Eyewitnesses detail confrontation between athletic director Sykes and donor

A social event at the recent FAMU NAA Convention took a dramatic turn when embattled FAMU Athletic Director Tiffani Dawn Sykes created a commotion with Erica Hill, a member of the FAMU Foundation Board. The incident occurred when Hill approached Sykes to discuss the status of the Rattler Athletic Fund's (RAF) Legacy Society, an exclusive group of donors contributing $25,000 or more each year.

 

Over the past two and a half days, Rattler Nation conducted interviews with more than 27 eyewitnesses and reviewed three videos of the incident to obtain an accurate account of what happened.  Here's what we learned: Hill, a founding member of the RAF Legacy Society, approached AD Sykes and politely tapped Sykes on the shoulder (nothing serious) and leaned in to ask her if they could move to a quieter area to have a  conversation. 

Several witnesses report that what began as a polite request was met with unexpected hostility from Sykes, who responded loudly and animatedly, shouting, "Oh, so you're putting your hands on me? You trying to hit me or something?"

 

Things then intensified as Sykes accused Hill of failing to support the university, shouting at Hill, "You ain't did shit for the university."  This caught several folks in the area off guard.  Witnesses said, Marquel Broussard, Executive Assistant to the Athletic Director, got up from her seat and intervened by telling Sykes, "You don't need to worry about her cause she (Hill) ain't nobody!"

 

Hill, who has a fully funded endowed scholarship in her name in the School of Business and Industry (SBI), was visibly shocked by the outburst.  As the commotion grew it prompted FAMU Women's Basketball Coach Bridgette Gordon to jump between the two women to try to defuse the situation, witnesses said.

 

The incident sparked a wave of concern among attendees at the event, raising questions about the professionalism and conduct of the Athletic Department's leadership. Many attendees expressed disappointment over the public confrontation, emphasizing the need for unity and respectful dialogue, especially among university leaders and major donors.

A persistent problem

Sykes one and a half year tenure has been marked by misstep after misstep after misstep.  The troubles began with the botched Orange Blossom Classic negotiations, followed by a series of gross misrepresentations.The situation worsened at the home football opener against UWF, where long lines led to many missing the start of the game. Fans took to social media to express their frustration, with one declaring, "The lines were longer than the ones at a Beyonce concert. The AD gets an F today. Truly sad."

This was followed by the news of a projected $817,000 athletic budget deficit under Sykes' watch, despite her inheriting a department with a nearly $300,000 surplus. On top of that, she overspent her operating budget by $146,752 (108 %) 

The pinnacle of discontent, however, came during the month-long search for a football coach. Sykes' perceived incompetence, ineptitude, arrogance, and frequent lies were on full display, undermining the trust of the Rattler fanbase. The Executive Board of the FAMU National Alumni Association delivered a resounding blow with a 19-1 "no confidence vote" in Sykes' leadership.

The fallout from this incident left many many hoping for a quick resolution that reinforces the core values and mission of the university.