Florida A&M University’s Board of Trustees has once again changed the mission of its hazing task force, on a 8-to-2 vote. Last week the trustees took up the task force’s recommendation that it be allowed to be a fact-finding commission—a designation that would allow it to meet in private, and outside the state’s Sunshine Law. But Lynn Hatter reports, the move was widely criticized.
The task force said in order to meet its deadlines it needed to be able to gather quickly without having to notice meetings. But the exemption caught the eye of Governor Rick Scott, who called the move “disappointing”. In a Friday meeting, FAMU trustees reversed that decision. But its task force, Chaired by former federal Judge Stephen Robinson, pushed back.
“They would likely resign if our mission were changed and we would not be allowed to meet as a fact-finding body.”
FAMU Trustee Rufus Montgomery, a Scott appointee, took issue with that statement.
“So, you know, go ahead and resign. But I don’t think as a board, we should be hostage under the threat of resignation from anyone.”
The task force’s job is to recommend ways for dealing with hazing within the university’s marching band. It was convened following the hazing-death of Marching 100 Drum Major Robert Champion.
