FAMU's Marching 100 Making a Comeback

Florida A&M University's Marching 100 band will be returning this fall, Interim President Larry Robinson announced this morning.

The band had been suspended from practicing, performing, or even meeting since the November 2011 hazing death of drum major Robert Champion. The incident occurred on a band bus following the Florida Classic football game in Orlando. A wave of resignations followed Champion's death, after the hazing culture at the university was spotlighted. Band director Julian White resigned from his position, and former FAMU President James H. Ammons resigned last July, the very same day Champion's family filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against FAMU.

A new director of bands, Sylvester Young, was hired in May.

FAMU has begun to fight hazing across its campus. The universitycreated two new positions devoted to combating hazing, and also created a compliance officer position in the music department and a special anti-hazing assistant who will report directly to the president.

In addition to the new positions, the university also started an anti-hazing website where students can report hazing anonymously.

But that hasn't necessarily stopped hazing at the university. During the 2012-2013 school year, FAMU received over 20 allegations of hazing in student organizations. Two student organizations were suspended as a result.