Photo courtesy Arianna Reamey
The end of summer 2019 was a rough time for Florida A&M University’s president, Larry Robinson.
Weeks before heading into the fall semester, a petition was formed by alumni in efforts to get Robinson and members of the FAMU Board of Trustees to resign. The concerns of the alumni arose because many believed that the structure of the university’s governance was not as strong as it should be.
An alum who requested to keep their identity anonymous stated, “I personally don’t like him as a president because I don’t believe he has all the students’ best interest in mind.
“With being a former member of The Marching 100, I was able to see him in a somewhat different light than the other students,” the alum added.
Robinson told The Famuan that he is aware of some people not being in favor of him as the president and the backlash he receives because of it. “They don’t have to be a fan of mine, because I am a fan of theirs,” said Robinson.
Despite some alumni’s views, many students at the university feel otherwise about their president.
Students have taken to using a phrase across social media stating “… and that’s on Larry.”
Senior political science student Guedgy Toussaint said, “We as students say ‘and that’s on Larry’ because if we are fully sure that we are right about a statement we will associate it with someone who we believe is a credible source. In this case, we as FAMU students believe he is a credible source.”
The saying received so much attention that a local retailer brand named “Rattler Apparel” produced shirts with the saying on them.
“I’m flattered”, said Robinson. “During the first Set Friday I went out there to the booth and bought one myself. I am glad to see how positive the shirt has been to her company.”
Ian Carter, a fourth-year facility management student, recently bought the shirt and said, “I bought this shirt in support of Larry because I feel like he actually cares to get to know students on a personal level. He always manages to stop and speak to everyone in the top cafeteria and at sporting events. It feels like he actually cares about the students.”
Robinson said, “I see promise in each and every one of our students. You all make it easier to get out of the bed every morning.”