Rattler Nation

"Boyz in the Hood" actress to speak at FAMU

2012-02-25T00:01:00.001-05:00

Actress Tyra Ferrell, who starred in Boyz in the Hood alongside Morris Chestnut and Ice Cube, will speak about her experiences researching her role and filming the movie during a question & answer period on Sunday, Feb. 26. The event will take place after the screening Boyz in the Hood in Lee Hall Auditorium.

Ferrell portrayed the mother of Ice Cube and Morris Chestnut's characters in Boyz N the Hood. She also has numerous other screen credits including White Men Can’t Jump, The Perfect Score, Jungle Fever, and Poetic Justice.

The veteran performer, who boasts more than 30 years of acting experience, studied at the University of Texas, Austin. She is married to Diop Kamau. They have a daughter, Amina Kamau. Ferrell's passions now include teaching, consulting, and managing her production company.

Ferrell's appearance is part of the "African American Films" event sponsored by FAMU, the Tallahassee Film Festival and the Tallahassee Film Society.

Essential Theatre presents unconventional Oedipus

2012-02-24T00:01:00.000-05:00

Two different cultures will collide in the FAMU Essential Theatre’s unconventional production of Oedipus Rex from February 22 through February 26. This presentation of Sophocles’ Greek tragedy explores the use of contemporary hip-hop and rap music to introduce the classical play to new audiences.

“This will be the first time since 2006 that the Essential Theatre has offered a classical piece to our patrons,” said Luther D. Wells, director of the production. “I wanted to do something out of the ordinary, and since the Oedipus story is often taught in schools, I saw this as an opportunity to stir more interest in a younger audience.”

Oedipus Rex is the story of one man caught between free will and the prophecy of the gods. Fated at birth to kill his father and marry his mother many knows how the tragic story ends.

However, Wells’ reinvigorating styling, coupled with Paul Roche’s skillful modern translation and the infusion of original hip-hop compositions by Kawachi Clemons, Isaac Carter, and Terrance Jordan, a collaboration with the FAMU Music Industry program, the production gives you something fresh to look forward to.

Roche’s translation contains the traditional conventions of classical tragedies. Scenic episodes are separated by choral odes, which also contain verse recitatives that Wells thought would lend itself well to the rhythms that hip hop captures.

“I think the rhythms of the classical language respects the rhythms of both genres,” said Wells. “So while the main action of the play is steeped in traditional restraint, the Greek chorus who danced and chanted anyway, just raps to a more contemporary beat.”

Thompson appointed to Microsoft board of directors

2012-02-23T00:01:00.001-05:00

Earlier this week, Microsoft Corp. announced the appointment of FAMU alumnus John W. Thompson to the company's board of directors. He is the only African American in the ten-member group.

“John has extraordinary technology and business expertise, and we are delighted that he is joining Microsoft’s board of directors,” said Bill Gates, Microsoft chairman.

Thompson currently serves as CEO of Virtual Instruments, a privately held company located in San Jose, Calif., whose products are designed to ensure the performance and availability of applications deployed in virtualized and private cloud computing environments. Since 2009, Thompson has been an active investor in early-stage technology companies in Silicon Valley.

Thompson served as chairman and CEO of Symantec Corp., helping transform Symantec into a leader in security, storage and systems management solutions. During his 10-year tenure as CEO from 1999 to 2009, Symantec’s revenues grew from $632 million to $6.2 billion, and its worldwide workforce grew to more than 17,500 employees. Thompson stepped down as CEO of Symantec in 2009, and stepped down from Symantec’s board of directors in 2011.

Previously, Thompson held a number of leadership positions at IBM, including sales, marketing, software development and general manager of IBM Americas. He was a member of IBM’s Worldwide Management Council.

“John brings a wealth of experience, from enterprise customers to individual consumers, as well as the insights that come from running a successful large global software company and a fast-emerging startup. He will be a great addition to our board,” said Steve Ballmer, Microsoft CEO.

“I am honored to join the Microsoft board and work with this exceptional team,” Thompson said. “Microsoft has been a leader across the entire information technology landscape for decades, and I look forward to sharing my experiences and contributing to the future direction and growth of this global leader.”

Thompson currently serves on the board of United Parcel Service, and he has served on a number of government boards and commissions, including the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission, the National Infrastructure Advisory Committee, and the Silicon Valley Blue Ribbon Task Force on Aviation Security and Technology. He formerly served on the national board of Teach for America, an organization dedicated to eliminating educational inequities for all children.

He received a bachelor of business administration from FAMU and a master’s degree in management from the Sloan Fellows program of the MIT Sloan School of Management.

In addition to Thompson, Microsoft’s board of directors consists of Bill Gates, Microsoft chairman; Steve Ballmer, Microsoft CEO; Dina Dublon, former chief financial officer of JPMorgan Chase; Raymond V. Gilmartin, former chairman, president and CEO of Merck & Co. Inc.; Reed Hastings, founder, chairman and CEO of Netflix Inc.; Dr. Maria M. Klawe, president, Harvey Mudd College; David F. Marquardt, general partner at August Capital; Charles H. Noski, vice chairman of Bank of America Corp.; and Dr. Helmut G. W. Panke, former chairman of the board of management at BMW AG.

West, Jefferson elected to lead SGA

2012-02-22T12:44:00.008-05:00

In 2012-2013, Marissa West will become the first woman to represent the FAMU student body on the university Board of Trustees since Monique Gillum.

