Over the "sexualized" culture in the band. I thought this might be a joke, but it's not, there were complaints and a review and a report that was damaging issued. So he had to go, he's only 38 so if this has been a "tradition" for a long time he was just going along with the way things have always been. Hard to imagine it started with him, but he was the guy in charge when the **** hit the fan so to speak. To tell you the truth you never really think of the band as a place that might have problems, but if you remember Fla A&M had some kid die as a result of "traditional" hazing practices by the band. In the end it's a big organization to think that everything is always sunshine and rainbows is just not realistic. Ohio State Band Director Fired
:shock: Wow! I don't know anything about bands or band culture. I'd like Stu to chime in here as our resident expert. Was this typical of band culture back in the day? :?:
OK so the Columbus Dispatch published the internal report. Jeessh... They had this tradition of marching into Ohio Stadium at Midnight in their underwear...UNDERWEAR!!! Oh the Horror, and you know most of those band guys had scooby doo boxers!! And get this they had nick names... like  Jizzy  Mushroom Stamp  Squirt  Sugar Bush  Swoob  Taint Brush  Testicles  Tiggles  Tits Mcgee  Triple Crown Double Horror!!! Sounds like a lot of good natured fun to me, nobody was killed like in the Fla A&M scandal. http://www.dispatch.com/content/downloads/2014/07/Investigation-Report.pdf
somewhere out there against the soft glow of the sunset is the LSJUMB and they are laughing... and calling these folks pussies.
these poor kids at Ohio State had a midnight tradition.. running around scantily clad is what they do for fun at Stanford.
I chose not to post anything on this article, but the university had no choice but to fire the band director. It is always sad to see your alma matter receive such adverse publicity. The band has always been an integral part of Ohio Stae Football! I hope this does not cause the band to lower its musical standards or change their talented venue.
I dunno...I'll wait and see... My initial understanding, reading some online statements from former band members, is that the "Midnight Ramp" thing was optional, and that newcomers were advised that they could (and maybe should) wear more covering type undergarments or pajamas...though some adventurous souls were always there a bit more scandalously clad (oh, the horror of college kids)...but it was not looked at as a hazing type affair. Nicknames and songs with raunchy lyrics...seems like I remember a bit of that in college. We never had a problem with sexual culture in the band when I was at Purdue...other than the majorettes (who always traveled together) the band was all male at the time. There was no drinking involved in band trips...maybe some of the guys slipped some booze onto the bus but I don't recall much of that happening. I saw some allegations that this was the new president, from UC Irvine, throwing down the gauntlet. Times are a'changin, and you have to watch what you do and how you behave when you are in politics or in any public position...things can surely jump back and bite you in the ass...unless of course you are a celebrity.
You have to feel bad for the Band Director. These "traditions" didn't start under his watch and had no doubt been going on for years and years. For him to come in and "clean" it up would have probably have created an uproar within the band and the band alumni. He was in a no win situation. But he was the guy in charge when the x hit the fan so he takes the fall. There are probably former band directors whose portraits are on the wall, in the band HOF if there is one who knew exactly what was going on and of course can't be fired. But to Stu's point, it is a different society today. No doubt some of those hijinks that probably didn't bother 99.9% of the people (male and female) who have been in the band would clearly be not allowed out in the workplace. They would be considered creating a hostile work environment, even if only 1 person was really offended.
I read the entire letter. I applaud the young lady for her forthright approach, and I question the judgement of the OSU administration in how they handled the situation. In my working years, I had several experiences with educational administrators at the K-12 level who were misplaced as administrators because they were more concerned with themselves and their own image than with the best interests of their schools or their students. I also encountered several excellent administrators with secure egos who were consensus builders and facilitators for their schools. It seems like the OSU administration, specifically the president, falls into the former category. Too bad.
Good for her, she's right and she's wrong of course and it all depends on your perspective. If you are a left wing political correctness type of person you probably just discount her story as somebody duped by the system, sort of a Band Stockholm syndrome.