of Florida A&M Disgruntled athletes wrote letters to University President Larry Robinson, expressing their concerns about the latest ruling and the current state of athletics.
last thursday night, FAMU has been informed by the NCAA that they have 26 unsanctioned or ineligible players.to exclude them Lost in Week 0 season opener in North Carolina.
On Friday, the Rattlers’ flight to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was delayed more than six hours as FAMU and the NCAA tried to resolve the issue.
FAMU footballers shared and expressed their grievances in a five-page letter signed by 89 players. Players said they were misadvised, underestimated and underrated.
Hours after the letter began circulating on social media, the university issued an emailed statement Monday evening, saying, “We are confident that our process has been effective and timely. We will continue to monitor our efforts and pursue all means to provide a great student experience for all our athletes.”
In the letter, the players said they would continue to kneel in protest after the game during the performance of the Marching 100’s Florida Song and FAMU alma mater “until important changes are made that promote a positive experience for students and athletes.” Said it was planned.
The team took to their knees in protest after Saturday’s 56-24 loss at UNC.
Player also said the ineligible player story was false and implied that “we weren’t playing in the classroom.” Pointed out the university’s procedural issues in the advice.
“While we have kept these issues within the University’s structure, they have not been satisfactorily resolved and we are issuing this statement to the Trustees and Board of Directors,” the letter said.
Other RATTERNEWS coverage
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► Vaughan Wilson says: ‘I’m fed up’ FAMU alumni urge President Robinson to support athletics and compliance
► My thoughts: FAMU took an early look at Jackson State and made the right decision to play UNC.thomas
Isaiah Land passes class but can’t play
The player claims in the letter that 2021 Buck Buchanan Award winner and Division I sacking leader Isaiah Lund I got the wrong advice in my summer class.
Land enrolled in three two-hour credit classes to get closer to her bachelor’s degree. He took a class and passed, but was disqualified last week on the grounds that he needed three more hours to be classified as satisfactory with his academic progress.
Rand tweeted on Sunday.”
The letter stated that FAMU had only one compliance officer who had no knowledge of or assistance with athletic compliance. With over 300 student-athletes, players wondered how one staff member could perform the task accurately and quickly.
“Having read articles in various media that ’26 FAMU football players have been ruled ineligible’ has seriously damaged the morale of our football team,” the letter said. “Underlying the problem is the fact that his academic advisory officers and his compliance officers are understaffed.
“The compliance office consists of one person with no expertise in athletic compliance. How can we expect this person to certify over 300 athletes in a timely manner?”
Player feels voiceless
FAMU is conducting final interviews for the new Athletics Director.
The university is about to welcome new recruits, but none of the student-athletes are on the 18-member selection committee. The player said the school needs to be open-minded by not excluding candidates who were not previously affiliated with FAMU.
“Regarding the next Athletic Director, the person selected will bring extensive management experience from successful NCAA member agencies, an efficient organizational structure model to address current existing staffing shortages, and a successful It is our belief that you should have a proven track record of fundraising,” the letter said. .
“The idea of putting people in a position because of their affiliation with FAMU does not appeal to us at all.Fresh ideas and innovation are needed for FAMU Athletics to achieve the level of excellence possible. .”
fewer tickets
When a player decides to commit and sign FAMU, this includes leaving home for a new location.
Players say the transition was complicated by late-arriving financial aid. Players were reportedly told, “It’s a new system and postings are taking longer than usual.”
In the letter, the player described these responses as “totally unacceptable. This funding delay has left us unable to pay for our basic needs.”
Previously, players received 4 tickets for family and friends to attend.
Exactly one week ago, players were informed that tickets would be reduced to two per player. This led families planning to attend to quickly buy tickets to the North Carolina game.
“Our families and support systems should not be burdened like this,” the letter said.
“Most of them cover hotel and travel expenses, and should require minimal effort from our sports administrators to facilitate match tickets.”
Players state that their experience at FAMU has not lived up to their expectations and expectations.
“Dr. Robinson, when we signed the agreement to become FAMU student-athletes, we agreed to perform to the best of our ability in the classroom, on the field, and in the community,” the letter said.
“If you have enough academic resources, a roof over your head, and a concern about whether you’re feeding your body, how can you realistically expect to perform at a high level?”
In a statement released by the university on Saturday morning, President Robinson promised change.
“The issues raised by these young men will receive ample of our time and attention and will be prioritized by our recently established Athletic Support Committee, which includes administrators and staff from across the university community. is my weekly senior leadership team meeting to review progress.
FAMU responds to soccer players’ concerns
On Monday night, FAMU issued a statement in response to a letter to the President of Rattler Football.
In its reply, the compliance team claimed to have completed the NCAA accreditation process on August 11th and properly evaluated for submission of the waiver on August 13th.
According to the university, 13 of the Rattlers’ 14 sports programs have met Academic Progress Rate (APR) requirements “despite rumors and disinformation to the contrary,” according to the NCAA’s November 2021 APR report. I was.
According to NCAA data released in June, the FAMU football team did not meet the threshold requirement of 930 with a minimum score of 901 in Division I.
FAMU did not name non-compliant programs in its release, but the university shared a compliance team. To achieve 100 percent compliance
“FAMU is committed to maintaining high standards and strictly adhering to NCAA guidelines,” the university said in a release.
Gerald Thomas III covers FAMU Athletics for the Tallahassee Democratic Party. Contact him by email at [email protected] or on his Twitter @3peatgee.
Follow Tallahassee Democrat on social media at Tallahassee Democrat (Facebook), TallahasseeDemocrat (Instagram) and @TDOnline (Twitter).
This article originally appeared in the Tallahassee Democratic Party. FAMU Football: Letter to university president raises players