The following comes from her interview with the editorial board:
Q: Has the university recovered after the hazing scandal, as
it relates to rebounding enrollment numbers?
A: I believe that we have recovered from that, if that is
the reason students chose not to come to FAMU, and I'm not really convinced
that's the reason why enrollment declined...Much of it had to deal with the
availability of financial aid, the economic downturn and people not being able
to afford an education....I think many institutions would be challenged if that
[hazing] were the reason why students chose not to come, because hazing is a
problem in America — and it's a problem on most campuses. The fact that FAMU
was highlighted was grave and disappointing, but it's a part of our culture at
every college and institution. We do our best to make sure we have a safe
environment for our students, and FAMU has done an awful lot, probably more
than most colleges.
Mangum came to FAMU in 2014 from Cornell University, where
she was vice-president of budget and planning. Back when she interviewed for
the FAMU presidency, she spoke about how Cornell worked to crack down
on hazing and make the campus safer after the February 2011 death of George
Desdunes. Desdunes, a 19-year old pre-med student from Brooklyn, died after
consuming large amounts of alcohol during a Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) fraternity
ritual.
Three former Cornell SAE pledges were later acquitted of
first-degree hazing charges as well as charges of unlawfully dealing with a child (for allegedly serving alcohol to an individual
under the age of 21). The court did find the fraternity guilty of hazing.
Desdunes’ mother filed a $25 million wrongful death lawsuit
against SAE and a number of its members. Her lawsuit alleged that her son “was
kidnapped by fraternity pledges” who then “compelled him to consume alcohol
until he lost consciousness.”
But the lawyers who successfully defended the three pledges in
the criminal case said Desdunes gave his consent to participate in a “mock
kidnapping” ritual and that his alcohol consumption was “wholly voluntary.” They also said he had been drinking a large amount of alcohol before he agreed to take part in the ritual.
Cornell disbanded its Sigma Alpha Epsilon chapter after the
incident. The enrollment at Cornell did not drop after the 2011 hazing death.
FAMU suspended its Marching 100 band in 2011 after 26-year old drum
major Robert Champion died from injuries he suffered during a hazing ritual
that took place on November 19 of that year in Orlando, Florida.
Champion’s parents, who are pursuing a wrongful death
lawsuit against FAMU, have claimed that their son did not give his consent to
be hazed. But an investigation by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office concluded
that Champion “willingly participated” in the hazing ritual that left him dead.
The FAMU Board of Trustees approved a new comprehensive
Anti-Hazing Plan in 2012. It introduced new band regulations that included a
four-year cap on the number of years a student can participate in music
department bands, a requirement that all band members be enrolled full-time at
FAMU, and a ban on practices that are not supervised by music department staff.
The Marching 100, under its new director, has not had any
reported incidents of hazing since it returned in 2013. The band has increased the
number of chaperones who travel with it during out-of-town trips in order to
provide better supervision of the students.