CS 3.11.2 Institutional Environment Recommendation …sjgc.famu.edu/m/assets/File/CS 3 11 2 Narrative.pdf · Institutional Environment. ... 2013 Probation Sanction Letter [1]:

FAMU – August 26, 2013 First Monitoring Report on December 2012 SACSCOC Probation Sanction (CS 3.11.2)

CS 3.11.2 – Institutional Environment

The institution takes reasonable steps to provide a healthy, safe and secure environment for all

members of the campus community.

Recommendation from SACSCOC January 15, 2013 Probation Sanction Letter [1]:

CS 3.11.2 (Institutional Environment)

The institution has not presented evidence that it has instituted reasonable steps to provide a

healthy, safe, and secure environment for all members of the campus community. The

institution should report on the effectiveness of its new anti-hazing policies and how the policies

have been communicated and enforced across the campus community. The report should also

include the most current Clery Act report.

FAMU’s Response

Florida A&M University is in compliance with Comprehensive Standard 3.11.2.

Florida A&M University (FAMU) takes reasonable, definitive steps to provide a healthy, safe and

secure environment for all members of the campus community through the comprehensive,

integrated, and coordinated efforts of multiple campus units, starting with the Office of the

President, to ensure continued compliance with Comprehensive Standard 3.11.2. Figure 1

below provides a pictorial description (abbreviated organization chart) of the narrative that

details the offices within the various divisions of the University’s organizational structure,

including the Office of the President, the Division of Student Affairs, the Division of Legal Affairs,

and the Division of Administrative and Financial Services. These units work together to ensure

that FAMU takes reasonable and appropriate steps to provide a healthy, safe, and secure

environment for all campus community members. Units on campus have policies and

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procedures in place to ensure an atmosphere that allows the campus community to achieve its

educational and professional goals in a healthy, safe, and secure environment.

Figure 1: Primary University Units and Teams Responsible for Integrated Health, Safety and Security.

The following narrative and corresponding documentation provide evidence of the University’s

compliance with Comprehensive Standard 3.11.2. More specifically, the outline below

delineates the organization of the narrative and corresponding documentation.

I. Healthy, Safe, and Secure Environment at FAMU: Institutional Context A. Introduction B. Administrative Responsibility for Health, Safety, and Security Functions

1. Overview

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2. Division of Student Affairs a. Office of Student Activities b. Campus Safety

i. Office of Student Activities ii. Campus Safety Plan and Other Related Reports iii. Emergency Communication iv. Special Events v. Unified Command vi. Operational Enhancements vii. Community Engagement in Preventing Crime and Other

Collaborations 3. Division of Administrative and Financial Services - Department of

Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) 4. Other Campus Units

II. Anti-Hazing Changes A. Introduction B. Initial Changes Following November 2011 Hazing Incident C. Activities Subsequent to Submission of Report to SACSCOC in July 2012 D. Maintaining and Enforcing Anti-Hazing Policies and Procedures

1. Revisions to Student Code of Conduct, Due Process Regulation, and Anti-Hazing Regulation

2. Anti-Hazing Guidelines 3. Communication of Anti-Hazing Policies and Procedures 4. Anti-Hazing Training 5. Coordination and Enforcement of Anti-Hazing Activities

a. New Hires i. Special Assistant to the President for Anti-Hazing ii. Music Department Compliance Officer iii. Director of Marching and Pep Bands iv. Judicial Affairs Staffing v. Director of Campus Safety and Security

b. Student Organizations i. By-laws ii. Intake Requirements and Supervision iii. Eligibility Requirements to Participate in Student

Organizations c. Department of Music

i. Music Eligibility Requirements ii. Group Travel iii. Directive for Bands iv. Return of Marching Band

d. Judicial Affairs’ Centralized Database e. Coordinated Efforts of Department of Campus Safety and Security

III. Impact of Changes and Effectiveness of Policies and Procedures

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I. Healthy, Safe and Secure Environment at FAMU: Institutional Context

A. Introduction

In light of the hazing incident of November 2011, FAMU undertook a comprehensive review of

its policies and procedures on health, safety, and security with particular emphasis on the safety

of students in regards to hazing. Over the two years, the University has instituted additional

measures to strengthen and enhance its efforts to “provide a healthy, safe, and secure

environment for all members of the campus community.” These steps include policy and

administrative changes made to bolster the University’s anti-hazing efforts, and the

implementation of corrective actions to address the findings from external investigations,

including those conducted by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and the

Florida Board of Governors (BOG). As detailed in this narrative, the University’s healthy, safe

and secure environment includes the elements listed below.

• Personal safety

• Environmental safety

• Emergency preparedness

• Crisis management

B. Administrative Responsibility for Health, Safety, and Security Functions

1. Overview

All of the elements of personal safety, environmental safety, emergency preparedness and

crisis management are addressed in each of the primary locations of the University: the main

campus in Tallahassee, the joint College of Engineering in Tallahassee, the College of Law in

Orlando, and the Crestview site for the pharmacy program. Florida State University has primary

responsibility for the joint College of Engineering. The FAMU Department of Campus Safety

and Security has a satellite police unit at the College of Law in Orlando, Florida with a

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supervising officer who reports to the Director of Campus Safety and Security, and coordinates

activities with the Dean of the College of Law. The satellite police unit employs sworn police

officers that provide services to the law school community (students, faculty, staff and visitors).

Most of the officers assigned at the law school have over 10 years of experience in law

enforcement at various agencies. The Crestview Police Department acts on behalf of the

University to ensure that a healthy, safe, and secure environment is maintained at the Crestview

Campus. The individuals and offices discussed below have responsibility for all these sites.

The President has the overall responsibility for campus safety. However, as is the case at other

higher educational institutions, the President has a cabinet comprising FAMU academic and

administrative officers who have day-to-day oversight over various safety functions. The

Department of Campus Safety and Security (DCSS) reports to the Vice President for Student

Affairs who has responsibility for campus safety. The Vice President for Administrative and

Financial Services, to whom the Department of Environmental Health and Safety reports, and

Vice President for Legal Affairs and General Counsel, to whom the University’s Assistant

Director for Risk Management reports, also have responsibility. The Office of Risk Management

acts in a supportive capacity to the Department of Environmental Health and Safety, by

assisting with reviews of certain incidents occurring on campus, revisions to related policies,

and providing recommendations for corrective action.

At the highest level, the coordination of the various elements of campus safety lies with the

President’s Leadership Team. The University also has an Emergency Response Team [2] to

coordinate activities in the event of an emergency, a Crisis Management Team, and a

Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) [3].

The Crisis Management Team consists of the President, representatives from the Office of

General Counsel, Governmental Relations, University Relations, Vice President for Student

Affairs, Vice President for University Advancement, and Special Assistant for Anti-Hazing. They

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meet twice a week [4] and deal with varied issues that need immediate attention, including

allegations of hazing. The meetings of the Crisis Management Team provide the venue to

update the individuals involved on high priority issues and agree on actions to be taken to

address them.

If there is a hazing issue, the Special Assistant for Anti-Hazing provides appropriate information,

while protecting student confidentiality where necessary. The team discusses what needs to be

done. Examples of issues that have been discussed at team meetings include safety issues that

need to be addressed, policies and procedures revisions needed to increase safety, zero

tolerance of hazing, and increased lighting in certain areas. The appropriate person on the

team will take the actions agreed upon at the meeting through the necessary processes to

implement. A number of significant actions to enhance campus safety have originated in the

Crisis Management Team meetings [5].

Leadership is kept abreast of safety-related issues including hazing on a regular basis, both

through the weekly leadership meetings, and twice a week during crisis management team

meetings. Further, if a safety emergency occurs, best practice guidelines in the profession,

such as active shooter guidelines from the Department of Homeland Security [6] are followed.

The Leadership Team is notified immediately by the Director of Campus Safety and Security via

email and text using BlackBoard Connect, the University’s emergency notification system. The

President informs the FAMU Board of Trustees and the Board of Governors. Departments

affected, students, faculty and staff are notified as needed, through BlackBoard Connect. Also,

the entire Leadership Team receives a police report daily from the Director of Campus Safety

and Security, summarizing any issues that have arisen during the course of the day [7].

The Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) is a University-wide committee developed to respond to

the social and behavioral needs of students. Specifically, BIT assists students in distress,

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disruptive students, and troubled students, in an effort to provide a healthy and safe

environment for FAMU students and other campus members. BIT works with faculty, staff, and

students to assess and address behavior in an effort to reduce opportunities for situations to

escalate [8] [9].

Two institutional units responsible for ensuring the safety, security and health of the campus

community are the Department of Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) and the Department

of Campus Safety and Security (DCSS). The Office of Student Activities is charged with

overseeing student activities and monitoring its organizations. University Housing and the

Department of Campus Safety and Security are responsible for safety in student housing on the

main campus. For student residents, the Department of Campus Safety and Security conducts

numerous safety programs such as rape awareness, bicycle safety, alcohol awareness, crime

prevention, safety inspection, property identification, etc., to help foster a safe learning

environment. All students residing in campus housing are required to adhere to the guidelines

published in the University Housing Department Residence Life Handbook [10], which can be

found at http://www.famu.edu/housing/Residence%20Life%20Guidebook%202012%20-

%202013.pdf. This handbook outlines the procedures for campus living, which includes

information on the Department of Campus Safety and Security website and steps needed to

maintain a healthy, safe, and secure environment.

