White: "They gave me a check for every name that I gave them"

FAMU's ex-Director of Bands Julian E. White continues to deny responsibility for failing to make sure every Marching 100 member was an eligible student.

White admits that he "missed a cue," but says it wasn’t his job to verify the enrollment status of band members before he submitted their names for per diem checks.

"They gave me a check for every name that I gave them, so those persons are qualified to receive the money," White said. "And that’s where we differ, the university and myself, differ."

FAMU’s recent internal review of Marching 100 documents found that 101 ineligible individuals were on White’s Fall 2012 roster.

White blames the senior administration for not verifying the enrollment status of each individual on his list.

"Before we make a trip…I am required to submit a list of names for them to be issued per-diem," White said. "Well that list is submitted to the Athletic Department and then after the Athletic Department receives it, it goes to the controller’s office, who in turn gives the check for us based on the names that we have submitted…The final decision to issue checks should be after a complete review that a student is in fact eligible to receive per diem."

The former band director did not directly acknowledge the fact that no ineligible individuals would have received checks if he hadn’t included their names on the per diem list in the first place. White also didn’t state whether he ever informed the Athletic Department or controller’s office that the per diem lists he gave them hadn’t gone through the enrollment verification process.

Previous administrations handled the enrollment verification process for band activities in different ways. According to the Tallahassee Democrat, former President Frederick S. Humphries required the dean of Arts and Sciences to secure enrollment verification for the members of the band. Former Interim President Castell Bryant said her office checked the enrollment verification of the band roster before each trip.

The Ammons administration says White had a duty to make sure that all Marching 100 members were eligible.

"Based upon my understanding, Dr. White was the ultimate recruiter and gatekeeper of those participating with the marching band including those who we have come to learn were not appropriately enrolled," Vice President for Legal Affairs and General Counsel Avery McKnight said in a written statement.

The Democrat reported that White "said he made it known that next year, those not properly enrolled in the band class would be forbidden from participating in the marching band."