By GARY FINEOUTThe Associated Press

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. —Florida A&M University’s famedmarching band is being suspend-ed for at least one more schoolyear as officials try to cleanse thehazing culture that led to the deathof a drum major, the school’spresident said Monday.

FAMU President JamesAmmons said the Marching 100should stay off the field at leastuntil a new band director is hiredand new rules for the band havebeen adopted.

Eleven FAMU band membersface felony charges in theNovember hazing death ofRobert Champion, while two oth-ers face misdemeanor counts.The band has been banned fromperforming since soon after hedied, and band director JulianWhite recently retired after it wasrevealed that at least 100 bandmembers were not students whenChampion died.

“There is no question the bandmust be restructured – there aremeasures we feel we must take,”Ammons said.

Ammons was already underpressure from many state officials– including Gov. Rick Scott – tokeep the Marching 100 sidelineduntil other ongoing investigationsinto the band are completed.

The Marching 100 has had arich history, performing at SuperBowls and in inaugurationparades. The band has been one ofthe main draws during FAMUfootball games, and some boardmembers wanted to know Mon-day if the decision to keep theband off the field until 2013would impact ticket sales.

But several trustees toldAmmons on Monday that theysupported his decision to keep theband suspended.

Travis Roberts, a 25-year-oldclarinet player from Fort Laud-erdale who has been in the bandfour years, said he also agreedwith the decision. Roberts, whosaid he has never been hazedbecause he chose not to be, wantsto make sure the university takesreal steps toward addressing theissue.

“What do we do in that oneyear process to make sure thesethings do not happen again?”Roberts asked. “We lack consis-tency at times, and this is some-thing that needs to change. ... Noone has taken accountability forwhat has happened. This thingdidn’t start only five years ago.This thing has happened the past50 years.”

Rayshun Head, a 22-year-oldstudent, also said the move was

necessary to make sure the hazingstops.

“If they don’t address this andthings continue to happen and itcould be the next person, some-one else’s son or daughter coulddie over a hazing situation, soFAMU’s got to do what it has todo,” Head said.

Champion’s death was just oneof several hazing incidents in thepast year.

Aaron Golson, who wascharged this month in the Cham-pion case, had previously beencharged with battery and hazingfor allegedly beating band mem-ber Bria Hunter to initiate her intothe “Red Dawg Order” – a band

clique for students who comefrom Georgia. Golson initiallypleaded not guilty in the Huntercase, but his attorney announcedMonday that Golson wouldchange his plea later this week. Itwas not clear if he would plead nocontest or guilty.

Ammons tried to fire White lastNovember. But White’s dismissalwas placed on hold while thecriminal investigation unfolded.He insisted that he did nothingwrong and fought for months toget reinstated.

That changed last week afterAmmons reported to trustees thatthree of those charged in Champi-on’s death weren’t FAMU stu-

dents at the time.Meanwhile, state authorities

continue to investigate the band’sfinances.

Frank Brogan, the chancellorof the State University System ofFlorida, wrote a blunt letter lastweek urging Ammons to keep theband suspended while the investi-gations continue. The state uni-versity system has its own probeinto whether FAMU officialsignored past warnings about haz-ing.

Pam Champion, the mother ofRobert Champion, has said thatthe band should be disbanded sothe university can “clean house.”

Chris Chestnut, an attorney for

the Champion family, said theywere “relieved” by the decision tokeep the suspension intact foranother year.

“The family is a huge support-er of the band and the institutionof FAMU, but they have graveconcerns about the safety of stu-dents in that band, due to thelack of rules and regulations,supervision and oversight,”Chestnut said. “I think they aresomewhat relieved. They aredisappointed that all of thiscould have been avoided ifFAMU had paid attention towhat was going on in that bandfor the last few years.”

The Champion family has

already told FAMU they plan tosue the university.

FAMU has already begun mak-ing some changes followingChampion’s death – including anew regulation requiring thoseattending, visiting or working atthe school to tell police within 24hours about any hazing incidents.

Ammons said Monday that theuniversity is looking at new rulesfor the band, including academicstandards for band members, lim-its on eligibility and increasingthe number of adults who mustaccompany the band on out-of-town trips. Champion died on aband bus outside an Orlandohotel.

DAILY NEWS, BOWLING GREEN, KENTUCKYPAGE 4B - TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012 Learning

FAMU marching band suspended another year

Janitorgraduateswith honorsBy VERENA DOBNIKThe Associated Press

NEW YORK — For years,Gac Filipaj mopped floors,cleaned toilets and took out trashat Columbia University.

A refugee from war-tornYugoslavia, he eked out a livingworking for the Ivy Leagueschool. But Sunday was paybacktime: The 52-year-old janitordonned a cap and gown to gradu-ate with a bachelor’s degree inclassics.

As a Columbia employee, hedidn’t have to pay for the classeshe took. His favorite subject wasthe Roman philosopher andstatesman Seneca, the janitorsaid during a break from hiswork at Lerner Hall, the studentunion building he cleans.

“I love Seneca’s lettersbecause they’re written in thespirit in which I was educated inmy family – not to look for fameand fortune, but to have a simple,honest, honorable life,” he said.

His graduation with honorscapped a dozen years of studies,including readings in ancientLatin and Greek.

“This is a man with greatpride, whether he’s doing custo-dial work or academics,” saidPeter Awn, dean of Columbia’sSchool of General Studies andprofessor of Islamic studies. “Heis immensely humble and grate-ful, but he’s one individual whomakes his own future.”

Filipaj was accepted atColumbia after first learningEnglish; his mother tongue isAlbanian.

For Filipaj, the degree comesafter years of studying late intothe night in his Bronx apartment,where he’d open his books after a2:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. shift as a“heavy cleaner” – his job title.Before exam time or to finish apaper, he’d pull all-nighters, thengo to class in the morning andthen to work.

On Sunday morning in thesun-drenched grassy quad ofColumbia’s Manhattan campus,Filipaj flashed a huge smile and athumbs-up as he walked off thepodium after a handshake fromColumbia President LeeBollinger.