As many as 100 ineligible individuals took field with Marching 100

FAMU’s internal review of Marching 100 program documents shows that as many as 100 academically ineligible individuals played with the band during the Florida Classic on Nov. 19. Caleb Jackson, Brian Jones, and Lasherry Codner, three of the defendants charged with the felony hazing against deceased drum major Robert Champion, were among the ineligible persons.

FAMU President James H. Ammons reported the information to the institution’s trustees on Tuesday. According to the Orlando Sentinel, Ammons' letter showed that  "of the 457 people who were listed on a FAMU roster of band 'travelers' at the beginning of the fall 2011 semester, 331 were FAMU students and 25 were employees."

"The university clearly has written guidelines that require marching band students to be enrolled at FAMU, FSU or TCC and in a specific band course," FAMU Chief Communications Officer Sharon Saunders said. "According to the Marching '100' Band Handbook, students cannot be issued a uniform unless their class schedule is submitted to the Department of Music. The University is reviewing this situation and ways to ensure that band guidelines are followed."

Chuck Hobbs, the Tallahassee attorney representing ex-FAMU band director Julian White, said that the Marching 100 staff did its job by requiring the performers to bring in a copy of their fall semester class schedules before uniforms were distributed.

"It is not under the auspices of the band staff or the Department of Music to make final determinations as to verification of enrollment," he said.

Hobbs did not explain how staffers with the authority to verify enrollment could do so for the Marching 100 if the band’s staff didn’t submit lists of names to the FAMU, FSU, and TCC registrar’s offices each fall before handing out uniforms.  According to the Tallahassee Democrat, Hobbs claimed that under past administrations "additional controls were in place to verify band student enrollment through the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and the Registrar's Office."

White's lawyer added that when it came to the per-diem payments given to those who traveled with the Marching 100, "student numbers are sent with band rosters for band travel per diem requests first to the Athletics Department. The Athletics Department then sends the roster and travel per diem requests to the university Controller's Office as per university policy. When the allotments come back to the Department of Music from the Controller's Office, the band staff trusts that the ability to distribute funds disbursed for use by enrolled students have been verified by those with authority to do so."

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is currently investigating "possible employee fraud and misconduct" within the Marching 100. FAMU terminated White effective Dec. 22, but then halted the disciplinary action at request of the FDLE. White remains on paid leave on an indefinite basis as FDLE agents continue their investigation.