In a op-ed in the USA Today, FAMU President James H. Ammons expressed his disagreement with a recommendation that made by the newspaper's editorial board.The USA Today's editorial board recently argued that "universities need to involve students in seeking productive alternatives to hazing — activities that can build teamwork and challenge students physically and mentally." It added: "Given FAMU's flailing attempts at banning the practice, replacing it might be a better option."
Ammons says that, despite the USA Today's well-meaning suggestion, FAMU remains committed to eradicating hazing all together.
From Ammons' op-ed:
Our top priority at Florida A&M University is to ensure and protect the safety of every person on campus. Accordingly, the FAMU Board of Trustees and the FAMU administration resolve to break the culture of secrecy that is a major component of institutionalized hazing. While we acknowledge the complexity of this challenge, our goal is to eliminate this pattern of destructive behavior from our campus.
As part of our ongoing efforts, the FAMU trustees are creating a Blue Ribbon Committee to examine hazing and ways to eradicate it from campus life. The university will honor the memory of our student Robert Champion, who died in a hazing incident, by establishing a new set of traditions across our campus that will result in a complete culture change and "zero tolerance" for hazing.
His death has touched us all deeply and has been a nightmare for the Champion family. Our prayers continue to be with them and with other students who have been impacted by similar incidents.
Read the full op-ed here.