The missions of the aforementioned units described next clearly demonstrate the University’s

commitment to providing a health, safe, and secure environment for the campus community.

The mission of the EH&S is to administer numerous programs to provide a healthy, safe

campus environment for work and study, and to establish and maintain compliance with federal,

state, and local environmental laws, rules and regulations [11]. The mission of DCSS is to

provide quality service to the campus community by promoting a safe and secure environment

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http://www.famu.edu/housing/Residence%20Life%20Guidebook%202012%20-%202013.pdf

http://www.famu.edu/housing/Residence%20Life%20Guidebook%202012%20-%202013.pdf


through police, students and staff interaction, with emphasis on integrity, fairness and

professionalism [12]. The mission of the Division of Student Affairs is to deliver student-

centered services and programs that create a safe and healthy campus climate that attracts and

retains motivated students. With a dedicated and professional staff, the division promotes the

holistic development of a diverse student body to assume productive citizenship [13]. The

mission of FAMU Housing is to promote a safe, clean, service-oriented, efficiently managed,

nurturing living/learning environment that is conducive to students’ academic pursuits and

personal growth while fostering a sense of community, civic responsibility and an appreciation of

diversity.

The President and Special Assistant to the President for Anti-Hazing provide input into any

revisions of University policies and regulations that directly or indirectly involve hazing. They

also coordinate with Student Affairs on anti-hazing policies and procedures, particularly with

respect to intake activities for clubs and organizations. The Special Assistant for Anti-Hazing

participates in student orientations, and makes presentations to students on anti-hazing. These

presentations address FAMU policy, Florida statutes, FAMU expectations with respect to

hazing, and reporting mechanisms. These reporting mechanisms include the phone number to

Department of Campus Safety and Security, the website for reporting allegations of hazing [14],

contacting any advisor or faculty member, or contacting the Special Assistant for Anti-Hazing.

Once a campus community member is informed of a hazing allegation, he/she is responsible for

contacting the Department of Campus Safety and Security (FAMU police) and Judicial Affairs,

which in turn would initiate their respective investigations.

2. Office of the President

As displayed in the figure above, the health, safety, and security of the campus community start

at the top of the organizational structure, with the Office of the President. The preceding

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sections included discussion of the President’s Leadership Team and the roles of various team

members and some of their direct reports; the Crisis Management Team, which is led by the

President; and the involvement of the President and Special Assistant for Anti-Hazing in

coordinating with Student Affairs. This all speaks to the regular and frequent involvement of the

Office of the President, including the President himself, in ensuring a healthy, safe and secure

campus environment. As previously delineated, the individual who serves in the capacity of

President personally leads both the Leadership Team and the Crisis Management Team, and is

immediately informed of any emergency situation so that he/she can provide the necessary

leadership to handle such situations.

3. Division of Student Affairs

a. Office of Student Activities

The Division of Student Affairs has various offices with responsibility for ensuring the health,

safety, and security of the campus community. The Office of Student Activities is responsible

for monitoring all clubs and organizations to ensure compliance with University policy and

procedures, and to ensure the safety of student members. In addition, clubs or organizations

officially associated/affiliated with or under the auspices of a school, college, department, or

institute at the University must adhere to all regulations, policies and procedures imposed by the

school, college, department or institute. All student clubs and organizations are required to

register annually with the Office of Student Activities, and they must have a faculty/staff advisor.

Advisors must undergo mandatory training through which they are informed of their duties and

responsibilities, including information they must convey to students and oversight they must

provide. Additionally, student organizations must develop operating policies and procedures

that are consistent with the rules, regulations, and policies set forth by the University [15].

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b. Campus Safety

The University’s administration makes every effort not only to maintain a secure, safe, and

healthy environment, but also to improve it. The Department of Campus Safety and Security

(DCSS) is tasked with promoting a healthy, safe and secure campus environment. DCSS

includes a variety of law enforcement operations: satellite patrol operations at FAMU’s College

of Law in Orlando; traffic enforcement; towing and immobilization operations; emergency

telephone blue lights and closed circuit television cameras; crime prevention

services/educational programs; operation identification, which is a program in which property is

engraved with the owner’s identification marking for detection purposes at no cost; and

operation S.A.F.E. (Students Available For Escort) team, which is available for students and

staff during night-time hours [16].

The Department of Campus Safety and Security (DCSS) offers programs that are aimed at

enlisting support and cooperation from the entire campus community in crime prevention efforts.

These programs and subjects include the following: anti-hazing talks, operation identification,

self-defense awareness programs, new and transfer student orientations, campaigns to

eliminate drunk and distracted driving, officer friendly talks; campus lighting assessment,

residence hall safety talks, and crime prevention workshops and seminars. DCSS also works

cooperatively with local law enforcement to prevent and resolve criminal activity [17].

Florida A&M University DCSS operates under the provisions of Florida Statute 1012.97,

University Police. This statute declares University police to be law enforcement officers of the

state and enables them to make arrests. DCSS officers can and do carry weapons to maintain

the safety of the campus. The statute also makes provision for the relationship of University

police with local law enforcement [18].

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i. Campus Safety Plan and Other Related Reports

The DCSS conducts periodic safety surveys, the most recent being in 2012. Enhancements are

made based on results of the surveys. For example, as a result of the findings from a previous

Safety Survey, in which 28% of participants felt not very safe at night, immediate measures

were taken to address the responses. These measures included the addition of emergency

notification technologies; the Federal Siren Warning System [19]; the E2Campus text

messaging and email alert system (later replaced by Blackboard Connect); enhanced lighting

around campus; periodic safety talks by campus security personnel as a means of sharing

information on safety and crime prevention strategies to help deter crime or keep others from

becoming victims of crime; the development of a program to escort students and staff during

night-time hours; and the development of another program to allow students, faculty and staff to

request an officer be made available when leaving the campus at night.

The 2012 survey found that, overall, the FAMU community felt safe on campus [20]. In the spirit

of continuous improvement, several enhancements have been made in response to the survey

results and comments including requiring all officers to get out of their patrol vehicles and make

rounds throughout the campus, including classroom buildings and dormitories at least one time

per shift to increase police presence on campus, and providing increased education and safety

programs to the campus community and increasing communication with other departments.

The University continues to work diligently to provide and maintain a safe campus environment

at all times. Examples of these efforts include, but are not limited to, conducting regular safety

workshops on topics such as cyber-bullying; domestic violence; fire safety, lab and property

safety; electronic billboard utilization to display safety messages to the University community;

the placement of defibrillators in campus buildings; the installation of security cameras in

campus residence halls; the use of swipe card systems to control entrance to campus residence

halls; reactivation of the FAMU S.A.F.E Team (Students Available for Escort) program by the

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Student Government Association; and increased police presence at residence apartments

located away from the center of campus.

DCSS presents comprehensive and specific information related to University safety in its Annual

Campus Security Report [21] available online at http://www.famu.edu/PublicSafety/2012-

13a%20Campus.pdf. This report identifies public safety policies and procedures, basic rights of

victims of sexual assault, describes public safety programs and services available, and reports

the on-campus occurrence of criminal incidents and arrests. There is also a section on hazing,

which includes the statutory definition of hazing as defined by Florida Statute, FAMU’s Anti-

Hazing Regulation 2.028, and a Hazing 101 Questionnaire. The Annual Campus Security

Report is published by October 1 each year, and contains crime statistics of the three previous

years. For example, the 2012-13 annual report contained statistics for 2009, 2010, and 2011.

The 2013-14 report will contain statistics for 2010, 2011, and 2012. Although the 2013-2014

Annual Campus Security Report is not due yet, the data for 2012 are available [22].

The report complies with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus

Crime Statistics Act. The Department complies with Clery requirements by the ongoing

collection of crime information, sending campus alerts, and maintaining a daily public crime log.

A hard copy of the log [23] is available in the FAMU Police Department’s lobby and on the

following website:http://www.famu.edu/index.cfm?PublicSafety&PublicCrimeLog.

The most recent “Clery Report” [24] for FAMU indicates the following:

• FAMU has experienced a decrease in campus crime over the last 3 years.

• There was a significant decrease (29%) in criminal incidents from 2009 to 2010.

• The number of reported incidents decreased by 3% from 2010 to 2011.

• The University has seen a continuation of a downward trend marked by a 31% decrease

in overall crime from 2009 to 2011.

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http://www.famu.edu/PublicSafety/2012-13a%20Campus.pdf

http://www.famu.edu/PublicSafety/2012-13a%20Campus.pdf

http://www.famu.edu/index.cfm?PublicSafety&PublicCrimeLog


• Burglary, generally the highest category of offenses for the three-year period, has

decreased by 60% from 2010 to 2011 and by 67% over the three-year review period.

To make an appropriate comparison of FAMU crime statistics to those of other institutions, the

DCSS has identified a peer-institution comparison group, which includes other public and

private institutions in Florida, as well as one institution of similar size in Georgia. Using the most

recent data available (2011), FAMU is ranked second lowest among its peers in total number of

incidents as a percentage of students enrolled.

ii. Emergency Communication

In an effort to help ensure safety, the DCSS regularly disseminates information such as safety

alerts and weather alerts [25] to the campus community through the FAMUINFO mass email.

Emergency notifications are sent via Blackboard Connect. For off-campus instructional sites, the

Emergency Response Team [2] convenes on the main campus to determine the mechanisms

needed to address emergencies at those locations. Following a determination, the Office of the

President provides direct instruction on measures to maintain a safe and secure environment.