West, a Chicago native who currently serves as president of the Student Senate, is the new student body president-elect. Her vice-president will be Michael Jefferson, the chief of staff for current FAMU Student Body President Breyon Love.

Both were among the 1,200 students who marched with Love on Dec. 15 to protest Gov. Rick Scott's attempt to pressure FAMU trustees to suspend President James H. Ammons.

"I would definitely say that he's overstepped his bounds," West told the Miami Herald that evening. "Our Board of Trustees is more than capable of making this decision."

She added that she was offended when Scott told the FAMU students he could relate to them because he grew up in a poor family that lived in public housing.

West is a member of the Beta Alpha Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Jefferson is a member of the Alpha Eta Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.

Emere wins MEAC triple jump title

2012-02-22T00:01:00.000-05:00

Steve Emere, one of Coach Wayne Angel's prize recruits this season, didn't disappoint during this year's Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Indoor Championships. He leaped 15.58m (51-05.50) on his last jump to take the gold medal in the triple jump.

The Rattlers, who fought through several injuries this season, finished sixth overall.
Coach Darlene Moore's Lady Rattlers finished fourth.

FAMU makes way for new Polkinghorne

2012-02-21T00:01:00.000-05:00

FAMU President James H. Ammons personally initiated the demolition of the old Polkinghorne Village yesterday with a series of mallet blows to the roof and exterior wall.

Polkinghorne, which has been closed since 2004, sits next to the Student Services Center and Bragg Memorial Stadium. The old building is being completely torn down to make way for a brand new facility.

"We want to be 15,000 students over the next five years. One of the problems that we have in recruiting students to the university is the condition of our existing housing stock," Ammons told The FAMUan. "This is the beginning. It's going to allow us to begin closing other residential halls maybe renovating or demolishing them."

Back in August 2011 Rattler Nation reported that FAMU has pared millions from the original estimated price tag of $63M by adding two stories to the design. FAMU Chief Financial Officer Teresa Hardee told The FAMUan that the revised total cost should be no more than $48M.

The two additional stories will save money by reducing the total number of buildings in the complex. That will generate even more savings by opening space to place the required storm water runoff controls on the property’s surface, as opposed to the more expensive option of using an underground system.

Trustees who want Brogan to push FAMU president around should step aside

2012-02-20T00:01:00.004-05:00

Back when Chancellor Adam Herbert refused to support Sandy D’Alemberte’s bid for a medical school, Florida State University supporters didn’t tell their president to do a better job of getting along with him. They rallied behind legislation that axed Herbert’s job and authorized a medical school in spite of him.

FAMU President James H. Ammons’ decision to push for a College of Dental Medicine has left him on bad terms with Chancellor Frank Brogan and the Florida Board of Governors (BOG). Even though the FAMU Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve Ammons' dental school proposal, the results of the presidential evaluation show that some trustees are getting cold feet. An anonymous group of trustees has a problem with the fact that the chancellor, who is one of the biggest adversaries of the dental school, clearly isn't a fan of Ammons.

In Ammons’ 2010-2011 evaluation, his lowest score came for his relationship with the State University System of Florida (SUS) chancellor and BOG. The evaluation results were split, overall. According to the Associated Press, consultant Edward Penson “told trustees he had never seen such variation in any other collegiate job review he's worked on.”

If Ammons continues to stand behind proposals like the FAMU dental school, he has no chance of getting along with Brogan. The trustees who want Ammons to be liked by the chancellor do not want FAMU to have a president who was as strong as D’Alemberte.

In 2007, D’Alemberte recalled how Herbert did not appreciate his request for a FSU College of Medicine.

“We made a presentation to the Board of Regents [BOR],” D’Alemberte said. “The chancellor did not support us.”

He also remembered how it was clear that the BOR had already made up its mind to vote down the proposal before he even submitted his project feasibility report.

“I’m convinced that the people on the Board of Regents staff who were responsible in the area decided early on they did not want to see another medical school, and that they never really studied the documents,” D’Alemberte said. “In think they decided there were so many needs of higher education in Florida. Medical education already eats up so much of the available resources. We don’t want more medical schools because of that.”

Brogan and the BOG also used Florida budget to question the need for a FAMU Dental School. But Florida’s tough budget did not stop them from approving a new College of Pharmacy for the University of South Florida in 2008 or a new College of Medicine for Florida Atlantic University in 2010.

FSU supporters fought back against Herbert by backing bills in the Florida Legislature that abolished the BOR and established a FSU medical school through law. The campaign was led by then-Fla. House Speaker and FSU alumnus John Thrasher. They all understood that universities don’t get anywhere letting a statewide governing board push them around.

Any trustee who does not want Ammons to fight BOG opposition to a FAMU dental school as hard as D’Alemberte fought BOR opposition to a FSU medical needs to resign and stay the hell out of the university.

National Jurist: FAMU Law tops for government job placement

2012-02-19T00:01:00.001-05:00

In it's January 2012 issue, which looked at the best schools for Public Service, National Jurist magazine listed the FAMU College of Law among the nation's top schools for job placement in the government sector. With 26 percent of graduates placed in government-based fields, FAMU is one of three Florida law schools included. The list included only 20 schools and were not ranked.

“Obtaining a law degree is one of the most impactful ways to bring about transformative change through public service," said LeRoy Pernell, FAMU College of Law Dean. "I am pleased that we are recognized for placing our graduates in positions that will allow them to make a positive contribution their communities.”

