Ohio State University has fired the director of its marching band and is expanding an internal investigation that uncovered a deep culture of sexual harassment among students that reportedly has existed for years.
The two-month investigation, triggered by the complaint of a parent, revealed a cascade of evidence that students routinely harassed one another –– often directed at new band members by older students –– and that director Jonathan Waters knew about it or should have known.
Waters, 38, was ousted from his post effective today, OSU President Michael V. Drake said. Details of the investigation are laid out in a 23-page report obtained by The Dispatch.
>> Read the report
>> See video of the band's halftime performances
>> See photos from Jon Waters' career
Drake said he was disappointed by the findings and the firing, but that all of the university’s senior leaders agreed to the dismissal after reading the report.
“We care about what is happening when we are looking, but we also care about what is happening when we are not looking, and our leaders have a responsibility to set that standard and to enforce it,” Drake said in a Dispatch interview this morning.
“We’re looking for a future where that band can continue to thrive and do wonderful things, but some of the aspects of how the band was guided are not acceptable in the modern world,” he added.
Reached by phone this afternoon, Waters declined to comment but referred calls to Columbus lawyer David Axelrod.
"Jonathan tried as hard as he could within the constraints imposed upon him to change that culture. He did his absolute best," Axelrod said.
Waters has not decided whether he will fight his firing or take legal action, Axelrod said. "Jonathan has not decided precisely what action he will take," he said.
"He intends to defend his good name in one way or another."
Examples of abuse include an annual midnight band practice at Ohio Stadium in which men and women were expected to march wearing only their underwear. In one recent year, a student suffered alcohol poisoning at the practice. Students led the rehearsal, but staff members, including Waters, were there, too.
Some other traditions: All new band members, or “rookies,” were given nicknames, many of which were sexually explicit. Rookies were forced to perform “tricks” on command. In one case, a female student was told to imitate a sexual act on the laps of other band members, including her brother.
Several witnesses said that students performed a “flying 69” on tour buses, in which band members hung from the luggage racks and posed in a sexual position. Waters was on the bus when that happened as recently as last fall, according to a band staff member who quit last year.
The staff member told investigators she resigned from the band because Waters would not address alcohol abuse on that trip.
An “unofficial” songbook was part of the evidence that investigators provided to university leaders, with raunchy lyrics set to school songs at other colleges.
The report is a heavy blow to a marching band that, since Waters took over in 2012, has seen a swift rise to national fame. Waters was seen as a pioneer for giving all students iPads to chart dazzling halftime shows that routinely drew millions of viewers to online videos. Waters has been the face of the band, appearing on national talk shows as an expert on marching bands.
Last year, the band –– known as the “pride of the Buckeyes” and the “best damn band in the land” –– appeared in a dramatic TV ad for the iPad.
But behind that glamour, some witnesses said, there was a “culture of intimidation” that kept secret the long traditions that bothered some students. Some had complained and said they were ignored.
The investigation included interviews with several band members, staff members under Waters and the director of the school of music at Ohio State.
The University Office of Compliance and Integrity, created following a scandal that featured Jim Tressel and Terrelle Pryor, led the investigation, which started on May 23. Title IX, a federal law that bans discrimination and harassment, sets requirements for investigating this type of complaint, including a 60-day deadline for resolution.
Many if not all of the traditions predate Waters, but OSU leaders concluded that he didn’t do enough to stop them. The report said little about Jon Woods, the previous director who led the band for 25 years before handing the reins to Waters, who has been with the band in some role since 1995.
Waters knew about the nicknames and called at least one student by her sexual nickname. One female student said Waters ignored her complaints that she was uncomfortable changing in front of men on buses when the band traveled.
Some students said that Waters often yelled or cursed at students, and one said that Waters texted dirty limericks to students. Waters denied both accusations.
Waters told the office investigating him that he had taken steps to curb some of the traditions. He asked band members to cancel the midnight underwear practice. He reprimanded a student for using an offensive nickname in 2011, as assistant director. He banned a newsletter penned by students after it berated a female student in the band, and he disciplined the author.
At the conclusion of the internal investigation, the university named former Ohio Attorney General Betty Montgomery to lead a second inquiry aiming to find anything that the first one might have missed.
She will be assisted by Ernst & Young’s investigation unit, which will review OSU policies, and lawyers who will make sure OSU complies with Title IX.
Waters, 38, served the marching and athletic bands for 10 years as assistant director under emeritus director Woods, and as interim director following Woods’ retirement.
Waters graduated from Ohio State in 2000 with a bachelor’s degree in music education, and he was a member of the marching band from 1995 to 1999. He earned two master’s degrees at Ohio State in music education and conducting, according to his university biography.
Ohio State plans to name an interim director soon, Drake said, before beginning a search for a permanent director. That search could include candidates in the band or outside, Drake said.
