FAMU Board Rejects Scott's Call to Suspend Ammons

The Florida A&M board of trustees agreed to keep President James Ammons in his position, rejecting Gov. Rick Scott's call for his suspension pending the results of a state investigation into the hazing death of a band member.

"The board wants to reaffirm its authority per Florida statute," said board Chairman Solomon L. Badger III in a statement during the Monday morning meeting.

"To clarify for everyone, the members of the FAMU board of trustees are clear about our role as a governing body and, more importantly, we take very seriously our responsibility to maintain and protect the integrity of the university. We will stand firm against outside influence, regardless of how well-intended."

Scott had strongly recommended the FAMU board of trustees' suspend Ammons pending completion of the results of the investigation into the band, along with reports of financial misconduct.

Scott sent out a statement Sunday night expressing disappointment at the tone of thedebate over his call for Ammons' suspension.

I have not singled out Florida A&M University as I immediately called on all universities throughout the state to examine their hazing and harassment policies and requested that the state's 11 public university presidents also remind their students, faculty and staff of how detrimental hazing can be," Scott stated in the release.

The Orange County medical examiner on Friday reported that Robert Champion, the 26-year-old drum major at FAMU whose death sparked the ongoing Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigation, died as a result of a soft tissue hemorrhage incurred by blunt-force trauma sustained during a hazing incident.

The board, which will hold a review of Ammons' job performance in early January, agreed to meet weekly to review updates on the ongoing investigation into the hazing death of a member of the Marching 100 band and possible fiscal misconduct.