According to National Jurist, roughly 6.6 percent of law students nationally enter government, which includes local, state and federal jobs. Although many of the schools on the list are located near state capitals or in Washington D.C., the state-of-the-art FAMU College of Law campus is located in the metropolitan Orlando area, just blocks from internship opportunities at state and federal buildings.

The College of Law also offers externship opportunities through its Legal Clinic Program (also nationally recognized) for public defender, prosecution and death penalty. Pro bono programs in Public Interest Law offered through the Legal Clinic also provide exposure to potential opportunities. In addition, the Office of Career Planning and Placement offers assistance to current students and alumni in job placement and interview readiness.

“We encourage our students to capitalize on every activity offered through our office,” said Elizabeth Dorworth, assistant director for career planning and placement. “It is our hope that through quality programming provided to our law students, as graduates they will be poised to make significant contributions within the legal profession.”

The office constantly posts internship and job opportunities through the Symplicity system and to FAMU law student e-mail accounts. Students also submit resumes for critical review and analysis, and participate in mock interviews, with alumni and local attorneys often evaluating their performance.

In January, the Office of Career Planning and Placement hosted representatives from the Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps, among others, for brown bag workshops. The office is also planning on-campus interviews (OCI) this semester with Second Circuit, Public Defender's Office; Ninth Circuit, State Attorney's Office; Tenth Circuit, State Attorney's Office; and the United States Air Force JAG Corps.

National Jurist magazine compiled the honor roll based on the percent of graduates employed in each field, curriculum offered at the law school, the area's standard of living and loan repayment assistance programs.

2012-02-19T00:00:00.000-05:00

We're updating the HBCU Blog often: Ray Charles Foundation demands return of $3m gift to Albany State

Cheaper than the FAMU Bookstore, over 225 FAMU T-shirts and speciality items to choose from we are bound to have one just for you online at: Florida A&M Team Store

Alumnus Maurice Allen to appear on Golf Channel

2012-02-18T00:01:00.000-05:00

Growing up in Pine Hills, Fla., FAMU alumnus Maurice Allen’s father always encouraged him to play golf. For Allen, he says it was not in his plans, but the naturally talented 28-year old made his mark in the golf world his own way.

“A friend bet me that I wasn’t athletic enough to hit the golf ball a certain distance,” he said. “With my seven iron (club), I hit the ball 230 yards.”

In January 2010, Allen broke a world record for swing speed — swinging his club 161 miles per hour.

“My dad was there and he’s a big golfer,’ Allen said. “ I think it meant more to him than it did to me. He was very happy about it.”

Allen, who earned his degree in biology in 2010, will be featured on the Golf Channel this month for his record. The disciplined athlete has traveled throughout Europe, Central America, the Bahamas and all around the United States for various competitions.

Allen cites God and his parents for being his driving forces.

“Everything I’m doing now is because of the people who came before me,” he said.

At FAMU, Allen was an All-American on the Men’s Track Team. He also ran in the Olympic trials in 2004.

He is a member of the Minority Golf Club; YMCA in Tangelo Park in Orlando, Fla., the OMYGA (youth golf group in Orlando), and First Tee in Orlando. He says the best part about his profession is being able to speak to kids and letting them know they can make a difference.

He said, “I tell them to ‘Follow your gut. Don’t tell people your dreams because they may try to wake you up.’”

FAMU student launches one-woman protest during Carroll’s address

2012-02-17T13:33:00.009-05:00

Shortly before getting up from her seat during the middle of Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll’s campus speech, FAMU senior Ciara Taylor posted a copy of the protest statement she planned to read on her twitter page.

The script entitled "How Dare You" appeared in a cell phone photo along with a copy of the FAMU Black History Month Convocation program. (Posted below)

Taylor then walked out into the aisle of Lee Hall Auditorium and began shouting her message toward the guest speaker. A startled Carroll paused and looked at Taylor before returning to her speech.

FAMU police officers escorted Taylor out of the building as she yelled “FAMU Forever!” 20 other students also exited in a show of support for her.

Taylor only gave a veiled warning about her intentions before Carroll’s visit. Yesterday, she tweeted: “It’s about to go down: I hope you are ready #FAMU.”

On Feb. 8, Taylor wrote an article in the student newspaper covering FAMU’s decision to invite Carroll to serve as the Black History Month Convocation speaker.

Taylor is the co-founder of a student activist group named Grand Theft Education that has launched numerous protests against the K-20 budget cuts supported by Gov. Rick Scott’s administration. She chose to demonstrate against Carroll due to anger about comments that the lieutenant government made concerning Martin Luther King, Jr.

The comment that made Taylor upset came as part of statement that Carroll made on Jan. 15, 2012. “When the governor selected me to be his running mate, he did not look at the color of my skin, he looked at the content of my character and my integrity and work ethic, and what I brought to the table. This is the dream of Dr. King that was realized for me,” Carroll said.

"The way that Scott's administration has been in terms of you know the minority community in Florida, the working class community, the student community, the elderly. These are not representations of Doctor Martin Luther King's dream at all," Taylor said.

She was also among the 1,200 FAMU students who marched to the Governor’s Mansion on Dec. 15, 2011 in protest of Scott’s attempt to pressure the Board of Trustees to suspend President James H. Ammons.

Taylor had some choice words for the governor that night when he told the FAMU students he could relate them because he grew up in a poor family that lived in public housing.

“We’re not all poor!” Taylor shouted.