FAMU has an Emergency Warning System. This system includes instituting a Campus

Emergency Notification System and an emergency warning siren. The emergency notification

system is a self-service, web-based, mass notification system that empowers the Department to

send instant alerts to all students, faculty and staff cell phones, email and web page

automatically all at once from a single interface. The emergency warning siren is a mounted

system that gives immediate real-time warnings. The system delivers audible siren and voice

warnings from two strategic locations on campus. It is activated to warn students, staff and

visitors of an immediate and/or imminent threat to the University campus, whether natural or

man-made. This system is used in conjunction with the campus notification system, the natural

threat advisory system, and the emergency telephone blue lights for complete coverage. The

University now uses Blackboard Connect as the emergency notification system through which

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students are automatically registered, and must opt out. Registration is open to anyone desiring

to receive the emergency notification alerts [26]. Information is available at

https://famu.bbcportal.com/.

DCSS also provides safety information via its departmental website and other departmental

webpage’s [27] at http://www.famu.edu/index.cfm?PublicSafety&AboutUs. Included is

information on Crime Prevention Safety Tips and steps to take in the event of an active shooter.

Additionally, the Department participates in new student/transfer students' orientation sessions

to share campus safety information and conducts group discussions on hazing, and crime

prevention.

iii. Special Events

Promoting a safe campus environment includes ensuring safety at special events. The

protection of student safety specific to University-sanctioned activities is outlined in the Special

Events policy and procedures. It is the policy of the FAMU Department of Campus Safety and

Security (FAMU DCSS) to plan and coordinate the activities related to special operations in

order to provide the University community with the high standards of safety and security it has

come to expect [28].

iv. Unified Command

In order to promote cooperation and collaboration among various law enforcement and related

agencies in maintaining a safe campus environment, DCSS has entered into a number of

agreements that provide for unified command. A list of the agreements is provided in the

supporting documentation [29].

v. Operational Enhancements

Since November 2011, DCSS has made a number of changes and enhancements to increase

the safety of the campus with regard to hazing incidents as well as other safety concerns.

These include the following:

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https://famu.bbcportal.com/

http://www.famu.edu/index.cfm?PublicSafety&AboutUs


• Revised administrative processes to allow prompt actions to be taken against alleged

perpetrators and to permit protection of victims by sending immediate notification to

Judicial Affairs for swift and appropriate action to be taken. This is done both in the case

of hazing allegations and other allegations, which may fall within the purview of Judicial

Affairs.

• Provides notification of hazing reports to Judicial Affairs within 24 hours on business

days.

• Established monthly meeting with Judicial Affairs Office for information sharing.

• Receives daily reports from Tallahassee Police Department involving arrest of FAMU

students and other pertinent information.

• Strengthened collaboration of DCSS with the Leon County Sheriff Office in investigating

hazing cases occurring off campus.

• Hired a new Chief of Police/Director of Campus Safety and Security.

• In conjunction with Student Affairs, established a new anti-hazing website for

investigative reporting and educating students, faculty, staff, and the general public [14].

• Re-established and enhanced the student SAFE Team escorts.

• Re-established partnership with Big Bend Crime Stoppers.

• Enhanced upgrade of the FAMU Department of Campus Safety and Security webpage.

• Established written policies and procedures for Campus Safety/Judicial Affairs reporting

process.

• Participates as presenters to the New Student Orientation, which includes Anti-hazing,

and campus safety best practices.

• Officer(s) accompany large student organizations or groups on out of town FAMU

Football Classic games.

• Officers participated in active shooter training.

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The Department continues evaluative reviews to determine if its operating policies need revising

and/or additions relative to ensuring fulfillment of its mission to promote a safe environment. As

part of the Gubernatorial Task Force for University Campus Safety (Executive Order 07-77), the

DCSS continues to pursue the recommendations issued by the Task Force [30]. These

recommendations came in the wake of the Virginia Tech tragedy but also relate to the

numerous tragedies that occur across this nation. In compliance with this Executive Order, the

DCSS has made significant enhancements regarding special events and normal campus activity

[31].

vi. Community Engagement in Preventing Crime and Other Collaborations

FAMU is a major sponsor of the Preventing Crime in the Black Community Conference. The

Conference, now in its 28th year, is a collaborative effort sponsored by the Attorney General’s

Office, the Florida Consortium of Urban League Affiliates and the Derrick Brooks Charities to

foster communication and action among practitioners through the sharing of innovative ideas

and prevention strategies that have been successful in the black community. DCSS also

collaborates with other entities in order to promote a safe and secure campus environment,

including the National Incident Management System (NIMS), National Crime Information Center

(NCIC), Florida Crime Information Center (FCIC), and Regional Domestic Security Task Force

(RDSTF). [32]

4. Division of Administrative and Financial Services - Department of Environmental

Health and Safety (EH&S)

Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) accomplishes its mission by administering various

safety-related programs, including but not limited to fire safety, laboratory safety, hazardous

waste management, radiation and laser safety, building code compliance, risk/insurance

management, and occupational safety/accident prevention as outlined on its website [33]

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http://www.famu.edu/ehs. These various programs are administered utilizing inspections,

training, safety manuals, guideline documents, safety concern investigations, and oversight of

corrective actions as appropriate to maintain and enhance the effectiveness of each program

[34].

EH&S also takes the lead on the Emergency Response (ER) team. The Lead Coordinator of

EH&S co-chairs the University’s Emergency Response team, along with the Director of Campus

Safety and Security [2]. The ER members are responsible for keeping the Continuity of

Operations Plan (COOP) up to date. The University's COOP outlines the roles and

responsibilities of the ER members and all associated parties involved in ensuring safety and

business continuity, in the event of an emergency. The regulations, statutes and guidelines

governing the activities and processes are also listed within the FAMU COOP 2013 document

[35].

The ER members are responsible for ensuring that the procedures set forth in this plan are

carried out as described in the COOP, and as directed by the President or his/her designee.

Delegation of authority is limited to areas of responsibility as specified. Specific responsibilities

and authority are designated to the University Leadership Team members and the ER.

The COOP applies to all FAMU students, employees, and subcontractors, and to all FAMU

owned and leased facilities in Tallahassee and satellite campuses including Crestview and

Orlando, Florida. ER meets at the beginning of the hurricane season, in May or June, and as

frequently as needed [36].

5. Other Campus Units

Student Health Services, University Housing, Plant Operations and Maintenance, Facilities

Planning and Construction, the Victim Advocacy Program, and Office of Student Activities also

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http://www.famu.edu/ehs


play important roles in the health and safety life of the University. Student Health Services

promotes optimal health care in our student population with an emphasis on disease prevention.

University Housing collaborates closely with the Counseling Center, Student Health and the

Department of Campus Safety and Security on security and crime prevention issues to maintain

a safe, clean and healthy environment for the residence halls. The Building Services Unit within

Plant Operations and Maintenance provides for clean, safe and sanitary academic and

administrative buildings. The Department of Facilities Planning and Construction, working with

the Department of Campus Safety and Security and architects and engineers, identifies and

corrects security-related problems associated with renovations and new construction. The

Victim Advocacy Program in the University Counseling Center works closely with the University

Department of Campus Safety and Security and University Housing, offering a wide variety of

preventive programs and a wide range of support services.

II. Anti-Hazing Changes

A. Introduction

In accordance with Florida Statute 1006.63, Hazing Prohibited [37] and FAMU’s Anti-Hazing

Regulation 2.028 [38], FAMU has a “zero tolerance” policy regarding hazing. The University

annually holds mandatory anti-hazing workshops for all registered clubs and organizations.

More specifically, the Office of Student Activities requires that all clubs and organizations,

including but not limited to campus wide, departmental/academic-related, city/county/state,

military, performing arts, cultural, political, religious, recreational, and volunteer service

organizations must complete an Anti-Hazing Workshop in order to be recognized as an

organization at Florida A&M University [39]. During these workshops, students are apprised of

University rules and regulations regarding hazing by a representative from the University

General Counsel’s Office, the Director of DCSS (or his designee), and the Director of Student

Activities [40].

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The Marching Band and music ensembles do not fall under this provision as they are not clubs

or organizations, but they do have specific anti-hazing requirements. Prior to suspension of the

Marching Band in 2011, the Marching Band’s Anti-Hazing Workshops were conducted by the

band faculty in which band members were apprised of University rules and regulations

regarding hazing by a representative from the University General Counsel’s Office, the Director

of DCSS (or his designee), and the Director of Student Activities and/or Vice President of

Student Affairs [41]. These workshops occurred for several years preceding the hazing incident

of November 2011; members of the reconstituted band are now required to participate in the

anti-hazing workshops provided by the Office of Student Activities. In anti-hazing workshops

conducted for the band and members of registered clubs and organizations, participants receive

an “anti-hazing” statement, and they are strongly encouraged to report any incidents of hazing

to the proper authorities [42]. Beginning in fall 2012 (for early registration for spring 2013), all

students registering each semester are required to sign an “anti-hazing” agreement [43]. All

reported incidents of hazing are referred to the FAMU DCSS, which fully investigates each case

following established crime reporting procedures.

Additionally, in accordance with Section 5 of Regulation 2.028 on Anti-Hazing, all student clubs

and organizations must include in their by-laws an anti-hazing statement [44]. The Office of

Student Activities reviews these by-laws periodically. The requirement to include an anti-hazing

statement in the by-laws predates the hazing incident of November 2011.

