FAMU trustees prepare to move forward on Mangum's contract

Florida A&M University's trustees could vote on President Elmira Mangum’s contract when they convene in Tallahassee next week.

That means trustees could find themselves deciding on Mangum's contract without the benefit of completing this year's performance evaluation or time to reconsider changes in the existing document.

So far, no discussion is planned about Mangum’s performance evaluation. Trustees have until later next month to complete their individual evaluations of the president and to review her self-evaluation.

But there is a sense of urgency to determine Mangum’s future as her contract calls for trustees to declare their intentions by June 30. Mangum started in April 2014 under a three-year contract. Under the terms of the agreement, trustees can vote to extend the contract beyond next year, extend it with changes in the wording of the agreement or take no action and let the contract lapse next year.

Interim Board of Trustees Chairman Kelvin Lawson would prefer not to hold that discussion next week.

Lawson said he approached Mangum last Friday during the national alumni association’s convention in Tampa and asked her to agree to a 45-day extension on her contract talks. That would allow the board, which has gained eight new members since December, to decide her future after reviewing data from two years of evaluations, instead of one.

It also would allow trustees, along with Mangum and her attorney, to hear from Adrienne L. Conrad of the Jackson Lewis Law Firm in Jacksonville. She was hired by Lawson on behalf of trustees to review specific language in Mangum’s existing contract to determine if trustees might want to amend it.

Lawson estimated it could take until mid-August to complete the performance evaluations and to have any changes in the contract language vetted by Mangum, Lawson and attorneys for both sides.

Lawson said Mangum first agreed to the extension last Friday, but on Saturday, told him she had changed her mind.

“She has put us in a position that we may have to have a discussion (on her contact) on June 10th,” Lawson said Wednesday. “We would prefer to hold our discussion in August. As we looked at the dates to discuss the president’s contract and dates to conduct a formal evaluation, the dates didn’t match up.”

But in email to Lawson obtained Wednesday by the Democrat through a public records request, Mangum said she never agreed to delay talks about provisions in her contract, but she was “open to a delayed discussion on the evaluation.”

“After consultation with my legal counsel I do not consent to waive any of the provisions in the current employment contract at this time,” Mangum wrote. “I must understand more about the purpose of such a waiver given the extreme and costly nature of the initial contract agreement.”

Lawson, in an email to trustees, Mangum and others on Wednesday, said the president’s current contract includes language that gives her the right to refuse the extension he requested.

However, Lawson said there’s still time to have the extension revisited before next week’s meetings on campus.

“As interim chairman I remain open to further negotiating this issue with Dr. Mangum,” he said.

Contact senior writer Byron Dobson at bdobson@tallahassee.com or on Twitter @byrondobson.