Among other recommendations, the report calls a review of university oversight of the band, new training for band members and staff members, and continued surveys of band members to gauge whether things are changing.
Post by sugarglider on Jul 24, 2014 13:53:13 GMT -5
This is disappointing--particularly given how much I've enjoyed the attention given to TBDBITL for their marching—but sadly not at all surprising to this former band geek (not at college).
Good for the university for listening to its students. And good for the students for speaking up.
This doesn't surprise me. I was in marching band/concert band in HS and it was a very creepy culture. There were all sorts of similar antics that were rationalized as "traditions."
No surprise, our band director was forced out after sleeping with a female student.
This makes me sad. 2 of my cousins were in the OSU marching band, both graduating in the past couple years I really hope that they weren't a part of this, but...
A couple of friends are OSU MB alums, and they're both pretty pissed about the whole thing. They both feel that what's been reported in the media is being blown significantly out of proportion and their respective band experiences were considerably less sexualized than what the report says. I haven't read the report yet so I haven't formed an opinion either way, I'm just briefly summarizing comments that friends have made.
This doesn't surprise me. I was in marching band/concert band in HS and it was a very creepy culture. There were all sorts of similar antics that were rationalized as "traditions."
No surprise, our band director was forced out after sleeping with a female student.
I went to high school in both NC and FL...the director at my HS in NC was fired for getting a majorette pregnant. She was like, 17. They kept it hush-hush and he got a better job in a better district. I think he is married to the girl now, this was early 90's. Then I moved to FL and in my district a director was fired from one school for sleeping with a student and was TRANSFERRED to a really REALLY desirable job in the district and slept with one of the drum majors there. Nothing came out until the second "issue". I am a band director. The FIRST LESSON OF BAND DIRECTING is "don't sleep with the students". Often you get very close with students because you have them for a very long time. I have my kids for 6 years. It is ridiculous how common this is.
I am surprised they are going after the director. I was in FSU's Marching Chiefs and in my first year, my section had a BIG scandal (this was in 1999). At "initiation" night, people were spanked with paddles. I was there, and I still don't know if it was real or fake because it was in the dark and it was being done to second year students. It was reported. Both of our section leaders were kicked out of band for the year, several in leadership positions lost their spot, one of the drum majors was in our section and a part of it, he was led away in handcuffs. He was not allowed to participate in the band again and he also had to switch majors. Nothing whatsoever happened to the actual director besides some embarrassment. There is A LOT of looking the other way, I know other sections were doing worse things than mine was. Maybe this will make some of the directors think twice about what they let slide.
Post by ChillyMcFreeze on Jul 25, 2014 8:04:58 GMT -5
Greeks get a bad rap, but from what I hear, band culture is 100x worse when it comes to hazing, sexual misconduct, and substance abuse. Not that they're pitted against each other here, but I'm glad to see these stories exposed.
I've seen a bunch of outrage on my FB from OSU former students. I have no idea what actually happened so I can't really make a judgment. My sister trained with the band as a backup drum major - I wonder how much of this she had experienced.
I was in a Big Ten marching band for 4 years. None of this is shocking, because I lived it. I've sang those songs from other universities with the raunchy lyrics. I've changed on a bus more times than I can count. We got drunk on trips. We all slept with each other. We all had nicknames, we had a student show up drunk to practice once in my 4 years. It was hormonally driven, frontal lobe lacking, spending 20-30 hours a week together experience.
I did not find the culture to be intimidating or harassing, though. I understand that this isn't everyone's experience and I support efforts to make changes. I do question why this band director was fired when Wisconsin's band is placed on probation for the same issues.
A couple of friends are OSU MB alums, and they're both pretty pissed about the whole thing. They both feel that what's been reported in the media is being blown significantly out of proportion and their respective band experiences were considerably less sexualized than what the report says. I haven't read the report yet so I haven't formed an opinion either way, I'm just briefly summarizing comments that friends have made.
Who was that poster who told us all about some rugby team's horrific offensiveness but was all, nah, it wasn't *that* bad. I kind of feel like that's probably what your friends are doing, defending it because they were in it and couldn't see the forest for the trees.
You know, when FAMU's marching band was suspended for hazing and the whole world was clutching their pearls like "I cannot BELIEVE! that goes on! In BAND!" I was truly surprised. Obviously the death of its member was a tragedy, but nothing that anyone was describing going on at FAMU was all that different from what I heard numerous band geek friends describe over the years.
Sorry. To the poster who wondered why he was fired when WI was put on probation, maybe OSU wanted to hold its faculty to a higher standard. To another, it's really irrelevant that a few kids didn't think it was "that bad."