FAMU inks articulation agreement with TCC

2012-02-17T00:18:00.000-05:00

FAMU President James H. Ammons and Tallahassee Community College (TCC) President Jim Murdaugh signed a specialized articulation agreement during the Feb. 9 FAMU Board of Trustees meeting. The primary goal of the agreement is to further strengthen the relationship between FAMU and TCC.

The agreement establishes a transfer program in which an undergraduate student will attain an associate’s degree from TCC and then transfer to a bachelor’s degree program at FAMU. After completing the academic requirements of the two participating institutions, the students will have earned an associate of arts degree from TCC and a bachelor’s degree from FAMU.

"This articulation agreement will assist students transferring from Tallahassee Community College to FAMU with transition processes, enrollment in academic programs and scholarships," Ammons said. "Dr. Murdaugh and I have been in discussions concerning this agreement for more than a year. Our recruitment goal is to increase the number of transfer students to FAMU by 20 percent each year and Tallahassee Community College will play an integral role in the university reaching that goal."

This articulation agreement accomplishes the mission of both institutions, which is to provide educational opportunities to all students dedicated to the advancement of knowledge, resolution of complex issues and the empowerment of citizens and communities. In addition to the agreement, TCC now has a new resource room in the Student Union, “The Rattler Room,” that will be operated by FAMU staff.

FAMU has established scholarships for students transferring from TCC with A.A. and A.S. degrees ranging from $1,500 to $5,000 annually based on a student’s grade point average.

FAMU releases 2012 football schedule

2012-02-16T00:34:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, FAMU unveiled its 2012 football schedule. The Rattlers aim to improve on last season’s 7-4 record and compete earn the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) crown.

With a core of returnees and a host of promising newcomers, FAMU will start the season with a visit to Nashville, Tenn. on Sept. 1 to face the "Big Blue" Tigers of Tennessee State. The match-up will be the first for the Rattlers and Tigers since the 2010 Bank of America Atlanta Football Classic.

The Rattlers and Tigers had previously mixed it up in the Atlanta Football Classic for 13 straight years before the "100 Black Men of Atlanta" brought in the Jaguars of Southern University as the Rattlers' opponents last season.

Another highlights of the 2012 season will be a Sept. 8 road game against the Oklahoma Sooners and

The Bank of America Atlanta Football Classic, which takes place annually on the final weekend of September, will take place on Sept. 29 in the Georgia Dome. This will mark the second consecutive year the Rattlers will face the Jaguars of Southern University in the classic. Last season, FAMU freshman quarterback Damien Fleming led the Rattlers to three second half scores to defeat the Jaguars 38-33.

Homecoming is scheduled for Oct.13. The Rattlers will take on the Savannah State Tigers in Bragg Memorial Stadium.

Keep Torey and his baggage far away from FAMU vice-chairmanship

2012-02-15T00:01:00.001-05:00

Now that Richard Dent has stepped down from the FAMU Board of Trustees, the race is on to claim his former position as vice-chairman. It looks like Torey Alston has his eye on the job.

Trustees should immediately scratch Torey’s name from the list of potential nominees. His election would be a public relations nightmare for the university.

Former FAMU student Marcus Jones, who attempted to join the Alpha Xi Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi while Torey was the chapter president, was paddled with wooden canes and punched during unauthorized rituals.

Jones did not directly accuse Torey of participating in the hazing. But he did mention Torey’s name in an account of the early stage of the pledging process that he told the St. Petersburg Times. Jones’ accusations suggest that Torey knew of the fraternity's activities and turned a deaf ear.

If Torey is elected vice-chairman, you can expect the St. Petersburg Times to place a recap of its Jones trial coverage on the Associated Press wire. Cable television channels and newspapers across the nation will rush to ask Jones what he remembers about Torey’s actions (or inactions) while the hazing was in progress.

Gov. Rick Scott should also expect reporters to confront him with lots of questions about Torey, too. He has some explaining to do concerning his decision to appoint Torey to the FAMU Board of Trustees in the first place.

“Hazing should be strictly condemned on our college and university campuses and by any organization associated directly or indirectly with our institutions,” Scott wrote in a December 1, 2011 letter to the State University System of Florida chancellor. “It must be clear to everyone that hazing or any other form of harassment will not be tolerated under any circumstances.”

Didn’t Marcus Jones’ comments in Florida’s largest newspaper raise any red flags? Why did Scott think Torey’s appointment was a good idea? It is said that the governor and Florida GOP have a lot invested in Torey's future. But politics should not be placed above the good of a public university.

Torey has too much baggage for a public university Board of Trustees that says it wants to stamp out hazing.

Jennings protégé bails from FAMU board

2012-02-14T15:08:00.008-05:00

Bill Jennings has been working hard to keep morale high among the trustees who’ve joined him in trying to run President James H. Ammons out of the university. But the long string of failures is taking its toll and frustration is setting in.

Rufus Montgomery, who Jennings assisted in an unsuccessful attempt to suspend Ammons, didn’t even bother to show up at last week’s presidential evaluation meeting. The effort to pressure Ammons to leave by giving him extremely low scores didn’t get anywhere. Those low scores were balanced out by the more objective feedback from trustees who are not in Gov. Rick Scott’s pocket.

Now, Jennings protégé Richard Dent is calling it quits. Dent’s exit is the biggest loss for Jennings since R.B. Holmes got booted from the Board of Trustees back in 2010.

The Florida Board of Governors appointed Dent to the FAMU Board of Trustees in 2007. He became vice-chairman in 2011 back when Jennings was chairing the board. He was widely expected to seek the chairmanship that year with Jennings’ support.

