FAMU has placed two members of its music faculty on administrative leave.Diron T. Holloway, associate professor of music and director of clarinets and saxophones, and Anthony E. Simons III, assistant professor of music for euphonium and tuba, have been placed on administrative leave with pay. The suspensions were executed yesterday, March 28.
According to the written notice sent to the faculty members, this administrative action occurred due to “allegations of misconduct and/or incompetence involving reports and allegations of hazing within the Department of Music and the Marching ‘100.’”
The details of the alleged hazing incident, which reportedly occurred off-campus in 2010, were outlined in a report released yesterday by the Tallahassee Police Department (TPD).
An anonymous student said that he and approximately 13 other men were hazed while pledging FAMU’s Delta Iota Chapter of the Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity. The student claimed that he and fellow pledges were slapped on the back and neck and paddled on their buttocks during a ritual that took place in 2010 at Holloway’s off-campus residence. He said Holloway and Simons were present.
The matter is currently under administrative and legal review and investigation at FAMU.
“It is extremely disturbing that this incident is alleged to have taken place,” President James H. Ammons said in statement released on March 28. “Although the Tallahassee Police Department report is dated March 20, 2012, the University was made aware of this report today. The allegations of hazing, which appear to have occurred off-campus in 2010, are currently under further administrative and legal review. The University will take appropriate action against faculty members or students, up to and including dismissals."
The anonymous student interviewed by TPD originally reported the alleged hazing incident to FAMU music professor Longineu Parsons, who told ex-FAMU band director Julian White on Nov. 21, 2011. White informed the FAMU Department of Public Safety that same day.
TPD learned about the alleged incident from a media report on Jan. 20, 2012. The FAMU police report for the case said that the information would be transferred to TPD. TPD received the case file on Jan. 23 and began its investigation on that date.
The Associated Press reported that “State Attorney Willie Meggs' office declined to prosecute because of uncertainty by the witnesses over when the hazing happened. There's only a two-year statute of limitations for misdemeanor hazing. It's three years for felony hazing, but that requires proof of great bodily harm, which wasn't present in this case.”