Florida Memorial University (FMU) officials are huddling to determine their next course of action following the resignation late Friday of their president Jaffus Hardrick, Ed.D., who departed suddenly with three years left on his contract.
“I am grateful to leadership, faculty, staff, students, alumni, and the community for the success of our great university, and it’s with a heavy heart that I must end my tenure as president due to a health reason,” said Dr. Hardrick in a written statement released by the university.
Hardrick’s contract was unanimously extended for an additional five years by the university’s board of trustees in July 2022.
The extension came on the heels of FMU’s accreditation reinstatement on June 16 by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). The university’s accreditation had been on probation for good cause.
“We will remain focused on achieving the goals that will bring FMU into the future,” Then Board Chairman William C. McCormick said at the time.
McCormick will now serve as interim president while a presidential search committee is established.
Hardrick began laying a foundation to elevate South Florida’s only historically black college in 2018 by focusing on multiple areas, including student success and financial solvency, but not without controversy.
Also in a written statement, the University thanks Dr. Hardrick for his service and contributions, including the rebirth of FMU’s Football Program and establishing the school’s award-winning ROAR Marching Band.
“We are profoundly grateful for his service and wish him the best in his future endeavors,” wrote Board of Trustees Chairman Walter Weatherington.
Florida Memorial is the only HBCU in South Florida.
