Florida A & M University (FAMU) late Tuesday suspended a student dance group after receiving a report from a “parent” alleging the group had been involved in a off-campus hazing incident over the Labor Day weekend.
The university’s decision ordering “immediate suspension” of the Torque Dance Team pending an investigation of the allegation, came hours before university administrators were to begin a student meeting to explain new rules governing campus club membership rules. The rules are a key element of the university’s new policy aimed at putting teeth in its new zero tolerance stance on hazing.
The alleged Labor Day weekend hazing incident by the all female dance group reportedly involved alcohol consumption and “running up hills,” a university official said.
Intake was suspended for some 150 campus organizations of all kinds this spring as part of the university’s efforts to clamp down on campus hazing in the aftermath of last October’s hazing death of marching band member Robert Champion.
Champion, a band drum major, died from injuries inflicted by some fellow FAMU band members during a hazing exercise when the band was on travel to perform in Orlando at the annual Florida Classic football game against Bethune-Cookman University.
The university has since been struggling to restore its tarnished image and reassure its various publics it is taking the steps needed to end hazing among the more than 13,000 students at the university. FMU reopened for classes late last month.
“The University takes very seriously any allegations of hazing and has moved quickly to shut the organization down pending the outcome of an investigation,” said FAMU’s interim president Larry Robinson, promoted to the post last month from his position as provost.