I was in high school and college band and never experienced anything close to this. There wasn't even hazing. Heck, there wasn't even anything remotely like this when I pledged a sorority.
I admit to a little bit of schadenfreude at this---not for the kids who were hurt, but in general. For years relatives and other fans of OSU that I know in real life have been insufferable. Also, I think a lot of band fans kinda look down their noses at the so-called dumb jocks, Greeks, etc. and now it shows that they're not above it all.
Maybe they can go out and get a tattoo with Jim Tressel to quell their angst.
My own personal opinion is that it's disgusting that any administrator would know about these issues after people had brought forward complaints, and yet do nothing.
Ohio State's band had received a lot of national attention for its halftime shows. I think they sent a clear message that they were taking care of things swiftly so that there wouldn't be any argument that they were protecting him because of money. The scandal with Tressel is still pretty fresh, and I assume they wanted to nip it in the bud before it had a chance to blow up.
I'd like to think they did it because they're looking out for the students and all that warm fuzzy stuff, but the cynical side of me says they're just trying to avoid more bad press.
Ohio State's band had received a lot of national attention for its halftime shows. I think they sent a clear message that they were taking care of things swiftly so that there wouldn't be any argument that they were protecting him because of money. The scandal with Tressel is still pretty fresh, and I assume they wanted to nip it in the bud before it had a chance to blow up.
I'd like to think they did it because they're looking out for the students and all that warm fuzzy stuff, but the cynical side of me says they're just trying to avoid more bad press.
this makes a lot of sense to me. Avoiding bad press is a reason I can buy.
I was in a Big Ten marching band for 4 years. None of this is shocking, because I lived it. I've sang those songs from other universities with the raunchy lyrics. I've changed on a bus more times than I can count. We got drunk on trips. We all slept with each other. We all had nicknames, we had a student show up drunk to practice once in my 4 years. It was hormonally driven, frontal lobe lacking, spending 20-30 hours a week together experience.
I did not find the culture to be intimidating or harassing, though. I understand that this isn't everyone's experience and I support efforts to make changes. I do question why this band director was fired when Wisconsin's band is placed on probation for the same issues.
Whole lotta this. I went a mid sized state school in a state without a super intense culture of high school marching band. And while we had our quirks and traditions, it was nothing like these stories describe.
Then one year we went on a trip to visit a large university with a competitive program and everything was completely different. I had no idea how an entire band can get wasted until 5am and then show up for game day at 8am. Or how commonplace the harrassment of female members was.
One thing none of these articles mention is the existence and influence of band frats. They work really hard to keep their names out of the news but IME, they were a driving force in some of the traditions and negative aspects of marching band culture on certain campuses.
A couple of friends are OSU MB alums, and they're both pretty pissed about the whole thing. They both feel that what's been reported in the media is being blown significantly out of proportion and their respective band experiences were considerably less sexualized than what the report says. I haven't read the report yet so I haven't formed an opinion either way, I'm just briefly summarizing comments that friends have made.
Who was that poster who told us all about some rugby team's horrific offensiveness but was all, nah, it wasn't *that* bad. I kind of feel like that's probably what your friends are doing, defending it because they were in it and couldn't see the forest for the trees.
Good point. From what I've heard today of from other friends of former band members, there's been a fair amount of "it wasn't THAT bad" so I was starting to maybe wonder the same.
I would bet that almost every college in the country is quietly investigating their own band right now. I don't think you'll see another director fired but there will be changes made at a lot of other schools.
I'm really sad that this has happened and has apparently been going on for many years, first for those on the receiving end of the treatment and also because it negates all of the good the band has done and it casts those TBDITL members who never participated in a bad light.
People are correct, though, it goes on at the high school level in both music and sports and it continues in to college. I'm hopeful, that as painful as this is for those on the receiving end, TBDITL members and all OSU alumni that some good will come out of it. If it puts a stop to it at OSU and possibly others institutions then the pain and shame we feel now will be worth it.
I was in marching band (well, color guard, but same thing) back in high school. We had the same atmosphere going on. It was very sexually charged.
We had slave week during band camp. Every senior was allowed to pick a freshman to be their slave for the week. Whatever the senior said to do, the freshman had to do. No questions asked. You don't do it, you get removed from the band.
Band was a better lesson in sex ed than the school board approved curriculum in health class. And the busses. OMG. Everyone was nekkid, girls turned into strippers giving the champagne treatment, and guys weren't afraid to just shove their parts in while you were changing and see if you accepted.
The instructors all turned a blind eye. Except the ones who were having sex with band members. Those instructors pulled the a few girls off the busses (their girlfriend and some of her willing friends) and personally drove them in their car to the game/competition.
I was in marching band (well, color guard, but same thing) back in high school. We had the same atmosphere going on. It was very sexually charged.
