During a faculty planning meeting on Wednesday, Timothy Beard, interim president of Florida A&M University, shared his vision for his “100 Day Plan” for the university and addressed the resignation request of his senior leadership.
In an interview with WTXL, Tallahassee Beard explains, “In the journey of change, you have to make some tough decisions, but in higher education, it’s not uncommon to have leadership changes.”
Beard also said he would like to improve licensure pass rates.
“We want to make sure we’re scoring 100% in every area of our licensure exams,” Beard said. “It won’t happen overnight, but we’re going to look at that, come up with some best practices… and have relationships with our K-12 partners to get students thinking about health care and test-taking years before they get here. So, we have a very bold idea.”
According to an interview from WTXL Tallahassee, another component of Beard’s “100 Day Plan” is to visit all of Florida A&M's satellite campuses when the fall semester begins on August 26.
On Monday, Beard asked his senior leadership to resign by the end of business on Tuesday due to the fraudulent $237 million donation from Gregory Gerami at a spring commencement ceremony.
The letter that he sent to senior leadership can be seen below.
“Dear Senior Leadership Team Member:
As you know, our University (FAMU) is at a critical juncture, where we must align our leadership, vision, and strategies to meet the evolving challenges and opportunities ahead. After careful consideration and in consultation with the Board of Trustees, the past University President, and from my observations, I have concluded that a change in our senior leadership team is necessary to move forward more effectively.
Given the importance of this transition, I am respectfully requesting your resignation from your position effective 8/13/2024. Please see attached the template to utilize relative to submitting your resignation letter no later than the close of business on 8/13/2024. This decision was not made lightly and is rooted in a commitment to ensuring that our University is positioned for future success and growth.
Please know that this request may not be a reflection of your individual contributions or dedication to our institution. Your hard work and commitment to the University over the years have been invaluable, and we deeply appreciate the many ways you have served our community. However, at this time, we believe that new leadership is essential for the University to achieve its long-term goals.
I want to reiterate my sincere gratitude for your service and contributions to our University. Your leadership during your tenure has left a lasting impact on our institution, and I wish you continued success in your future endeavors.”
By Tuesday, Beard received multiple resignations; however, according to the Tallahassee Democrat, Beard refused to list the names of people who had resigned from Florida A&M thus far.
Per reporting by the Tallahassee Democrat has accepted resignations from Communications Director Keith Miles, Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics and Athletics Director Tiffani-Dawn Sykes, Director of Governmental Relations Danielle McBeth, and Vice President of Legal Affairs Denise Wallace.
Beard also confirmed that Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President Donald Palm, Provost, Assistant Vice President of Alumni Affairs and University Advancement Carmen Cummings, and Vice President for Academic Affairs Allyson Watson remain in their current roles at Florida A&M.
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