Florida A&M University has brought back a familiar face to oversee its finances as the university continues addressing audit concerns and searches for a permanent chief financial officer.
FAMU announced Aug. 31 that Richard W. Schweigert has been hired as interim chief financial officer and vice president for Finance and Administration. Schweigert previously held the same interim positions at FAMU from August through December 2019.
Schweigert returns at a critical time for the university. FAMU has been working to correct financial and operational problems identified through state audits while also dealing with staffing shortages in its financial operations.
During an Aug. 31 Board of Trustees meeting, Schweigert said the university’s Controller’s Office currently has nine vacancies and is working to fill the positions. Trustees also approved an $894,000 contract extension through June 2027 with accounting firm Mitchell Titus, which is assisting FAMU as it prepares its 2026 financial audit and strengthens financial controls.
FAMU President Marva Johnson said Schweigert’s previous experience at the university will help during the transition.
“He understands our institution, our governance structure and the demands of operating a major public university,” Johnson said. “That institutional knowledge is an asset as we strengthen the University’s financial position and advance our strategic priorities.”
Schweigert has extensive experience managing university finances. Most recently, he served as interim CFO at The College of New Jersey from April 2023 through June 2025. Earlier in his career, he spent more than a decade as CFO of the Colorado State University System, overseeing finances for a multi-campus system with a $1.5 billion budget.
The appointment follows another period of turnover in FAMU’s top financial position. Nichole Murry, who had served as acting CFO since July 2025, resigned earlier this year to become CFO of the Glades County School District. She had succeeded former CFO Rebecca Brown, who resigned in 2025 amid scrutiny over financial and operational audit issues.
FAMU said its national search for a permanent CFO remains underway. Schweigert is expected to focus in part on procurement alignment and strengthening internal financial controls while that search continues.
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