B. Initial Changes Following November 2011 Hazing Incident

During the initial weeks following the hazing tragedy, the University sponsored several activities

to heighten campus awareness about the associated dangers of hazing. The Student

Government Association held a mandatory anti-hazing forum for students on December 5,

2011. The President held a President’s Forum for faculty and staff on December 5, 2011, and

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the Board of Trustees held an anti-hazing workshop on December 7, 2011. Students who

desired to report safety concerns, including hazing related incidents, were reminded that they

should immediately contact the FAMU Department of Campus Safety and Security. Any student

who reports a hazing related incident either to the Office of Judicial Affairs or to the Department

of Campus Safety and Security may request to have their identity withheld. The University also

provided additional grief counseling on campus for students, faculty and staff. After the initial

weeks, many other initiatives followed. The major actions taken are listed below.

1. Suspended the Marching Band activities indefinitely. Subsequently, it was decided to

suspend the Band for the 2012-13 academic year until a decision for further action could

be made. The decision to reinstate the band was made in June 2013.

2. Issued a Notice of Intent to Terminate the Director of Marching and Pep

Bands/Department of Music Chair. The Director was later placed on Administrative

Leave based on letter from FDLE pending its criminal investigation [45]. Subsequently,

the Director of Marching and Pep Bands/Department of Music Chair retired in spring

2012.

3. Disciplinary actions taken against two Department of Music professors due to

inappropriate behavior related to hazing [46].

4. Appointed Interim Department of Music Chair [47].

5. Established External Task Force of experts – Subsequently, meetings were postponed

due to the BOT changing the Task Force’s status to not operate under the Florida

Sunshine Law.

6. Provided additional grief counselors to students dealing with the loss of a student band

member.

7. Created an Internal Crisis Management Team December 2011.

20


8. Developed a webpage to provide information about the Band Hazing incident to FAMU

supporters locally and outside of Florida

(http://www.famu.edu/index.cfm?OfficeOfCommunications&FAMUBandUpdate).

9. Communicated with and provided documentation to the Southern Association on

Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) regarding compliance with

relevant accreditation standards on student safety.

10. Directed all allegations and criminal activity to be immediately brought to the President’s

attention.

11. Enhanced staffing to ensure that media and public information requests are handled

timely and with consistent and accurate messaging.

12. Researched best practices and actions taken by other colleges and universities to

address the culture of hazing.

13. Created grant awards for faculty conducting research on anti-hazing which established

the Internal Anti-Hazing Research Initiative.

14. Reached out to and participated in local and national anti-hazing initiatives.

15. Suspended Spring 2012 Intake and New Membership activities for student clubs and

organizations, except those reviewed and approved for exemption.

16. Canceled the 2012 Summer Band Camp [48].

17. Held Campus-wide Safety Forum on December 5, 2011.

18. Identified staffing and organizational needs in the Division of Student Affairs to address

hazing related issues for more effective management of student organizations

19. Revised BOT Anti-Hazing Regulation.

20. Held Anti-Hazing Workshop for the FAMU Board of Trustees on December 7, 2011 [49].

21. Developed criteria for future band membership/participation.

22. Participated fully in the on-going FDLE and Board of Governors (BOG) investigations.

23. Created Anti-Hazing Committee of National Experts.

21

http://www.famu.edu/index.cfm?OfficeOfCommunications&FAMUBandUpdate


24. Generated immediate electronic posting of the Anti-Hazing Agreement for all students to

complete when signing on to iRattler student administration system to register for

classes.

25. All members of any club or organization must sign the Anti-Hazing Agreement.

As a result of these activities, the awareness about the need to stop hazing has been visibly

heightened, as demonstrated in town hall meetings and other forums [50]. The University’s

enhanced focus on new policies and procedures related to hazing have been positive and well

received by the students and organizations. The public discourse has encompassed not only

the FAMU community, but has also occurred throughout the State University System (SUS) of

Florida, including BOG meetings. As a result, the SUS has made anti-hazing a priority. The

SUS Council of Student Affairs has taken a proactive approach in reviewing national best

practices and what is utilized system wide. The BOG asked for updates on new initiatives that

are implemented at each institution. The SUS Council of Student Affairs has reviewed the best

practices and presented information to the BOG with recommendations for anti-hazing initiatives

that should be consistent throughout all institutions in the SUS system. The impact of FAMU’s

actions to stop hazing have also had a national impact, as evidenced in news stories, and the

recent actions of several other universities to suspend their marching bands due to allegations

of hazing. These institutions have cited the actions of FAMU against hazing. [51]

Many individual students and student organizations at FAMU have taken a public stand against

hazing. In fact, students at FAMU have taken the initiative to spearhead town hall meetings, the

online anti-hazing agreement, community service activities, and revisions to the intake process

for clubs and organizations. The results of these efforts have further increased awareness.

Students have publicly endorsed "zero" tolerance for hazing.

22


C. Activities Subsequent to Submission of Report to SACSCOC in July 2012

Since the submission of the University’s report to SACS on July 25, 2012, the following

activities/initiatives related to hazing have occurred:

1. A new anti-hazing website [52] (http://www.StopHazingatFAMU.com) was launched on

September 7, 2012. The site contains the Anti-Hazing policy, the Florida Hazing Law,

and a link that allows for the reporting of hazing incidents to the FAMU Police

Department (in real time). In addition, the site includes recorded messages from

students, administrators, parents and others on the topic of hazing, and it also includes

more than 10 separate videos featuring FAMU students, administrators and law

enforcement officers citing the virtues of being responsible for one’s actions.

2. On September 7, 2012, the University announced new requirements for student

registration. Beginning with registration for the spring 2013 semester, all students are

required to sign a statement acknowledging that they will not participate in any form of

hazing in keeping with FAMU’s anti-hazing regulation [53]. Students who do not

complete the acknowledgement will not be allowed to register for classes [43].

3. A campus-wide Town Hall Meeting for students, faculty, and staff was held on

September 20, 2012. This event featured a panel of six nationally recognized experts on

hazing and included an in-depth discussion on ways to eradicate hazing [54].

4. The University sponsored a weeklong series of activities (Hazing Prevention Week

2012) dedicated to the prevention of hazing. From September 20-26, 2012, several

campus-wide events were held to increase student awareness of institutional anti-hazing

policies, procedures, and initiatives, and to educate students about the hazards

associated with hazing [55].

5. The membership intake process for all campus organizations was enhanced to include

more rigorous training for potential members to aid the University’s efforts to prevent

hazing, and emphasize community service. These changes took effect fall 2012, and

23


have been implemented. Potential members are now required to attend workshops on

topics such as anti-hazing, community service, and new member rights and

responsibilities [56].

6. A new FAMU newsletter, “Just the Facts,” was released on August 30, 2012 [57] 58].

This resource is designed to update parents, the campus community and alumni about

ongoing developments at the University. The newsletter was sent to faculty, staff and

students through a campus wide email. It was mailed to the permanent addresses of all

12,000 plus FAMU students. The newsletter provided a list of several of the recent

actions taken by the University to address hazing and a description of recently enacted

changes to the membership intake process for clubs and organizations (i.e. mandatory

anti-hazing workshops and new academic standards)

7. Students in a public relations class in the School of Journalism conducted a survey of

FAMU students and, based on the findings, proposed strategies to combat hazing.

Some of their findings were incorporated into the University’s Public Relations Plan and

the overall University Communications Plan. A “Street Team” of public relations

students advise the administration on getting the anti-hazing message out to students

effectively, including the anti-hazing website.

8. A State University System (SUS) of Florida survey of anti-hazing best practices in 2013

revealed that FAMU has addressed all the best practices identified [59].

D. Maintaining and Enforcing Anti-Hazing Policies and Procedures

1. Revisions to Student Code of Conduct, Due Process Regulation, and Anti-Hazing

Regulation

FAMU Regulation 2.012, Student Code of Conduct, was revised to specify that the University

has “zero tolerance” for code of conduct violations and to provide for the process to be

conducted concurrent with or subsequent to any civil or criminal proceedings [60]. Regulation

24


2.013, Student Due Process, was revised to include specific time frames within which to comply

with the student disciplinary process [61]. The regulation also now requires periodic review of

the disciplinary process. Regulation 2.028 on Anti-Hazing was also revised to specify that the

University has “zero tolerance” for violations of the University’s anti-hazing regulation [62]. All

students who perpetrate, consent to, observe, or have knowledge of hazing activities and fail to

report it are in violation of the regulation. The revisions to all these regulations were approved

by the Board of Trustees on June 6, 2013 [63], and went into effect on July 30, 2013, 30 days

after the period for public comment, as required by Board of Governors Regulation

Development Procedure [64]. The campus community has been notified of these new

regulations through FAMU mass email, as well as the Board of Trustees website containing

regulations [65].

2. Anti-Hazing Guidelines

The University has developed a new document, Anti-Hazing Guidelines, effective fall 2013,

which delineates the processes and requirements that have now been institutionalized.

Whereas the Anti-Hazing Plan was a document developed in 2012 to guide the far-reaching

changes to promote an environment that strongly discourages hazing, the Anti-Hazing

Guidelines provide guidance moving forward to maintain the changes that have now been

implemented [66].

Putting the enhanced anti-hazing policies and procedures into effect included providing multiple,

easily accessible means of reporting allegations of hazing. These avenues include the new anti-

hazing website, StopHazingatFAMU.com, telephoning the Department of Campus Safety and

Security (DCSS), contacting the Special Assistant for Anti-Hazing, and contacting any advisor or

faculty member. These reports go to DCSS and to Judicial Affairs. Reports made through the

website are accessed through DCSS and shared within one business day with Judicial Affairs.

