U.S. Rep. Wilson Working on Federal Anti-Hazing Legislation

With a state investigation continuing into the death of a Florida A&M band member, U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Miami, plans to bring her fight against college hazing to the federal level.

Wilson announced Tuesday she is working with the president of historically-black colleges and universities, along with band members and Greek-letter organizations, to craft a federal anti-hazing bill that will be filed when Congress reconvenes next month.

Hazing is demeaning, dangerous, and, sadly, deadly, Wilson stated in a release. Its time that we put an end to this horrible and humiliating ritual once and for all, so that no more students suffer the way that Robert and others have.

The Orange County medical examiner has 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 examiner ruled the death a homicide.

Since the hazing death investigation began, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement has also informed university and state university officials of potential fraud involving employees at the school. Another report indicated that a now former FAMU student was arrested in October on charges he molested an 8-year-old in May. The arrested student attended the universitys Development Research School.

The three reports spurred Gov. Rick Scott to publicly suggest that FAMU President James Ammons be suspended until the investigations were complete. The FAMU board of trustees on Dec. 19 rejected Scotts suggestion. Instead, 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 and possible fiscal misconduct.

The release from Wilsons office noted that she fought hazing during a four-year reign as South Atlantic regional director for Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, where she was nicknamed by a Miami Herald reporter as The Haze Buster.

I am having policy discussions now with presidents of historically-black colleges and universities, band members and presidents of Greek-letter organizations so that we will be able to craft a strong bill for introduction next month, Wilson stated in the release.