Florida A&M board votes no-confidence in its president

June 8, 2012
James Ammons has been under fire since drum major died last year in a hazing ritual

From The Tallahassee Democrat: Despite a second public rebuke by the university's board of trustees, Florida A&M President James H. Ammons is vowing to stay on and address the problems plaguing the university. Eight of the 12 sitting board members supported a no-confidence vote against Ammons. The move marked the second time in about six months board members expressed their displeasure with the president's performance. At a December board meeting following the hazing death of drum major Robert Champion, a majority of trustees voted to publicly reprimand Ammons.

Earlier...

MAY 2012...from The Orlando Sentinel: During the Nov. 19 hazing ritual that eventually claimed his life, Florida A&M University drum major Robert Champion was beaten with drum sticks and bass-drum mallets, according to evidence released by prosecutors. According to a band member quoted in the documents, Champion went through the "hot seat" hazing ritual involving suffocation before he "crossed over" — or was pummeled as he made his way from the front to the back of the bus. Champion, 26, was the last of three band members to be hazed on Bus C after the Florida Classic in Orlando.

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