25


DCSS contacts the Vice President for Student Affairs and the Special Assistant for Anti-Hazing

to inform them of the allegations reported. If a student organization is involved, the Office of

Student Activities is also informed, and it may impose an inactive status upon the organization

until further review [67]. If an allegation is not hazing, but organization-related, a new Clubs and

Organizations Review Board (CORB) has been created to conduct an initial review [68]. CORB

is referenced in the new Student Code of Conduct regulation and is designed to only handle

non-hazing, nonviolent cases, such as a student organization having intake without an advisor

being present. Although hazing is not involved in such an instance, there may be a code of

conduct violation. DCSS and Judicial Affairs investigate simultaneously and independently, and

then each unit makes a determination if the allegation falls under hazing. DCSS determines if

there was any violation of a criminal nature in accordance with Florida Statute. If none, DCCS

will send a final report to the Special Assistant for Anti-Hazing, Judicial Affairs and the Vice

President for Student Affairs, stating that no criminal activity, hazing or otherwise, was found

and the investigation will be closed at that time. Such a finding by DCSS does not preclude

Judicial Affairs from proceeding to determine if any violation of code of conduct occurred [69]. In

certain instances, the Department of Campus Safety and Security or external law enforcement

agencies may ask Judicial Affairs to delay its review due to the nature surrounding a particular

incident or case. The Special Assistant for Anti-Hazing monitors the processes of anti-hazing

policies and procedures, keeps the President and Leadership informed, compiles data, and

keeps status updates of each case.

Previously, reports of hazing allegations would be received by DCSS. Judicial Affairs would

normally wait until DCSS made a determination. Now the reviews are conducted

simultaneously. Coordination and overview, as well as record keeping have been enhanced

with the creation of the Special Assistant to the President for Anti-Hazing position. The creation

26


of the Special Assistant position also facilitates the regular involvement of the University

leadership, including the President.

3. Communication of Anti-Hazing Policies and Procedures

The University communicates its anti-hazing policies and procedures through the multiple

avenues listed below.

• A new anti-hazing website (StopHazingatFAMU.com) was launched on September 7,

2012. The site contains the Anti-Hazing regulation, the Florida Hazing Law, and a link

that allows for the reporting of hazing incidents to the FAMU Police Department (in real

time). Additionally, the site includes recorded messages from students, administrators,

parents and others on the topic of hazing, and it also includes more than 10 separate

videos featuring FAMU students, administrators and law enforcement officers citing the

virtues of being responsible for one’s actions.

• The Anti-Hazing Guidelines.

• The student handbook: The Fang [70] [71].

• Annual mandatory anti-hazing workshops with student organizations [39].

• Mandatory training of full-time faculty in the Department of Music [72].

• Town Hall Meetings [73].

• Meetings with students held by the Special Assistant for Anti-Hazing.

• An acknowledgment of FAMU’s Anti-Hazing Regulation on website that students must

agree to prior to registering each semester [43].

4. Anti-Hazing Training

Training is one of the avenues that is used to communicate policies, procedures and

expectations in regard to anti-hazing. The Division of Student Affairs, in conjunction with Judicial

27


Affairs, the General Counsel's Office and the Special Assistant to the President for Anti-Hazing

provide ongoing anti-hazing training to the music department, with the most recent one being

February 20, 2013. All full-time faculty and staff in the Music Department have undergone anti-

hazing training [72]. All students in music student organizations have also undergone anti-

hazing training [39]. Select members of Student Activities and the Special Assistant to the

President completed anti-hazing training at the Novac Institute at the University of Kentucky on

June 5-8, 2013 [74]. Student Activities and the Special Assistant for Anti-Hazing also provide

training to all certified student organizations and to new employees at the new employee

orientation. Units and administrators involved in anti-hazing activities, such as Student Activities

and the Special Assistant for Anti-Hazing, participate regularly in national conferences on anti-

hazing, thereby ensuring that they keep abreast of best practices in this field.

5. Coordination and Enforcement of Anti-Hazing Activities

a. New Hires

The Anti-Hazing Plan [75], which was presented to the FAMU Board of Trustees on June 6,

2012, outlines specific actions and strategies to prevent hazing [76]. Two items of particular

note in the Anti-Hazing Plan are the creation of two positions: Special Assistant to the President

for Anti-Hazing and the Music Department Compliance Officer. The creation of these two

positions and their respective responsibilities have been widely publicized in town hall meetings,

at Board of Trustee meetings, on the University website and in news articles [77] [78], so that

the campus community including students, and others are well informed about these changes

[79]. In addition to these two new positions, focused directly on anti-hazing, the University has

hired a new Director of the Department of Campus Safety and Security (DCSS) and a new

Director of Marching and Pep Bands. The previous incumbents in both these positions retired

after the November 2011 hazing incident.

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i. Special Assistant to the President for Anti-Hazing

The Special Assistant to the President for Anti-Hazing was hired and assumed duties on

February 1, 2013 [80]. The individual hired in this position has a law degree, with experience in

higher education and mediation, and has served as the Chair for the Ethics Commission of

DeKalb County [81]. The Special Assistant to the President for Anti-Hazing reports to the

President of Florida A&M University. The Provost and Vice-President for Academic Affairs

serves as the secondary supervisor for this position. The Special Assistant is responsible for the

overall management of the university-wide anti-hazing initiatives in collaboration with the

University’s student judicial system pursuant to the provisions of the Student Code of Conduct

[60] and Due Process Regulations [61].

The Special Assistant for Anti-Hazing’s responsibilities include an educational component. He

speaks to student organizations about anti-hazing, providing information on what hazing is, the

Florida statute on hazing, University regulations and expectations, consequences of hazing, and

how to report incidents of hazing. He provides updates to the Board of Trustees on reports of

hazing [82]. In July 2013, he began conducting ongoing anti-hazing sessions as part of the New

Employee Orientation [83]. The individual also is the point of contact with media for allegations

of hazing and for informing the media of changes in policies. He evaluates processes to

determine if any changes are needed. At the beginning of his employment at the University, this

determination occurred as each case came up. As result of enhancements made, he now

makes a regular reassessment on a semester basis, unless an issue comes up that make it

evident that a change is needed more quickly. He also assesses the adequacy of information

being provided and record keeping on a weekly basis. Once a report is received, the Special

Assistant for Anti-Hazing ensures that the procedures in place are followed and that the

coordination between units is optimal. The Special Assistant for Anti-Hazing is bringing

attention to FAMU’s anti-hazing efforts beyond the University itself as well. For example, he has

29


been identified as the keynote speaker at the Anti-Hazing Pre-Conference of the Florida affiliate

of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) Conference in

October 2013 [84].

ii. Music Department Compliance Officer

The Music Department Compliance Officer was hired following a search and began her duties

on May 13, 2013. The individual has experience in higher education and auditing [85]. She

reports to the Special Assistant to the President for Anti-Hazing. The Compliance Officer is

responsible for ensuring the overall compliance of the Music Department, specifically bands and

ensembles, with University policies and procedures and Music Department guidelines specified

in approved handbooks. The Compliance Officer’s scope of work includes, but is not limited to,

monitoring compliance with the provisions of University regulations including anti-hazing and

University imposed sanctions; academic eligibility requirements; meetings and practice

limitations; travel; designation and collection of fees; and training and certification of faculty,

staff and students. The Compliance Officer also monitors individuals and organizations in Music

under sanction by FAMU and/or national organizations.

The Compliance Officer verifies the eligibility of each student prior to any event. She also

routinely checks course rosters to ensure students are not dropping a required course after

registration. If students drop a course required for participation in ensembles, they no longer

meet the criteria and are therefore ineligible to participate. On her first week on the job, the

Compliance Officer accompanied a music ensemble on a "Working Together to Stop Hazing"

tour. Prior to the tour, the Music Compliance Officer checked each student’s eligibility to

determine if he or she was eligible to travel with the group. Students were required to be a

current student and enrolled within the 2012-2013 academic school year, in good academic

standing with the University, have a 2.0 cumulative GPA or better, and have been enrolled in at

30


least one course within the student’s major or a music ensemble for the summer 2013

semester.

Twenty-three student records were examined, and 19 students were cleared to travel [86]. Of

the 19 students cleared to travel, 18 of them participated in the tour – one student was not able

to make the trip. Three students could not travel due to “Candidate for Graduation Holds,” and

one student could not travel due to a Cashier’s Hold. On the day of travel, the Compliance

Officer monitored the disbursement of funds to the 18 students, eight Music

Directors/Chaperones, and the Equipment Manager. In addition to the Compliance Officer, a

FAMU Police Officer was present to ensure the safety of the funds transactions. Prior to receipt

of funds, the students were required to submit their official FAMU identification for verification

purposes. Once their identifications were verified, travel per diems were issued to the students

and Music Personnel/Chaperones. The students and Music personnel were required to sign the

Travel Authorization Form once they counted their disbursement to determine if they received

the appropriate amount. Once this process was completed, the students loaded and boarded

the bus followed by the Chaperones and Compliance Officer. Travel authorization information

was also examined at the commencement of the Anti-Hazing Tour. All students had a signed

and current Domestic Travel Participation Agreement on file. While the ensemble members

were issued cash disbursements, as an enhancement, band members are now issued debit

cards instead of cash, starting with travel for their first performance, September 1, 2013. This

process is described in the narrative CS 3.10.3 in this Monitoring Report.

