Additional Academic Affairs, Advancement,
Strategic Planning Leadership Changes Announced
Florida A&M University (FAMU) President Larry Robinson today announced Maurice Edington, Ph.D., will serve as provost and vice president of Academic Affairs. His appointment, which culminates a nationwide search, is effective Monday, October 8.
“I am extremely honored and humbled to have this opportunity,” said Edington. “I thank Dr. Robinson for the confidence he has in my ability to take on this new role. I’m excited about the opportunity to partner with the president, the Board of Trustees, faculty and other stakeholders as we continue our efforts to implement the goals outlined in the strategic plan to support student success.”
In February 2017, Edington was appointed vice president of a new division, Strategic Planning, Analysis and Institutional Effectiveness. Prior to the promotion, he served as the founding dean of the College of Science and Technology from 2013 to 2017.
Edington will oversee the search for the new deans of the FAMU College of Law and College of Education. He arrived at FAMU in 1998 as an assistant professor of chemistry.
“Dr. Edington is a steadfast, effective and respected leader,” said Robinson. “His experience, academic achievements and institutional knowledge will help FAMU continue its 131-year-old legacy of ‘Excellence with Caring,’ as he implements plans to enhance student success and the University’s vision and mission overall.”
President Robinson also announced former School of Business and Industry Dean Shawnta Friday-Stroud, Ph.D., will drop interim from her title and serve as vice president of University Advancement, which also includes overseeing the FAMU Foundation. Robinson appointed Friday-Stroud interim vice president in January of this year.
Also effective Monday, Beverly Barrington will become vice president for Strategic Planning, Analysis and Institutional Effectiveness. She serves as associate vice president in the division.
Edington, Friday-Stroud and Barrington have been at the forefront of several key University initiatives. In 2016, they co-chaired the University Strategic Planning Work Group, which developed the University’s five-year strategic plan, “FAMU Rising.”
They were also members of the University’s Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) accreditation leadership team. Their work contributed to the University receiving reaffirmation with no recommendations during a spring visit from the SACSCOC onsite committee.
Interim Provost Rodner Wright will resume his duties as dean of FAMU’s School of Architecture and Engineering Technology.
“I would like to thank Provost Wright for his outstanding service and for answering my call to serve as interim provost twice,” said Robinson. “He helped FAMU achieve many successes, including the hiring of three deans this year.”
Wright served as FAMU’s interim provost from August 2012 to February 2015 and again in September 2016.
Edington earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Fisk University, a Doctor of Philosophy in Physical Chemistry from Vanderbilt University, and he completed postdoctoral studies at Duke University, where he was a National Institutes of Health – National Research Service Award Postdoctoral Fellow.
As vice president of Strategic Planning, his responsibilities included oversight of the University’s assessment, accreditation, academic program quality, institutional research, reporting and strategic planning functions. His tenure in this role has been marked by several notable achievements.
These include:
- Leading the development and implementation of the University’s new five-year strategic plan;
- Coordinating the successful decennial accreditation review by the SACSCOC;
- Co-authoring the University’s 2017 Legislative Budget Request that resulted in a $6 million legislative allocation; and
- Providing leadership on implementing strategies to improve the University’s outcomes on the Performance-Based Funding Model
Read additional information about Edington’s experience and accomplishments here.
