Yesterday, Dr. Timothy Beard, Interim President at Florida A&M University, requested the immediate resignation of his senior leadership team. The team comprises 20 members, including Dr. Donald Palm, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President, Allyson Watson, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. William E. Hudson, Vice President of Student Affairs, and Tiffani Dawn Sykes, VP and Director of Athletics.
The letter, obtained by the Tallahassee Democrat is 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.”
Per the Tallahassee Democrat, Vice President of Athletics Tiffani-Dawn Sykes has already submitted her letter of resignation.
The request follows a period of controversy at Florida A&M regarding Gregory Gerami's appearance at the spring commencement ceremony, where he presented the institution with a fraudulent $237 million donation. Following widespread skepticism within the Florida A&M community that festered throughout the summer, condemnation of the donation and the actions that led to Gerami speaking at commencement by the Board of Trustees, and an independent investigative report released in early August, Dr. Larry Robinson, the long-time university president, and Shawnta Frida-Stroud, Vice President of Advancement at Florida A&M, resigned from their positions.
The independent report found that the institution incurred significant financial costs to host Gerami for his announcement of the alleged donation at the spring commencement ceremonies.
“Contrary to benefiting financially from the major gift, the university incurred significant expenses in courting Mr. Gerami and managing the subsequent damage control,” the report said.
“Due to the involvement of various departments, it has been challenging to reconstruct an accurate account of the total costs associated with bringing Mr. Gerami to campus. Limited to invoices able to be obtained during the investigation, the following expenses were identified, indicating the minimum actual financial damages resulting from the donor’s actions, totaling $14,647.79.”
Some expenses, like the hotel and airfare for Gerami and an unidentified visitor, were evident. As per the report, Gerami was initially set to depart the capital on May 6 but was granted an extra 48 hours to deal with the aftermath, with the university covering the expenses. While certain costs were outlined in the report, a few were not included in the total. This was illustrated in the “incidentals” category, which mentioned expenditures where only an estimated figure could be furnished.
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