In addition to checking eligibility for the "Working Together to Stop Hazing" tour, the Music

Compliance Officer also had the responsibility for determining the eligibility of returning

scholarship students to continue receiving scholarship funding for the 2013-14 academic year.

One hundred sixty-three names were presented for review. The criteria to determine the

31


eligibility for receiving scholarships for the 2013-14 academic year are as follows: (1) have a

cumulative G.P.A. of 2.5 or better; (2) must have earned a minimum of 24 credit hours during

the Fall and Spring semesters of the 2012-13 academic year; (3) must not have earned an “I”,

“W”, or “F” during the Fall 2012 and/or Spring 2013 semesters; (4) must not have met or

exceeded the eight semester ensemble participation limitation and/or received a scholarship for

four academic years; and (5) must have earned the minimum number of credit hours required

for each year enrolled since matriculation. Based on the above mentioned criteria, 104 students

did not meet one or more of the standards. Fifty-nine (59) students were approved [87].

iii. Director of Marching and Pep Bands

The new Director of Marching and Pep Bands began employment at the University on June 14,

2013 [88]. The new director’s previous experience changing the culture of a band, establishing

discipline, and being a change agent, as well as his experience at a variety of institutions were

considerations in hiring him at FAMU [89].

iv. Judicial Affairs Staffing

The Office of Judicial Affairs is fully staffed [90]. The Director of Judicial Affairs has been hired

and assumed duties effective February 1, 2013. The individual hired is well qualified for the

position; she is an attorney with over 10 years of experience, including 5 years of higher

education experience [91]. The University also created the Coordinator of Judicial Affairs

position. Following a search, a qualified individual [92] was hired to serve in this position,

effective May 24, 2013. Additionally, the Office has an Administrative Assistant, who has been

in the position for 12 years. He has facilitated several training sessions for faculty, staff and

students who serve on administrative hearing panels. Prior to joining the Office of Judicial

Affairs, this individual gained experience in interview skills, investigation and public safety as a

law enforcement officer on the campus of Florida A&M University [93]. Judicial Affairs, under

the auspices of the Division of Student Affairs, conducted a review of policies and regulations

related to the student disciplinary process and made several revisions to the Student Code of

32


Conduct, Regulation 2.012; student Due Process, Regulation 2.013; and Anti-Hazing,

Regulation 2.028 as described in the section on Revisions to Student Code of Conduct, Due

Process Regulation and Anti-Hazing Regulation.

v. Director of Campus Safety and Security

The University’s Director of Campus Safety and Security retired in May 2012. An Acting

Director, who is highly qualified and has over 25 years of experience in law enforcement [94],

assumed duties immediately and continued until the search for a new director concluded

successfully. Subsequently, a qualified individual was hired as the new Director of Campus

Safety and Security. This individual served as Chief of Police at Austin Peay State University in

Clarksville Tennessee since January 2012. Prior to this appointment, he served as chief of

police at the Village of Woodmere in Ohio. As Chief of Police at Austin Peay State University,

the individual directed a staff of more than 30. He began employment at FAMU on June 27,

2013 [95].

b. Student Organizations

The Office of Student Activities (OSA) has implemented major changes, in keeping with the

requirements of the Anti-Hazing Plan, to change the culture of hazing and promote student

safety. OSA has always required that organizations register annually and has continued this

policy since the November 2011 incident. All previously registered organizations are notified

through e-mail that they must reregister each year. All policies and regulations of the University

and nationally and/or state affiliated organizations are applicable in the registration process (i.e.,

purpose, constitution/by-laws, advisors letter of intent, officers/membership rosters, student ID,

e-mail address, etc.). Effective spring 2012, all required information was noted annually in a

separate document available in the Office of Student Activities, and through the Coordinator for

Clubs/Organization & Development. In fall 2012, the Office of Student Activities also updated

the clubs and organizations certification process by implementing grade point average

33


requirements, clubs and organization roster release forms, and the official campus banking

policy [96].

In 2012-13, student organizations were subject to the enhanced procedures outlined in the Anti-

Hazing Plan. The enhanced procedures and requirements are delineated below.

• Each organization participating in membership intake had to attend the anti-hazing

workshops prior to being approved for membership intake [39].

• Every advisor of organizations participating in membership intake had to attend anti-

hazing workshops prior to their organizations being approved for membership intake.

• Each Greek letter organization along with their advisors participating in membership

intake had to meet with the Greek life coordinator prior to being approved for

membership intake.

• New members of Greek Life were required to sign an Anti-Hazing Agreement and non-

hazing compliance forms as part of intake [97] [98].

• All membership recruitment and intake had to take place on campus and an advisor had

to be present.

• All membership recruitment and intake activities had to be completed by February 20,

2013, for membership recruitment, and March 8, 2013 for intake [99].

• An online hazing agreement is required for all students registering each semester [43].

• Town hall meetings were held on safety and hazing.

• A panel of national speakers was invited to speak as part of the Town Hall meetings.

• The Clubs and Organization Review Board (CORB) was restructured [68].

• Anti-Hazing Training was instituted for full-time faculty in Music beginning

spring 2013 [72].

34


The University has taken swift and appropriate action when allegations of hazing are made

against student organizations. The organization is immediately placed on inactive status,

pending further review. Reviews are conducted following enhanced policies and procedures,

and if violations are found to have occurred, action is taken. For example, on September 4,

2012, the FAMU Police Department was notified of an alleged hazing activity involving the

dance troupe “Torque.” The University took swift action, immediately suspending the dance

troupe pending the outcome of the investigation. Due to the alleged activities occurring outside

of the jurisdiction of the FAMU Police Department, the Tallahassee Police Department was

immediately notified and an investigation was initiated. The investigation was eventually

suspended by Tallahassee Police Department because neither the victim nor the complainant

(reporting person) could be identified, and there were no additional leads to follow. Judicial

Affairs did not issue any conduct violations [100]. As additional examples, on June 20, 2013,

two sororities were notified that they have been suspended as a result of hazing allegations.

Delta Sigma Theta was suspended for three years [101], and Gamma Sigma Sigma [102] was

suspended for one year. Both suspensions were effective immediately. In addition, several

students were suspended as a result of the student disciplinary process [69]. Local law

enforcement agencies investigated the allegations, but no criminal charges were filed. This is

an instance where the enhanced procedures led to action by Judicial Affairs, even though law

enforcement did not file criminal charges against any of the students.

i. By-laws

OSA provides policies and procedures for all clubs and organizations. Based on the

requirements for organizational by-laws listed in OSA’s Certification Required Documents, OSA

reviews each organization’s by-laws annually. Each member of the organization signs anti-

Hazing policy statements as well.

ii. Intake Requirements and Supervision

35


Prior to November 2011, student organizations had the option to conduct intake either onsite or

at off-campus locations for its prospective members. Since then, the Office of Student Activities

has revised its intake procedures to require that all membership and intake activities be

conducted under the supervision of certified advisors and must occur on campus on the dates

and times specified by the OSA. Before November 2011, all advisors also had to be employed

full time at the University and have no less than three years full-time employment at FAMU [96].

The same requirement exists following the November 2011 incident. The Office of Student

Activities has always required that faculty/staff advisors supervise intake activities and this

requirement continues.

iii. Eligibility Requirements to Participate in Student Organizations

In addition to eligibility requirements for music ensembles, including band, the University has

instituted eligibility requirements for participation in all student organizations. The Anti-Hazing

Plan [75] established new eligibility criteria to participate in the band and enhanced procedures

pertaining to intake activities for all FAMU-sanctioned organizations that perform intake. Each

student is challenged to participate and become involved in student organizations. Only

currently and officially registered students in good standing shall be eligible to apply for

admission to any club or organization. Students must have completed their freshmen year with

a minimum of 24 credit hours and a 2.0 grade point average (GPA). Effective fall 2013, a

student must have completed his or her freshman year with a minimum of 24 credit hours, a 2.5

GPA, 30 hours of community service, and the Personal Development “Freshmen Seminar

Series Training Course” offered by the Office of Student Activities in conjunction with the First-

Year Experience program. To maintain membership in an organization, students must maintain

an overall 2.0 GPA, be in good academic and judicial standing, and accrue 30 documented

hours of community service annually. Further, beginning in fall 2013, executive board members

of all clubs and organizations are required to maintain a 2.5 GPA. Only full time, officially

registered students shall be eligible to serve as appointed or elected officers in

36


registered/certified student organizations [103]. As an exception, a student may take less than

12 hours during the semester he/she is graduating. The student must provide written

documentation from the Registrar stating the intent to graduate.

Eligibility requirements to participate in student organizations are published in the student

handbook, “The Fang” [103]. To ensure that each student is meeting the published

requirements, advisors of each student organization verify the student’s information using the

University’s Enterprise Information Technology system, iRattler.

c. Department of Music

The Department of Music has implemented significant and far-reaching changes designed to

change the culture and accountability of the Department. These changes are listed below.

• Strict adherence to eligibility requirements for participation in music ensembles, including

band. Prior to the band’s reinstatement for fall 2013, other music ensembles operating

since November 2011 were held to the requirements.

• Strict adherence to group travel eligibility and procedures. Only students who are

enrolled in the relevant courses, are full time during fall and spring semesters, and meet

all eligibility requirements are allowed to travel. If paperwork is not submitted on time to

ensure adherence to all procedures, music ensembles have been prevented from

traveling [104].

