TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) -- Making a change. Friday, Florida A and M University leaders making the next step to get rid of hazing.
Friday, university leaders named a new anti-hazing administrator.
It's a newly created staff position.
It's a position that interim president Dr. Larry Robinson says change the culture of hazing and will start a new era.
Bryan smith is the latest to join Florida A and M university's leadership team.
Smith is now FAMU's special assistant to the president for anti-hazing.
“I think that his experiences outside of FAMU will make him a great candidate to work on these issues with various student organizations,” said Dr. Robinson.
It was a position created by FAMU leaders in an effort to rid the university of hazing.
The very issue that has held FAMU under national scrutiny, since the November 2011 hazing death of Marching 100 drum major Robert Champion.
Dr. Robinson says a big part of Smith's job is to thoroughly investigating and track any reports of hazing.
FAMU senior Anthony Siders says when it comes to getting rid of hazing, he wants more from university leaders than just talk.
“I want us to actually find practical solutions and practical situations that's going to move us forward,” said Siders.
To make the changes, Dr. Robinson says it's going to take the efforts of everyone, from the top down.
“There isn't a single pill or remedy to address the hazing. It's all of these things that we do together and all of these people working collectively,” said Dr. Robinson.
Again this is a newly created position that comes with a salary of 90,000 dollars.
Smith will start the new job on February 1st.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida A&M University (FAMU) has announced that Bryan F. Smith will serve as the new special assistant to the president for anti-hazing. Recently, Smith, who is a FAMU graduate, was the executive director/co-founder of Destined for Success Educational Services, Inc. in Decatur, Ga.
“We welcome Mr. Smith back to FAMU,” said Interim President Larry Robinson. “We are confident that with his expertise, he will ensure that all of the initiatives that have been put in place will be implemented.”
“I know this position will require a high level of communication with various entities around campus, with the local community and with investigative agencies,” Smith said. “It will be a demanding position but I am very confident in my abilities and I vow to be organized, timely, fair, proactive, open and honest, ethical and hard-working. It will be my goal to change any culture of hazing through a variety of strategies, to maintain an efficient reporting process for any allegations of hazing, to facilitate tangible informational sessions regarding hazing, to ensure that the Student Code of Conduct is being adhered to and to help maintain the integrity of the University.”
Smith received his juris doctorate from John Marshall Law School, a master’s degree in public management from FAMU and a bachelor’s degree in political science from North Carolina A&T State University.
He is registered as a certified mediator for the State of Georgia. He has been offered a salary of $90,000 and is scheduled to report to work on Feb. 1.
