A 1970 graduate of the school, Bryant, took over at Florida A&M after another alumnus, Dr. Fred Gainous, was fired after little more than two years as president.
Bryant's decision to hire Dr. Debra Austin, the politically connected chancellor of the State University System, as Florida A&M's provost is one of the moves that infuriated Bishop.
"There is absolutely no way an interim president has the authority to bind the hands of a future permanent president,'' said Bishop, who likes Austin, but not the way she was picked.
Bryant, however, enjoys the backing of Gov. Jeb Bush, who hailed Austin's selection.
"It's the president's prerogative to hire his or her team in consultation with the Board of Trustees,'' Bush said.
For as many changes as she's made, Bryant still has concerns.
"This year will determine the future of this university,'' she told faculty members earlier this month.
Among her worries is a pending 2008 assessment from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, particularly since the university is still trying to resolve some shortcomings pointed out by SACS in a 1998 evaluation.
The NCAA is expected to come down with penalties in October for nearly 200 violations in the athletic department, albeit many are of the secondary nature.
"It will take us a good solid two or three years for us to get to the level where we need to be,'' Bryant said.
Gibson said the turbulence has a way of uniting everyone.
"It brings the students together and (makes) the administration and alumni work harder to make this institution better,'' he said.
— Associated Press
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