FAMU President Larry Robinson PHOTO COURTESY OF FAMU

Tallahassee, Fla. – The capital city was abuzz as the word went out that Florida A&M University President Larry Robinson, Ph.D., was resigning.

The night before announcing his decision last Friday, Robinson conferred with ministers and stakeholders to tell them the news before meeting with the university’s executive staff and vice presidents the next day.

Despite elevating the university’s status on many levels, his departure was triggered by unusual and avoidable missteps. That included the failure to vet.

But his administration ignored obvious red flags tied to the erroneous $237 million university gift and the investigation’s anticipated findings, which proved to be Robinson’s undoing.

The president’s team made a critical mistake with the surprise May 3 announcement at graduation. Then they bungled the defense of the donation. It sent shockwaves through the community of stakeholders, alumni, and the university’s governing boards.

To dupe the leadership of a premier Historically Black University hurt the brand, according to Deveron Gibbons, vice chairman of the FAMU Board of Trustees, who urged a closer look.

“I have a responsibility to safeguard the integrity of the university I cherish, but I have deep concerns that this process is moving too quickly to embrace a gift without proper scrutiny,” said Gibbons, a retired senior vice president of Amscot Financial.

Gibbons received a master’s in business administration and a law degree from FAMU. However, he has been an outspoken advocate for transparency and the professional integrity of his alma mater.

In Robinson’s letter of resignation, he says, “As you can imagine, this decision comes with many emotions — some sadness, of course, but at the same time, hope and anticipation. That hope is not just about what lies next for me and my family, but also what is next for the Number 1 Historically Black University in the nation."

Meanwhile, Gibbons hopes FAMUans will remain focused on the future.

"Turning the page is never easy,” Gibbons said, “but we will do this with our eyes open, ready to build the path forward. Rattler resilience never fails.”

The Board of Trustees will meet on July 19 and receive the gift investigation results sometime in August.