• All full-time faculty in the Department of Music have participated in anti-hazing

workshops [72].

• All students in music student organizations have participated in anti-hazing workshops in

order to have student groups certified through student activities [39].

37


• The Department of Music Handbook has been revised. It delineates requirements such

as faculty and student organization anti-hazing workshops, group travel, verification

procedures for participation in ensembles, band, etc. [105].

• The Music Compliance Officer assumed her duties on May 13, 2013 and on May 17-22,

2013, accompanied a group of music students on a "Working Together to Stop Hazing"

tour as they performed a musical show, talked to high school students and parents about

FAMU’s new anti-hazing policies and recruited graduating high school seniors.

i. Music Eligibility Requirements

As delineated above, the Music Department is under new leadership, and the requirements for

participation in the Marching Band and other ensembles associated with the Department have

been significantly altered before the band was reconstituted. Subsequent to the June 2013

announcement of the band’s reinstatement, the Music Compliance Officer conducts eligibility

checks for students participating in band [106]. Now that the band is reinstated, the Music

Compliance Officer is required to conduct eligibility for participation in the Band at the end of

each spring semester prior to enrollment in the subsequent fall semester. Enrollment is verified

by the Office of the Registrar through iRattler’s official class roster. It is the responsibility of each

ensemble director (instructor of record) to ensure that only students enrolled in the

corresponding MUN (music ensemble) course are allowed to participate. The Music

Compliance Officer verifies enrollment. Since the Music Compliance Officer did not assume her

duties until May 2013, the Interim Chair of Music conducted the verification at the end of spring

2012 for music ensembles. Eligibility criteria requirements for participation in the Marching

Band and other ensembles, associated with the Department of Music have been published and

will continue to be enforced per the requirements outlined in the "Florida A&M University

Department of Music: Student Handbook," pages 10-11 [105]. The eligibility requirements are

as provided below.

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• Ensemble members must be enrolled as full-time students at Florida A&M University to

be eligible to practice, perform, receive financial aid or scholarships and meet all of the

additional requirements cited below.

• A maximum of four years of eligibility will be allowed for participation in Department of

Music ensembles.

• Students must adhere to the following progression standards in order to maintain

eligibility.

o Twenty-four-semester hours of academic credit prior to the start of the second

year of enrollment;

o Eighteen-semester hours of academic credit since the beginning of the previous

fall term or since the beginning of the preceding regular two semesters; and

o Six-semester hours of academic credit during the preceding regular academic

term (e.g., fall semester) in which the student has been enrolled full time.

Table M1. Minimum Percentage of Degree Requirements per Year of Enrollment

Entering Year Percentage of Degree Requirement

Three 40

Four 60

All Department of Music students must adhere to FAMU’s grade point average standards

required for “good academic standing” applicable to all students in the University. Additional

requirements may be required for membership in music fraternities and sororities and

scholarship recipients. However, all recipients of scholarships from FAMU sources must

maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA. Further, the Music Honors Award requires a minimum GPA of

3.0 [105].

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ii. Group Travel

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) conducted an investigation of fraud,

resulting from their initial investigation of the hazing incident, and released a report on

September 12, 2013; a copy was provided to SACSCOC. The findings in the FDLE fraud

investigation report related to group travel procedures and fiscal control of band activities.

Since the November 2011 incident, the Department of Music has taken varied steps to ensure

that all members traveling to an approved event have met the eligibility requirements to do so.

Participating members are required to adhere to the University’s policies related to domestic

and international travel for students. In addition, the Music Compliance Officer verifies current

enrollment of any student scheduled to travel to a University-approved event. Any student found

to be not enrolled and on inactive status is not allowed to travel. Furthermore, students receiving

University funds for approved travel are required to present a valid University identification card.

Students are issued the funds following verification of enrollment by the Music Compliance

Officer immediately prior to a scheduled event. The Marching Band will be issued debit cards

instead of cash when they travel for the first time, for the performance on September 1, 2013.

Group travel procedures for music ensembles are published, have been enforced and will

continue to be enforced per the policies outlined on page 11 of the "Florida A&M University,

Department of Music, Student Handbook" (revised 9/25/12). Music ensembles have been

allowed to travel only if they complied with all procedures prior to travel. For example, if

individuals on the request to travel included some who were not currently enrolled students as

required in the procedures, those individuals were identified and their names removed from the

authorized travel list [86]. Ensembles have been prevented from travelling to plan performances

if they have not complied with all procedures in a timely manner prior to travel [104].

iii. Directive for Bands

In 2012, the University adopted an Anti-Hazing Plan that incorporates the most current best

practices specific to anti-hazing. This plan is memorialized in University regulations, handbooks,

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policies and procedures (i.e., the Music Department Handbook, the Anti-Hazing Guide, and

“The Fang”) [70]. The Plan incorporates the provisions of the 1998 directive that are considered

current best practices. For this reason, the 1998 directive on Anti-Hazing for the Band has been

rescinded in favor of the Plan. The University now requires that students meet the GPA

requirements of the University to be in good standing in order to participate in the band.

iv. Return of the Marching Band

After being suspended since November 2011, and after much deliberation, the University has

determined that the right safeguards exist for the return of the FAMU Marching Band. The first

performance of the band is expected to be September 1, 2013 in Orlando, Florida. All members

of the band must meet the requirements outlined in Music Eligibility Requirements outlined

above. The Music Compliance Officer is checking to confirm that the eligibility requirements are

met for each student interested in participating. Those who do not meet the requirements are

denied permission to participate [106] [107]. Additionally, the following safeguards are in place.

a) Meetings and Practice Limitations. All music program organizations must hold meetings in

campus facilities and always in the presence of certified academic advisors. Exceptions might

be allowed in cases when these organizations are on official University travel, but advisors must

always be present.

b) Practice hours are limited to 20 hours per week. All directors must present to the Music

Department Chair, Compliance Officer and the Dean a proposed practice schedule for each

semester and the summer within 30 days of the academic term in question.

c) Travel. Travel by students, faculty and staff must conform to all existing University policies

and procedures. Additional requirements for travel by Department of Music organizations

include pre-approval of all students, faculty, staff and non-employees by Directors, Music

Department Chair and the Dean prior to initiating the travel approval process; assessment of the

adequacy of chaperons to provide oversight of the group by the Music Department Chair and

the Dean; assessment of adequate funding to support the proposed travel by the Music

41


Department Chair and the Dean; and certification of each traveler by the Compliance Officer

using official University issued identification cards and rosters provided by the University

Registrar showing compliance with academic and course enrollment requirements. To assist in

preventing hazing activities in the Marching Band, FAMU police officers will accompany the

Marching Band for each performance requiring travel. Two Music Department faculty/staff

members will be on each bus. The staff/police officers will be present during loading and

unloading of buses. Upon arrival at destinations and once all personal items and instruments

are removed from the buses, drivers will lock buses. Under no circumstances will buses be

unlocked without the Music Department staff and/or police officers present. In preparation for

the reinstatement of the Marching Band, the Dean of the College of Social Sciences, Arts and

Humanities, the Chair of Music, the Director of the Band, the Special Assistant to the President

for Anti-Hazing, and the Music Compliance Officer have been meeting weekly to ensure that all

logistics are addressed for a successful and safe return of the Marching Band [108].

d) The new Director of the Band has made changing the culture of the band a priority. To that

end he has made a number of changes, including but not limited to changing the terminology

used to designate various positions in the band. The term “section leader” has been changed to

“principal” and the term “drum major” has been changed to “field commander” [109]. These are

both symbolic and substantive changes signaling that the entire culture of the band has

changed.

d. Judicial Affairs’ Centralized Database

The University has purchased a centralized database (Maxient), which is utilized by Judicial

Affairs for allegations of Student Code of Conduct violations, which could include allegations for

members participating in the Marching Band [110] [111]. This database is accessible to staff in

Judicial Affairs for tracking allegations of Student Code of Conduct violations at the University

as recommended by the BOG. For allegations related to the band, the Music Compliance

Officer may request a list of disciplinary actions from Judicial Affairs each semester and prior to

42


any group travel or participation in a FAMU sanctioned event. As Judicial Affairs makes

appropriate judgments about student rights and allegations of Student Code of Conduct

violations, its staff will inform the Special Assistant to the President, the FAMU DCSS, the Chair

of the Department of Music, and the Music Compliance Officer as needed. Maxient is the

system used by University of Central Florida (UCF), Florida International University (FIU),

Florida Atlantic University (FAU), University of West Florida (UWF) and University of North

Florida (UNF), all in the State University System of Florida, to serve a similar function at those

institutions.

e. Coordinated Efforts of Department of Campus Safety and Security

FAMU has coordinated the reporting process so that the timely referral of alleged conduct

violations reflects the new Department of Campus Safety and Security (DCSS) policy. The

FAMU DCSS’s standard practice is to forward hazing reports or any other criminal activity

information to the Office of Judicial Affairs. Information sent includes a cover transmittal, which

is signed by the Judicial Affairs officer acknowledging receipt, and faxed back to DCSS for their

records. The DCSS uses the same methodology for sending reports to outside entities (State

Attorney, Tallahassee Police Department, Leon County Sherriff’s Office, Florida State University

Police Department, etc.). The FAMU DCSS is able to track by fax transmission reports and the

signed transmittal receipt. Part of the Police Records Unit’s backup for report retrievals in the

event of system outage on its computer-aided dispatch (CAD) is maintaining a card file system.

