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UW band suspension lifted, but 'culture needs to change'

Todd Finkelmeyer  —  10/10/2008 5:32 am

And the band will play on.

The culture that has allowed demeaning and inappropriate conduct within the University of Wisconsin Marching Band, however, must change.

That was the message University of Wisconsin-Madison officials sent Thursday when they held a news conference to announce the band would be allowed to play at Saturday night's UW football game against Penn State at Camp Randall Stadium.

"This has been a trying and stressful week for myself, the members of the Marching Band and for the University," said director Mike Leckrone, who had suspended his band indefinitely last Friday after hazing allegations were leveled against some of its members. That suspension kept the group from performing at last week's UW football game against Ohio State, marking the first time in at least 40 years that the band did not play.

"I think we have a reputation as a good band based on our talent and the high-performance standards we try to set every game," Leckrone continued. "But to be a truly great band, it's obvious that the band's culture needs to change.

"It needs to change now, and it needs to change permanently."

Citing confidentiality issues, UW officials generally dodged questions about how many band members were involved, or whether those accused of wrongdoing had been dismissed from the band. And other than saying these activities took place during the first couple weeks of school, officials also would not give details about when or where these actions took place.

However, UW-Madison Dean of Students Lori Berquam, whose office is heading the ongoing investigation, did say that at least a few students have left the band after being victims of these antics.

"It's very disappointing that they felt so uncomfortable that they didn't feel that they could continue," said Leckrone.

Band members say the message that a culture change is needed is coming through loud and clear.

"Being a part of this band is a privilege, and last week's suspension showed the entire band how much performing means to us," said drum major and UW-Madison junior Jon Alfuth. "It felt terrible and was an embarrassment not to be a part of football at Camp Randall on Saturday. We believe that as a group we can overcome the actions of a few, and that we can start fresh with a new culture of respect."

Moving forward, Berquam and Leckrone both noted several steps will be taken to help ensure a change in the culture of the band. Among other things: a staff member from Berquam's office will work directly with band members to help promote positive changes; an ongoing review and monitoring process of the band staff will be established; Leckrone and company will continue to work with section and rank leaders to institute changes from the student perspective to impact the overall band culture; and the UW hopes to start a council of sorts for band parents to get them more involved in oversight of band activities.

"These changes aren't window dressing," said Leckrone. "They're a serious beginning of a new commitment that must change this culture, or counter-culture, of our band."

Berquam said her office had received only a couple reports of wrongdoing before approaching Leckrone last Friday, but added that those reports featured "a number of different incidents that were identified."

At Thursday's news conference at the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) building, Berquam said that nearly 70 band members had voluntarily come forward to talk about their experiences since the group was suspended from performing late last week.

"Our meetings confirmed that a broad pattern of inappropriate and humiliating behavior took place in the band," said Berquam. "The behavior included underage drinking as part of band initiations and inappropriate sexualized behavior."

Berquam said specific confirmed behaviors, which most often took place with upper-class band members putting down freshmen, included: "students having to kneel and take a bite from a summer sausage; students confined to the bathroom at the back of the bus for several hours; students having odd and unbecoming haircuts; a game called 'Mystery Door No. 3' in which students are blindfolded, led to a room behind a closed door and were asked to remove lingerie from a male band member; repeated instances of sleep-deprivation and other activities that compromised and impacted students' academic work; additional rituals including excessive alcohol; and a pattern of performance lyrics that are lewd and sexual in nature."

Officials said those accused of wrongdoing will be adjudicated under UW System nonacademic misconduct codes 17 and 18, and could be subject to a letter of reprimand or, in extreme cases, expulsion from the UW.

Berquam said that, at this time, she believes none of the complaints constitute criminal activity.

"I know this behavior does not involve all 315 band members," said Berquam. "I know there are band members who are surprised by the behaviors I listed for you this afternoon. There are many different levels of involvement and responsibility for this kind of behavior."

Nonetheless, both Berquam and Leckrone said they were taking the issue very seriously.

"This kind of conduct is a personal embarrassment to me," said Leckrone. "As leader of the band, the buck stops here. I'm sorry that these activities took place on my watch, and that's the reason I suspended the band for last week's game."

Although the band will be able to perform at home events, officials said the review is ongoing and the group will not travel for the time being. The band made its one Big Ten road trip it takes each year on Sept. 27 when it visited Michigan, but is scheduled to play at Lambeau Field on Oct. 19 in Green Bay when the Packers host the Indianapolis Colts. Leckrone said it was too early to tell whether his group would be cleared to play at Lambeau.

Late last week, Berquam's office mailed a letter to parents of the roughly 300 band members stating that there "is concern that students may have been placed in unsafe situations or experienced humiliation in a hazing-like atmosphere."

The letter listed four allegations, including: students being sexually touched against their will, students being forced to drink alcohol or concoctions that might have contained alcohol, students being forced to have their hair cut in a way that is not flattering, and students being forced to eat something "disgusting."

On Thursday, Berquam said, "I regret the allegation of sexual fondling was misrepresented as confirmed fact in some news reports. We have nothing to substantiate that allegation."

Some believe the culture of demeaning and inappropriate actions by some band members is deeply rooted.

In 1989, the band was criticized by the Wisconsin Student Association after a band member gave a student leader a copy of a songbook filled with obscene songs and cartoons.

In March of 2004, rowdy behavior by band members led a bus driver to pull over and call the police. The band, returning from the Big Ten women's basketball tournament in Indianapolis, eventually made it home without further issues.

And in 2006, the band was put on probation after reports surfaced of sexual and hazing behavior on a road trip to the University of Michigan. Then UW-Madison Chancellor John Wiley ripped the band for that incident, and in a letter to Leckrone described the actions as behavior "that can be seen as anything from boorish and offensive to patently dangerous and unlawful."

Wiley put the band on probation following the 2006 incident. At that time, Leckrone told The Capital Times that if the conduct didn't improve he might relinquish his baton.

"If there's a disconnect (with the band members) because I'm so much older, then I shouldn't be doing it," Leckrone, then 70 years old, said at the time. "But I'm determined something's going to change."

Although no specifics were ever given about the questionable behavior in 2006, semi-nude dancing, lewd conduct and abusive behavior by older band members to younger ones were noted in a joint press release from Leckrone and Wiley.

UW-Madison Chancellor Carolyn "Biddy" Martin was not at Thursday's press conference.

Todd Finkelmeyer  —  10/10/2008 5:32 am