Florida Memorial University announced Thursday night that interim president Bill McCormick would permanently take over the role, calling it historic as the first alumnus in 146 years to lead South Florida’s only historically Black university. By Friday morning, the school’s board of trustees called the move “illegal.”
Board calls vote improper
“The most important role of a board of trustees at any institution is to hire the chief executive officer, which is the president; that is our function, and it is something that should not be taken lightly,” said Brandon Dumas, FMU Board of Trustees chairman.
Dumas told CBS News Miami that half the board held an unofficial meeting—which he said was against its bylaws—and illegally appointed McCormick as permanent president.
He added that the accreditation board is already looking into the matter and said an injunction has been filed in Miami-Dade County Court.
Students react to uncertainty
Some students expressed confusion over the back-and-forth.
“He really loves all the students here like we are his own kids; to me in all our eyes, he’s still our president at the end of the day. To us, he don’t do no wrong in our eyes,” said Matthew, a sophomore on the FMU football team.
Dumas said he is not opposed to McCormick but wants a national search to determine the best leader for FMU.
“We are about the business of education; this is a distraction. Florida Memorial has a very rich history, a storied legacy and holds a very prominent place in the global landscape of higher education this moment does not define us,” Dumas said.
CBS News Miami reached out to FMU for a response and requested an interview with McCormick but was told no comment at this time.