In 2012, a searchable database (electronic card file) specifically on hazing reports was created

to track reports sent, inclusive of method (fax, hand delivery, email, addressee, date, case

number, etc.). FAMU DCSS amended its written policy/procedures (departmental general

orders) on reporting processes for the Office of Judicial Affairs to ensure timely notification and

enhanced communication [112].

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III. Impact of Changes and Effectiveness of Policies and Procedures

Florida A&M University is fully committed to providing a healthy, safe, and secure environment

for all members of the campus community. The University will continue to work diligently to raise

awareness about the hazards of hazing on both the local and national levels, while maintaining

its ongoing continuous improvement efforts to enhance the University’s healthy, safe, and

secure campus environment for the entire campus community.

In order to assess the impact of the changes outlined in this narrative and the underlying

change in the campus culture in regard to hazing, it is useful to review the incidents of hazing

reported during the period of January 2010 to November 2011, which included the height of

intake activity, compared to the reporting period of December 2011 to July 2013. In the January

2010-November 2011 period, there were 13 reports of hazing activity [113]. By contrast, during

the December 2011-June 2013 period, there were 30 allegations reported through the new anti-

hazing website (now the primary vehicle to report allegations of hazing activities) and other

means. This is indicative of the heightened sensitivity to reporting hazing at the University. In

addition, nine spam were received through the anti-hazing website. Of the 30 allegations, some

did not meet the definition of hazing. All allegations that met the definition of hazing were

investigated by Judicial Affairs, the Special Assistant for Anti-Hazing, and/or the Police

Department as appropriate. As a result, some of the actions taken included suspension and

probation of individual students following recommendations from the Judicial Affairs

Administrative Hearing Panel. A number of allegations reported were found not to involve the

Code of Conduct or criminal wrongdoing [69]. There have been no reports of hazing from April

4, 2013, to present. As a point of reference, there were generally no reports of hazing in

previous summer semesters either.

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In summary, Florida A&M University has taken many significant steps to provide a healthy, safe,

and secure environment for all members of the campus community since the November 2011

hazing incident. Immediately following the incident, several forums were conducted on campus

to heighten faculty, staff, and students’ awareness of the dangers associated with hazing. All

members of the campus community were reminded at these workshops that anyone who

desired to report safety concerns, including those associated with hazing, should contact the

Department of Campus Safety and Security immediately. The Marching Band was also

suspended indefinitely, but has since been reinstated beginning fall 2013. In addition, two new

positions were created: Special Assistant to the President for Anti-Hazing with the responsibility

to carry out the overall management of anti-hazing initiatives at FAMU and Music Compliance

Officer who has the primary responsibility for ensuring overall compliance in the Music

Department, including participation in the Marching Band.

FAMU has also worked collaboratively with and responded to external investigations by the

Board of Governors (BOG), the State University System of Florida, and the Florida Department

of Law Enforcement. In collaboration with the BOG, FAMU developed an extensive corrective

action plan to address each of the recommendations provided by the BOG regarding its

operations and its plan for maintaining a healthy, safe, and secure environment for its students,

with particular emphasis on anti-hazing initiatives. The BOG’s final report has been issued

[114], and the University has taken all appropriate actions necessary to further strengthen its

processes and procedures and to address all of the recommendations [115]. Subsequent to the

BOG report, FAMU worked collaboratively with the BOG to develop a corrective action plan to

address specific recommendations pertinent to the health, safety, and security of FAMU’s

students and employees [116].

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This narrative and supporting documentation demonstrate that FAMU takes reasonable steps to

provide a healthy, safe and secure environment, with systematic approaches to personal safety,

environmental safety, emergency preparedness and crisis management. In addition to the

general overall provisions, the University has also implemented specific, far-reaching, significant

changes to address hazing issues. Therefore, FAMU is in compliance with Comprehensive

Standard 3.11.2.

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NOTE: Some documentation contains confidential information that is being provided only to the

SACSCOC Special Committee.

DOCUMENTATION 1 Probation Sanction Letter 2 ERT Responsibilities 3 BIT Brochure 4 Sample of CRT Meetings on President's Calendar 5 Example of Actions Originating in Crisis Management Team 6 DHS Active Shooter Book 7 Sample “Presidents Crime Briefing” Report 8 Responsibilities of BIT 9 E-mail Informing FAMU Community of BIT 10 Residence Life Handbook 2012-2013 11 FAMU Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) Mission Statement 12 DCSS Mission Statement 13 Student Affairs Mission Statement 14 FAMU Anti-Hazing Website Screenshots 15 The FANG Student Handbook pp. 43-58 16 DCSS Crime Prevention Unit 17 Mutual Aid Agreements with Tallahassee Police Department and Leon County Sherriff’s

Office 18 Florida Statutes, 1012.97 – University Police 19 FAMU Safety Measures 20 Summary Results of 2012 Campus Safety Survey 21 2012-13 Annual Campus Security Report 22 2012 Crime Statistics 23 Public Safety Crime Log 24 Clery Report, Analysis and Summary of Actions Taken 25 Email Regarding Crestview Weather Alert 26 Screenshot of Blackboard Connect Portal 27 DCSS Examples of Safety Information on Website 28 DCSS Special Events Staffing 29 List of Unified Command Agreements 30 Executive Order 07-77 31 Enhancements following Executive Order 07-77 32 Summary of Collaborating Entities 33 Screenshot of EH&S website 34 EH&S Activities 35 Continuity of Operations Plan 2013 36 ER Team Meeting Agenda 37 Florida Statutes, 1006.63 - Anti-Hazing Statute 38 FAMU Regulation 2.028 39 Sample Anti-Hazing Workshop Rosters

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40 Sample of Anti-Hazing Workshop Agendas 41 Sample of Marching Band Anti-Hazing Workshop Agendas 42 Sample Rosters of Signed Anti-Hazing Statements 43 Anti-Hazing Acknowledgement 44 Sample By-laws 45 FDLE Letter that Reversed Dr. White’s Employment Status 46 Letters Dismissing Two Faculty Members Accused of Involvement in Hazing 47 Resume for Kawachi Clemons 48 Cancellation of 2012 Summer Band Camp 49 Board of Trustees Meeting Agenda 50 News Article on Student Responses to Anti-Hazing Events 51 News Articles on Other Institutions Suspending Marching Bands, citing FAMU Actions 52 New Anti-Hazing Website: StopHazingatFAMU.com 53 News Article on Anti-Hazing Pledge Required to be Signed by Students 54 Flyer and News Article on Anti-Hazing Town Hall Meeting with National Experts,

September 20, 2012 55 Press Release and Flyer, FAMU Hazing Prevention Week 2012 56 President’s Letter and Anti-Hazing Intake Policies and Procedures 57 Just the Facts September 2012 58 Just the Facts August 2012 59 SUS Campus Environment Matrix 60 Revised Regulation 2.012 61 Revised Regulation 2.013 62 Revised Regulation 2.028 63 Board of Trustees Agenda, June 2013 64 BOT Action Item: Approval of Student Code of Conduct Regulations 65 FAMUINFO E-mail Regarding Revised Regulations 66 Anti-Hazing Guidelines 67 Hazing Reporting Flow Chart 68 CORB Guidelines 69 Reports of Hazing after November 2011 and their Disposition 70 Revised FANG 71 E-mail Notifying Students of Changes to FANG 72 Music Faculty Agenda and Sign-in Sheet 73 Sign-in Sheets from Town Hall Meetings 74 Anti-Hazing Certificate of Completion 75 Anti-Hazing Plan 76 BOT June 6, 2012 Meeting Agenda 77 Chronicle of Higher Education News Article 78 Inside FAMU Article 79 Hiring Advertisement 80 Offer Letter to Bryan Smith 81 Resume for Bryan Smith 82 Smith Presentation to BOT

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83 Agenda for New Employee Orientation 84 NASPA Anti Hazing Pre-Conference Agenda 85 Resume for Deidre McRoy 86 List of Students Approved and Denied for Group Travel 87 List of Approved and Denied Students for Scholarships 88 Resume for Sylvester Young 89 Application Letter from Sylvester Young 90 Judicial Affairs Organizational Chart 91 Resume for Antoneia Roe 92 Resume for Jonathan Audu 93 Resume for Willie Wright 94 Resume for John Earst 95 Resume for Terrance Calloway 96 Required Documents and Forms for Clubs and Organizations 97 Greek Life Signed Anti-Hazing Agreements 98 Greek Life Signed Non-Hazing Compliance Forms 99 Greek Life Intake Timeline 100 Torque Case File 101 Delta Sigma Theta Case File 102 Gamma Sigma Sigma Case File 103 Student Organization Section of FANG, p. 43 104 Music Chair’s Letter to Concert Choir Director 105 FAMU Department of Music Student Handbook 106 Updated Fall 2013 Prospective Band Students Certification 107 Sample Email Regarding Adherence to Band Eligibility Requirements 108 Sample Agenda of Meetings Regarding Return of the Band 109 Changes in Band Terminology 110 Contract with Maxient 111 University Purchase Order 112 General Order 2.11 (Records, amended language only) 113 Reports of Hazing Activity from 2010 - November 2011 114 Report of BOG Investigation on FAMU Anti-Hazing Program 115 BOG Recommendations and FAMU actions taken 116 BOG Agenda and Minutes, March 2013

49