We had slave week during band camp. Every senior was allowed to pick a freshman to be their slave for the week. Whatever the senior said to do, the freshman had to do. No questions asked. You don't do it, you get removed from the band.
Band was a better lesson in sex ed than the school board approved curriculum in health class. And the busses. OMG. Everyone was nekkid, girls turned into strippers giving the champagne treatment, and guys weren't afraid to just shove their parts in while you were changing and see if you accepted.
The instructors all turned a blind eye. Except the ones who were having sex with band members. Those instructors pulled the a few girls off the busses (their girlfriend and some of her willing friends) and personally drove them in their car to the game/competition.
I was in marching band (well, color guard, but same thing) back in high school. We had the same atmosphere going on. It was very sexually charged.
We had slave week during band camp. Every senior was allowed to pick a freshman to be their slave for the week. Whatever the senior said to do, the freshman had to do. No questions asked. You don't do it, you get removed from the band.
Band was a better lesson in sex ed than the school board approved curriculum in health class. And the busses. OMG. Everyone was nekkid, girls turned into strippers giving the champagne treatment, and guys weren't afraid to just shove their parts in while you were changing and see if you accepted.
The instructors all turned a blind eye. Except the ones who were having sex with band members. Those instructors pulled the a few girls off the busses (their girlfriend and some of her willing friends) and personally drove them in their car to the game/competition.
I was in marching band (well, color guard, but same thing) back in high school. We had the same atmosphere going on. It was very sexually charged.
We had slave week during band camp. Every senior was allowed to pick a freshman to be their slave for the week. Whatever the senior said to do, the freshman had to do. No questions asked. You don't do it, you get removed from the band.
Band was a better lesson in sex ed than the school board approved curriculum in health class. And the busses. OMG. Everyone was nekkid, girls turned into strippers giving the champagne treatment, and guys weren't afraid to just shove their parts in while you were changing and see if you accepted.
The instructors all turned a blind eye. Except the ones who were having sex with band members. Those instructors pulled the a few girls off the busses (their girlfriend and some of her willing friends) and personally drove them in their car to the game/competition.
Me too. I was always on the outside of the circus looking in.
I was friends with a bunch of the juniors and seniors and they decided very early that no one was going to mess with me. Everywhere I went, one of them was always with me. If I went to the bathroom, one of my friends would wait outside for me. On the busses, I sat against the window and one of them took the aisle seat. There was a drum line guy (he was huge, he carried the massive bass drum) would stand in front of me and block me while I was changing.
It was odd. I saw everything that was going on, but never had any parts of it. I was even protected during slave week. One of my friends shoved his way to the front of the senior line and got me out of the freshman line. I had to wear a funny hat and carry his trombone up the hill a couple times. That was it.
I was in marching band (well, color guard, but same thing) back in high school. We had the same atmosphere going on. It was very sexually charged.
We had slave week during band camp. Every senior was allowed to pick a freshman to be their slave for the week. Whatever the senior said to do, the freshman had to do. No questions asked. You don't do it, you get removed from the band.
Band was a better lesson in sex ed than the school board approved curriculum in health class. And the busses. OMG. Everyone was nekkid, girls turned into strippers giving the champagne treatment, and guys weren't afraid to just shove their parts in while you were changing and see if you accepted.
The instructors all turned a blind eye. Except the ones who were having sex with band members. Those instructors pulled the a few girls off the busses (their girlfriend and some of her willing friends) and personally drove them in their car to the game/competition.
And this was just high school.
What the actual fuck? High school? Like 14-18? JFC I'm sick.
"This prick is asking for someone here to bring him to task Somebody give me some dirt on this vacuous mass so we can at last unmask him I'll pull the trigger on it, someone load the gun and cock it While we were all watching, he got Washington in his pocket."
"This prick is asking for someone here to bring him to task Somebody give me some dirt on this vacuous mass so we can at last unmask him I'll pull the trigger on it, someone load the gun and cock it While we were all watching, he got Washington in his pocket."
Me too. I was always on the outside of the circus looking in.
I was friends with a bunch of the juniors and seniors and they decided very early that no one was going to mess with me. Everywhere I went, one of them was always with me. If I went to the bathroom, one of my friends would wait outside for me. On the busses, I sat against the window and one of them took the aisle seat. There was a drum line guy (he was huge, he carried the massive bass drum) would stand in front of me and block me while I was changing.
It was odd. I saw everything that was going on, but never had any parts of it. I was even protected during slave week. One of my friends shoved his way to the front of the senior line and got me out of the freshman line. I had to wear a funny hat and carry his trombone up the hill a couple times. That was it.
I think it's great that they protected you; did they participate in the rest of it, or was it just a different group of them that did that?
And really, those stories are so horrifying. I can't believe so many people are complicit in this kind of stuff.