Dance & Aux Forum

FAMU trustees are raising concerns about the search for a director of bands at FAMU.    

The search committee met Thursday afternoon.  However, during Wednesday's Board of Trustees meeting, Trustee Marjorie Turnbull said that it is critical candidates are thoroughly vetted.

She said, "Have they ever been hazed?  Have they ever hazed anyone?  Have they ever been involved with a band that had hazing?  If so, what did they do about it, and not just behind the scenes, but, publicly to eliminate hazing."

Turnbull added, "The media is going to be all over this story.  We don't want anything popping up after we hire the director.  So, I'm assuming that these questions have been asked, that we understand where each of the candidates are coming from on this."

Band director applicants interviewed online last month; and the final four candidates visited campus for face-to-face interviews.

The interim university president told the board that the committee did ask candidates about hazing.

Trustee Narayan Persaud said, "I beg to differ with the president here because the feedback I got from my representative on that committee said these questions about hazing were not asked.  They had sort of canned questions.  Unless we see those list of questions that were asked, I don't think we can; I need some verification."

The final four candidates include FAMU's assistant band director Shelby Chipman.

Committee members say they hope to hire someone by next week.

Tallahassee, FL - The countdown to a new FAMU Band Director is on.

This person will replace Dr. Julian White. He retired in may in the wake if the Robert Champion hazing investigation.

Right now there are four finalists, and the search committee met for an hour this evening at FAMU, as they inch closer to a decision.

No decision was made tonight as to who will be the next person to take the helm of famu's marching 100.

Today, FAMU went through the reference checks they were able to complete.

Their goal is to contact at least 3 references for each person before making any recommendation to the president.

The four finalists for the position are:

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) -- Florida A&M University may announce in the next few weeks when its famed band will return.

   The Marching 100 was suspended in the aftermath of the death of drum major Robert Champion. Champion died more than a year ago following a hazing ritual.

   Interim President Larry Robinson told FAMU trustees on Wednesday that he's not yet ready to announce when the band will return.

   Robinson said that the university needs to finish other steps first, including hiring a new band director before he can decide when the band will perform again.

   FAMU currently has four finalists for director, including three with ties to the band.

   One university trustee wanted assurances from FAMU officials that each of the candidates is asked how they would respond if hazing incidents arise again.

   Robinson will have more information to share at the next trustees meeting. That date has yet to be made.