Florida A&M University hosted the Florida State University System Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) Summit on February 3–4 at its CASS Building in Tallahassee. The event gathered leaders from across the state’s public universities, including presidents, trustees, risk officers, and compliance professionals, to discuss how ERM can enhance governance and ensure long-term sustainability.
Marva Johnson, J.D., president of Florida A&M University, opened the summit by stressing that enterprise risk management is a critical component for institutional success rather than a routine compliance activity. “The work that you all do is actually essential,” Johnson said. “It is not about a once-a-year compliance exercise just to make sure that we can check the box and say that we did it. It really is about managing our institutional excellence and our operational performance.”
Johnson outlined several challenges facing higher education institutions such as financial pressures, cybersecurity risks, data privacy issues, and rapid advances in artificial intelligence. She emphasized that ERM professionals are vital in maintaining credibility and trust with stakeholders.
A major focus of the summit was how ERM informs governance and strategy. Michael White, vice chair of the Florida A&M University Board of Trustees, spoke about what kind of risk information is most useful for board members. “As someone who wears multiple hats, I value clear, concise dashboards that provide trustees with actionable insight. Some board members will naturally want deeper detail, and it’s important they feel empowered to request briefings to fully understand key risk areas. Ultimately, our responsibility is to be intentional and strategic in how we assess and balance risk,” he said.
White also highlighted the importance of accountability in risk management: “Our role is to ensure accountability and follow-through. Identifying risk without action doesn’t protect the institution. We must operate in a way that safeguards the board, supports the president, and strengthens the university—working collaboratively to advance our mission while navigating legal obligations, legislative priorities, student needs, and limited resources,” he said.
Alan Levine, chair of the State University System of Florida Board of Governors, participated in a fireside conversation addressing communication around risks tied to new strategic plans and updated performance funding metrics for state universities. He stressed that boards need comprehensive information on both risks faced by their institutions and strategies for mitigation: “A board is responsible for the entire aspect of an institution, and the board is making fiduciary and other very consequential decisions. It’s important for boards to have full visibility as to what the risks are…not just what are the risks, but what is the likelihood that each of those risks might occur,” Levine said.
Levine discussed upcoming changes in performance funding metrics within Florida’s university system. He noted Florida has led national higher education rankings since 2017 but stated expectations continue to increase under new evaluation criteria. To ease this transition, Levine explained that a parallel review process allows universities time to adapt before full implementation begins: “We don’t expect universities to do the impossible,” Levine said. “We expect them to continue to improve against their own components.”
He further commented on national rankings’ influence over university decision-making: “I’m not going to sacrifice the value of the education we’re giving just to go chase a ranking,” Levine said.
Deidre Melton—Florida A&M University’s deputy chief operating officer as well as associate vice president for enterprise risk management—founded and organized this second annual summit. She reflected on its aim to move beyond discussion toward practical application.