Before the election date, Rattler Nation reported that there was a possible deal in the works to make Jennings the head of the presidential evaluation committee and/or keep him on as the chief negotiator for making revisions to Ammons’ contract.

The majority of trustees did not want a younger version of Jennings in the chairmanship. It became apparent shortly before the meeting that Dent did not have enough votes to be a competitive candidate against Solomon Badger. Trustees still let Dent save face by letting him hang on to the vice-chairmanship.

Dent’s respect on the board declined even more when he assisted Jennings’ failed attempt to remove the super-majority clause from Ammons contract. Dent told the press that his concern was about aligning Ammons employment agreement with those of the other State University System Presidents.

"No matter who is in this seat, I believe this board would propose to not have a contract structure that is anomalous," Dent said.

Many board members questioned why he and Jennings were so desperate to get rid of that super-majority clause when the current and immediate past president of Florida Atlantic University had the same clause in their employment agreements.

It soon became clear that the board’s current membership had no intention of electing Dent chairman anytime soon or even taking him seriously as a leader.

Lawsuit: Bus driver “forced” injured Champion back onto vehicle

2012-02-14T00:09:00.005-05:00

A lawsuit filed by Robert and Pam Champion alleges that Fabulous Coach Lines driver Wendy Millette stood guard outside the bus on which their son was being hazed. They also claim that she “forced” him back onto vehicle when he came out the bus door to vomit.

According to the lawsuit: “Defendant Millette was standing ‘guard’ at the door of the bus to monitor ingress and egress to Bus C. Defendant Millette, upon seeing the injured decedent, ignored the apparent health risks of (Champion) vomiting…Defendant Millette advised (Champion) that he would be alright as she forced him back on the bus.”

The Champions have not answered press questions about how Millette actually “forced” the victim back on board. Robert Champion weighed 235 pounds and was more than six feet tall. Nor are there any details about how or why Champion entered “Bus C” on November 19.

“Am I suggesting that this bus driver hit him? No,” said Champion family Attorney Christopher Chestnut. “Am I suggesting that she knowingly aided and abetted? She opened a bus, it was running, the air condition is on. If that’s not participation, then I don’t know. You availed a venue.”

The civil action asks for more than $15,000 in damages. It is a negligence and wrongful death lawsuit. Ray Land Productions, Fabulous Coach Lines, and Millette are all named as defendants.

The Champions claim that the bus company regularly assigned Millette to drive “Bus C” because she was "familiar with the hazing rituals and would allow it."

Further allegations in lawsuit state that Champion went through two hazing rituals on November 19. One is described as “Crossing Bus C” where “pledges run from the front door of the bus to the back, down the center aisle, while initiated members of the ‘Bus C posse’ launch punches, slaps, kicks. Should the ‘pledge’ fall to the bus floor... he is then dragged back to the front of the bus" to start over.”

The second ritual name by the lawsuit is the “Hot Seat” where “a pillow case or other object is placed over the victim's head, preventing oxygen flow to the nose and mouth. The victim is asked questions by the hazer. If the victim answers a question correctly the object is lifted to allow oxygen. During this time, the victim is punched, slapped, kicked or hit.”

In December, Fabulous Coach Lines owner Ray Land told the Associated Press that the bus driver was outside assisting the band members who were unloading instruments when Champion collapsed on the vehicle. He says she and the rest of the drivers did everything they could to help after they learned that the drum major was hurt.

Discredited Rufus declines to show face at presidential evaluation meeting

2012-02-13T00:01:00.002-05:00

Back when he tried to make Gov. Rick Scott happy by asking FAMU trustees to suspend the university president, Rufus Montgomery used a football comparison.

“If the quarterback has thrown seven interceptions, you pull him from the game,” he told the Board of Trustees on December 8.

Rufus apparently took his own advice last Wednesday by voluntarily benching himself. After failing to get the job done for Scott, he didn’t even bother to show up or call in for the board’s presidential evaluation meeting.

So much for the Florida governor’s quarterback on the FAMU Board of Trustees.

Rufus made a big mistake on December 8 by assuming he actually had enough respect among the other trustees to be taken seriously. He turned off a number of board members during the first months after he received his appointment by bragging about how politically important he thinks he is.

To make things worse, Rufus’ ego would not let him see that he didn't even have the votes to get rid of President James H. Ammons. He only got Bill Jennings and Charles Langston to vocally support his motion to oust the president.

Rufus seemed to be counting on the support of Richard Dent, Karl White, and Torey Alston. He failed to understand that the three of them are in a much different position than Jennings and Langston. Jennings and Langston are retirees and do not have much to lose reputation-wise.

Dent and White are employed by big companies and have to be careful about how they represent their workplaces. Alston is running for the Broward County School Board and doesn’t want to turn the local FAMU alumni voters against him. None of them can afford to be pure political hacks like Rufus who just wait for GOP higher-ups to tell them what to do.

Seven days after Rufus dropped the ball, Scott finally went public to show that he was the real leader behind the push to remove Ammons from office. That led the governor to get a scolding from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and a weeks of negative headlines. All that embarrassment would have been avoided if Rufus had delivered a victory for the governor on December 8.

With all his fumbles at FAMU, it is no wonder that Rufus didn’t suit up to play last week.

