Dr. Larry Robinson, president of Florida A&M University (FAMU), announced in a letter to the university’s Board of Trustees Chair on Friday that he will step down after nearly seven years in the role.

The exact date of Robinson’s departure will be determined with the Board of Trustees. After a year-long sabbatical, he stated within the letter that he plans to return to his former position as a Distinguished Professor in the FAMU School of the Environment. Robinson, who became FAMU’s 12th president in November 2017, led the university to a number one public historically Black college and university ranking (HBCU) for five consecutive years.

In his letter, Robinson expressed gratitude for the support from the Board of Trustees and the efforts of faculty, staff, students, and alumni and highlighted the progress made during his tenure.

“As you can imagine, this decision comes with many emotions – pride, joy, gratitude, and some sadness. However, it also brings hope and anticipation for the future, not only for me and my family but also for FAMU, the number one public Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in the nation,” Robinson wrote. “This achievement was made possible by the strategic guidance provided by the Board of Trustees and the hard work of our dedicated faculty, staff, administrators, students, alumni, and friends.”

Board Chair Kristin Harper praised Robinson’s leadership and the university’s achievements under his guidance. She acknowledged his and his wife Sharon Robinson’s dedication to the FAMU community and student success.

“We have achieved remarkable gains and record-breaking years under President Robinson’s leadership,” she wrote. “I am honored to have served with fellow trustees alongside our president. His love for FAMU, steady leadership, and unwavering dedication to our students’ success will leave an indelible mark on this university’s history.”

The Board of Trustees will meet to plan the next steps for FAMU’s leadership transition.

Robinson’s decision comes just weeks after FAMU received a falty $237 million donation earlier this month from the Issac Batterson 7th Family Trust and its CEO Gregory Gerami during its spring commencement ceremony. The gift would have ranked among the largest single contributions to a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) and doubled FAMU’s current endowment.

The donation came under scrutiny when it was discovered that Gerami had a history of failed pledges. In 2020, he promised $95 million to Coastal Carolina University, but the deal fell through, leading the university to cut ties with him. Upon the discovery, it prompted FAMU’s Board of Trustees to pause the gift and initiate an investigation, culminating in an emergency Board of Trustees meeting that decided to hire an independent firm to determine the facts surrounding the donation, audit and analyze the university’s processes, policies, and financial controls, and provide recommendations in a written report.