seat to have intimate knowledge of our internal issues is beyond crazy." 

Others pointed to the symbolic weight of appointing a high-ranking official from the Board of Governors — which has authority over the State University System, including FAMU — to a top operational role within the university itself.

“It creates at least the appearance of a conflict,” said Jason Smith, a FAMU alum. “It feels like we are intentionally giving up our own autonomy.”

It remains uncertain whether the position will become permanent or be filled through an open search process. In the meantime, the university will continue reimbursing the state board, and Mr. Lee will maintain his dual roles—all while earning a compensation level that significantly surpasses the incomes of most Florida residents and even the majority of the university’s own faculty.