OT: Pop Icon Whitney Houston dead at 48

2012-02-12T10:22:00.001-05:00

There's still no word on the cause of Whitney Houston's death this afternoon, but the LA Times has pretty thoroughly described the circumstances surrounding it. Whitney died in Los Angeles, in the Beverly Hilton. She was 48-years-old, and was in town to attend a tribute to Clive Davis, and intended to join the revelries at Mr. Davis's pre-Grammy party this evening. She was found in her hotel room by a body guard, who called for paramedics at approximately 3:30 p.m. The paramedics performed CPR for 20 minutes, and Whitney was pronounced dead at 4:00 p.m. She is survived by her 19-year-old daughter, Bobbi; her mother, Cissy Houston; her cousin, Dione Warwick; her godmother, Aretha Franklin; several hundred million fans; many others.

According to published reports, the singer spent her last days surrounded by family, catching up wit old friends and doing a bit of what she was known best for: singing.

Watching Whitney sing "My Own Strength after the jump....

Moscow Festival Ballet's Swan Lake heading to FAMU

2012-02-12T00:01:00.000-05:00

FAMU Lyceum Series will present the Moscow Festival Ballet on Thursday, March 1 at 7:30 p.m. in Lee Hall Auditorium. Sergei Radchenko, founder and artistic director of this world-renowned ballet company, will capture the splendor of classical dance through the poignant tale of love and hope that is Swan Lake.

Swan Lake is a full-length ballet in four acts with music by Tchaikovsky and choreography by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov. This very famous ballet and its music first premiered in 1877. The story tells of Odette yearning for freedom as she awaits Prince Siegfried’s declaration of love and her release from a swan’s body. Tricked by the sinister von Rothbart, Siegfried mistakenly courts the look-alike Odile but eventually finds his swan in the end.

The Moscow Festival Ballet’s performance “…deserved bravos within minutes of the opening steps,” exclaimed the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

The Chronicle (N.C.) praises the dancers for giving “an impressive performance of a classical ballet, energized with dramatic expression and sensational steps.”

The Moscow Festival Ballet infuses elements of the great Bolshoi and Kirov Ballet companies within the framework of Russian classic ballet. Founded in 1989 by legendary principal dancer Sergei Radchenko, a troupe of dancers from across Russia began the company with new productions of timeless classics such as Giselle, Don Quixote, Paquita, and Carmen.

Born in 1944, Sergei Radchenko graduated from the Moscow School of Dance in 1964 and then joined the Bolshoi Ballet, where he worked for 25 years. He danced the entire repertoire at the Bolshoi, but enjoyed a special reputation for Spanish dance, particularly the role of the bullfighter in the Bizet-Shchedrin Carmen Suite. He has achieved a remarkable feat in the establishment and development of this young but great Russian Ballet company. Radchenko presents a large number of master-classes, inviting leading teachers from the Bolshoi and Maryinsky theatres to ensure the continuation of the rich traditions of the Russian classical school.

Since its inception, the Moscow Festival Ballet has completed two tours of Europe with extraordinary receptions in Italy, France, Spain, Germany, and the Netherlands. The company has also performed with great success in Turkey at the Istanbul Festival, in Greece at the Athens festival, and at London’s famed Coliseum.

Today, the Moscow Festival Ballet continues to expand its repertoire under the artistic direction of Radchenko. It specializes in Twentieth Century full-length ballets such as Cinderella, Romeo and Juliet, Legend of Love, Stone Flower, and The Golden Age.

The Moscow Festival Ballet’s visit to FAMU is part of a four-month coast-to-coast tour of the United States for the 2011-2012 season.

FAMU names new director for retention

2012-02-11T00:01:00.000-05:00

Brenda C. Spencer is the new director of retention in the Office of Academic Affairs at FAMU. In this role, she will be responsible for developing and implementing strategies to increase the retention, progress and graduation rates of students attending FAMU.

Prior to her current appointment, Spencer played an integral role in the grant proposal and planning process for the FAMU proposed dental school.

“I am excited about returning to my alma mater and having the opportunity to positively impact the lives of students,” said Spencer. “I believe that retention is everyone’s responsibility as it relates to how we interact with students on a daily basis. It is important to show students that we care and equip them with the tools and skills needed to achieve academic and career success.”

Spencer has extensive experience in counseling students with academic, personal and career issues; academic and student affairs administration; transfer and articulation; testing and adult and workforce education. She is a member of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), National Academic Advising Association (NACADA), American Grant Writer’s Association (AGWA), among other professional organizations.

Spencer is a native of Tallahassee and a FAMU graduate. She received her bachelor’s degree in computer information systems and a master’s degree in adult education administration from FAMU and a Ph.D. in higher education administration from Florida State University with an emphasis in minority student retention issues.

Ammons establishes research initiative on hazing

2012-02-10T00:03:00.001-05:00

FAMU President James H. Ammons has established a $50,000 research initiative that will give FAMU professors an opportunity to study the nature and extent of hazing among campus organizations and groups.

“Hazing is one issue that many colleges and universities face; yet, it presents a serious challenge to uncover and address as a hidden culture, shrouded in secrecy,” said Ammons. “I want our faculty members to be leaders in finding solutions and creating a body of work as FAMU becomes a part of this national discussion on hazing.”

The announcement of the research project comes on the same day the FAMU Board of Trustees announced the appointment of the FAMU Anti-Hazing Committee, an independent committee tasked with providing recommendations on determining the most effective and indelible approach to end hazing on campus. Both the Committee and grants are part of FAMU's overall efforts — both immediate and long-term — to eliminate hazing.

The “FAMU Anti-Hazing Research Initiative with a “Focus on Evidence-Based Measures” will offer small grants for faculty to conduct collaborative research across disciplines to study the nature and extent of hazing behaviors among campus organizations and groups.

