When student recruits for the revived Florida A&M University “Marching One Hundred” band begin practicing in a few weeks, it will be the most prominent sign that a long hoped for and carefully planned internal rebuilding of the historic institution is taking a giant step forward.
Publicly shamed in the months after the death in October 2011 of a 26-year-old drum major who died from injuries inflicted by fellow band members engaged in a hazing activity, FAMU has since been involved in a major overhaul of leadership, policies and practices on a variety of fronts few institutions in the nation have executed so aggressively, yet methodically, in such a short span of time.
It has imposed strengthened “zero tolerance” policies regarding student hazing with new rules imposed covering all organizations on campus. Additional personnel, including a special assistant to the president for anti-hazing, have been hired to make sure the policies are respected, enforced and monitored.
A special FAMU task force is addressing a range of accreditation issues posed by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). The influential agency, which sets standards for most higher education institutions in the South, last December placed FAMU on probation, having raised questions regarding student safety (concerns stemming from the 2011 hazing death and other hazing incidents), institutional financial controls and qualifications of some FAMU administrative and academic officers.
FAMU has until December to comply with all SACS standards or risk further punishment. A SACS Special Committee is to visit the institution this fall.
While the band program changes may be getting the most frequent, high-profile news coverage, the overhaul has also been marked by appointment of half a dozen new deans. The university’s athletic director, his department sinking deeply in the red, retired last month. A new campus chief of police was appointed last month, after filling a position vacant for a year.
The university has strengthened its office of judicial affairs, the university office that addresses alleged violations of student conduct rules. Admission requirements have been heightened, and new programs initiated aimed at improving retention, progression and graduation of students.