This anti-hazing research initiative will serve as a mechanism to stimulate additional FAMU participation in research to help better understand hazing at FAMU and around the nation that will lead to the development of strategies to eradicate hazing from our midst. The specific focus areas of this initiative:

1. Promote interdisciplinary approaches to study the nature and extent of hazing behaviors among student organizations, unofficial sub-groups and off-campus entities;

2. Develop strategies that offer alternatives to hazing and promote respect and dignity;

3. Develop novel approaches to eliminating the fear of retribution and encourage unencumbered reporting when hazing incidents occur to include administrative structure, alignment and reporting; and

4. Identify effective education, training, communication, and awareness mechanisms for existing students, faculty, staff and alumni as well as new entrants into the university community.

“As academicians across this country engage in research in this area, we want to ensure that FAMU is represented in a very significant way among these scholars,” said Ammons. “We view this as seed money for faculty to be involved into the greater pool of resources available to address this issue.”

FAMU launches independent Anti-Hazing Committee

2012-02-10T00:01:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, the FAMU Board of Trustees announced the appointment of an Anti-Hazing Committee. The independent committee tasked with providing recommendations on determining the most effective and indelible approach to end hazing on campus. It will work in unison with the ongoing efforts of the FAMU community to address the issue of hazing.

The FAMU Anti-Hazing Committee's members were selected based on input from the board, administration, faculty, students and alumni. The members are as follows:

• Stephen Craig Robinson (Chairman) – Former U.S. District Court Judge and current partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom;

• Dr. Na’im Akbar – Clinical Psychologist and Former President, National Association of Black Psychologists;

• Dr. Elizabeth Allan – Professor, University of Maine and Co-Director, The National Collaborative for Hazing Research and Prevention;

• Dr. Michael V. Bowie – Executive Director of Florida Fund for Minority Teachers & former national president of the National Pan-Hellenic Council;

• David Brewer – Former Vice Admiral of the United States Navy and Superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District;

• Dr. Mary Madden – Professor, University of Maine & Co-Director, The National Collaborative for Hazing Research and Prevention;

• David Starnes – Band Director and Professor of Music at Western Carolina University.

Trustee Belinda Shannon assembled the FAMU Anti-Hazing Committee initiative on the board’s behalf. She will continue to work as liaison between the trustees and committee members.

“We are extremely grateful that these distinguished individuals have chosen to work with FAMU to help us find solutions to a problem that has persisted for far too long, both at the college and even high school level,” Shannon said.

The committee will be asked to examine the following issues:

• Hazing at other universities and how has it been handled?
• Getting students to resist hazing; what has worked?
• How do we best govern the Marching “100” and its activities?

The committee’s work will result in findings and recommendations to be presented to the FAMU Board of Trustees for consideration and approval.

Jennings fails to score knockout blow against Ammons in evaluation process

2012-02-09T00:10:00.002-05:00

In what may his last time evaluating a FAMU president, Bill Jennings failed to make much headway in his goal of unseating President James H. Ammons.

Jennings, Richard Dent, Charles Langston, and Karl White were not expected to give Ammons positive evaluations even before Gov. Rick Scott asked for the president’s temporary removal back in December. They all previously tried to get rid of the super-majority clause in Ammons’ contract, which would have made it easier to dismiss the president. Ammons’ refusal to give in to their demands seems to have only increased their determination to build a pathway for his exit.

There was pressure for other trustees to give the president extremely negative feedback in the aftermath of Scott’s failed attempt to get Ammons suspended. But it was too little, too late. The evaluation only covers Ammons’ performance from July 30, 2010 to July 1, 2011. Consultant Edward Penson completed his interviews with trustees before the Nov. 19 homicide of drum major Robert D. Champion gave Scott an excuse to start trying to push FAMU’s trustees around.

The majority of the Board of Trustees refused to even entertain the idea of re-doing the interview process.

According to the Associated Press, Penson “told trustees he had never seen such variation in any other collegiate job review he's worked on.”

Yesterday, Penson read anonymous trustee comments that urged Ammons to increase fundraising, speed up the process of fulfilling certain administrative positions, and improve communication with board members.

Jennings has less than a year left to continue his increasingly personal face-off with the FAMU president. His term on the board ends on January 6, 2013.

Civil rights heroine Due leaves storied legacy

2012-02-09T00:08:00.001-05:00

Patricia Stephens Due, 72, long-time civil rights leader whose activities spanned from Tallahassee to Miami, and across the nation, has died after a valiant, two-year fight with cancer that exemplified her life.

“We are deeply sadden by the death of Mrs. Due and have lost one of the nation’s foot soldiers for social justice and civil rights movement,” said FAMU President James H. Ammons. “It was the work of Mrs. Due that inspired generations of Rattlers to stand up and fight for their beliefs. We will never forget her contributions to this city, state and nation, which spurred a national movement. She was a courageous woman and we are proud to call her a FAMUan.”

Due died two weeks shy of the 52nd anniversary of her leading role in the student sit-ins in Tallahassee, Fla. in February 1960. As a 20-year-old college student and founding member of the local chapter of the inter-racial group Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), Due, along with her sister, Priscilla, and three other Florida A& M University (FAMU) students spent 49 days in jail rather than pay fines after being arrested for sitting at a Woolworth lunch-counter, launching the nation’s first "jail-in" during the civil rights movement.

The jail-in became one of the most powerful tactics used during the civil rights movement. While in jail, Due received a telegram from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., stating: "Going to jail for a righteous cause is a badge of honor and a symbol of dignity. I assure you that your valiant witness is one of the glowing epics of our time and you are bringing all of America [to] the threshold of the world's bright tomorrows."

During her jailing and a subsequent national speaking tour to bring attention to discrimination in the South, in addition to King, Due was lauded by Jackie Robinson (who sent her a diary to record her experiences in jail), Mrs. Daisy Bates (of the Little Rock 9), James Baldwin, Harry Belafonte, John H. Johnson, and Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, among others.

Throughout her life, she wore dark glasses because her eyes became sensitive to light after a police officer lobbed a teargas bomb in her face in 1960.

Despite all of her community activities, Due's family always remained her first priority. She lived in Quincy, Fla., with her husband. In addition to her husband, she is survived by her three children, Tananarive Due, a Spelman College professor, novelist, journalist and screenwriter in Atlanta; Johnita Patricia Due, a media lawyer and chief diversity adviser for CNN in Atlanta; and Lydia Due Greisz, an attorney in Dallas; five loving grandchildren; as well as her sister Priscilla Stephens Kruize of Miami and her brother Walter Stephens of Atlanta.

Details about Due's memorial service, which will be held in FAMU's Lee Hall Auditorium, will be forthcoming.

Jennings aiding attack on Ammons like he aided attack on Humphries

2012-02-08T00:01:00.010-05:00

If you ever want to know where Bill Jennings stands on a FAMU issue, the best place to ask is the Florida Governor’s Office. In his nearly 12 years on the FAMU Board of Trustees Jennings has always done exactly what the incumbent governor wanted him to do without regard for how it might harm his own alma mater.

Back in 2001, Jennings was the top sidekick of Jeb Bush crony Jim Corbin as he attacked former President Frederick S. Humphries. In 2012, Jennings is now working side-by-side with Rick Scott crony Rufus Montgomery to fulfill the governor’s goal of seating a new FAMU president who is more to his liking.

Humphries was appointed president in 1985 during the governorship of Democrat Bob Graham. He became a rising star in the Democratic Party during the two terms of Gov. Lawton Chiles. The Clinton White House loved Humphries. In July 1998, U.S. President Bill Clinton asked Humphries to run for Florida education commissioner (which was still an elected position at that time), but Humphries respectfully declined.

The Jeb Bush Years

Jeb Bush was not happy about Humphries’ cozy relationship with the Democratic Party or the Clintons. In January 2002, he put Jim Corbin, one of his big campaign donors, on FAMU’s newly created Board of Trustees to change the direction of the school.

Jennings went along with everything that Corbin did until Jeb left office in 2006. He worked hard during the 2002 and 2005 presidential searches to help Corbin's cronies gain control of the university. Jennings also stood by Corbin and former Athletic Director J.R.E. Lee, III in pushing the poorly planned D-IA move that made FAMU a laughingstock in the national media.

Jennings’ support for Corbin remained strong as Corbin and his other followers like Challis Lowe and Castell Bryant accused Humphries of leaving FAMU in a financial mess. Those charges came despite the fact that all the Florida auditor general audits of FAMU's annual financial statements were spotless during the Humphries years.

The Charlie Crist Years

Once Charlie Crist became governor in 2007, Jennings separated himself from Corbin’s group. He voted to hire Ammons, Humphries’ former provost, as president that year. Crist was not the type of GOP partisan that Jeb was and had no personal problem with Humphries or Ammons.

Jennings did little to pick fights with Ammons while Crist was in office.

The Rick Scott Years

Jennings turned against Ammons in 2010 shortly before Rick Scott was inaugurated in January, 2011. Jennings’ ego was apparently bruised because he was seemingly getting the “lame duck” treatment as he headed toward the end of his term as board chairman (August 4, 2011) and the final year of his appointment (which is set to expire on January 6, 2013). At that point Jennings launched an unsuccessful attempt to remove the super-majority clause from Ammons’ contract.

Ammons’ sour relationship with Scott provided a new opportunity for Jennings to seek revenge. Scott has never liked the fact that Ammons is a big supporter of U.S. President Barack Obama. Rattler Nation learned that there was likely some unhappiness with the membership composition of anti-hazing task force Ammons appointed in late 2011. Apparently, the group had too many Democrats and even, worse, too many Crist supporters.

FAMU’s task force lacked any of Scott’s big supporters. A number of the members were well-known “Crist Democrats.” Co-Chair Bob Butterworth was Crist’s former secretary of the Department of Children and Families. Co-Chair Walter McNeil served as Crist’s secretary of the Department of Juvenile Justice and, later, Crist’s secretary of the Department of Corrections. Former state Sen. Alfred “Al” Lawson endorsed Crist for the U.S. Senate. Attorney Daryl Parks supported Crist’s gubernatorial campaign.

The governor’s office seemed to take FAMU’s task force appointments very personally. The Florida Democratic Party is openly flirting with the idea of recruiting Crist to challenge Scott in 2014.

Jennings was one of only two trustees who verbally supported Rufus Montgomery’s proposal to place Ammons on administrative leave at the Dec. 8, 2011 board meeting. Shortly afterward, Scott went public to show that he was real leader behind the push to suspend Ammons.

For nearly 12 years, Jennings has shown that his main goals on FAMU’s board are to obtain titles that make him feel important and follow the agenda of the Florida Governor’s Office without question. He has never had a sincere dedication to looking out for FAMU.