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UW band allowed to travel to Green Bay despite road trip ban

School officials cite band's progress since suspension

Todd Finkelmeyer  —  10/15/2008 6:57 pm

The University of Wisconsin-Madison Marching Band will be allowed to make a trip to Green Bay on Sunday to perform during the Packers' game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lambeau Field.

UW-Madison made the announcement in a press release Wednesday afternoon.

"We're going down a new path, and I believe this trip is a chance to start to live the changes that we've agreed on," UW Band director Mike Leckrone said in a release. "But I'm not naive. I've made it clear to the band that I'm prepared to take immediate additional action if, somehow, my message hasn't gotten through."

The band will travel up and back to Green Bay on Sunday, and won't require an overnight stay.

On Oct. 3, Leckrone suspended the band indefinitely after hazing allegations were leveled against some of its members. The suspension kept the group from performing at the Oct. 4 UW football game against Ohio State, marking the first time in at least 40 years that the band did not play at a home contest.

On Oct. 9, UW-Madison officials held a news conference to announce the band would be allowed to play at the UW's football game against Penn State on Oct. 11 at Camp Randall Stadium. However, officials at the briefing also said the review of the band was ongoing and that the members would not travel for the time being -- thus putting in jeopardy the group's final regular-season road trip to Green Bay on Sunday. The UW Band makes just one road trip each Big Ten Conference football season, and already visited Michigan on Sept. 27, when some alleged inappropriate behavior took place.

"This is the last road trip of the year for the band, and we felt they've made progress and deserved to make the trip," Gary Sandefur, dean of the College of Letters and Science, said in a phone interview. "We feel the student leaders of the band really recognize now that, in the past, some people were not onboard with the culture changes we were looking for.

"But we've been really impressed with the efforts of the drum majors and other band leaders to address this issue. These student leaders have really come forward to make sure these things don't happen again."

Dean of Students Lori Berquam said new policies on band travel will be in place for the first time Sunday. Some of the policies include: random seating assignments on band buses to break up instrument sections and class levels, a quiet bus option for those wanting to focus on studies, a prohibition on all initiation activities, and a ban on alcohol.

"And at the end of the trip, I've asked the student leaders to touch base with me and fill me in on how they thought things went on the trip," Berquam said in a phone interview. "The students are really committed to making these changes. So I have a lot of faith in our students and their recognition that the time has come to continue to chip away at this culture and make it a culture we can all be proud of."

Berquam's office is handling the ongoing investigation into the band's culture, which UW officials say has allowed demeaning and inappropriate conduct for too long. Last week, Berquam noted about 70 band members had been interviewed for the investigation, but Wednesday said that number has grown significantly.

"We'll continue to meet with the students and engage with them and talk about their role of instituting change and addressing the past culture," said Berquam. "And I know Professor Leckrone is really committed to making these changes as well."

Berquam reiterated that any immediate concerns related to the health, safety and academic impact on band members have been addressed.

Last week, UW officials said specific confirmed unacceptable behavior -- which most often took place with upperclassmen 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 and limericks that are lewd and sexual in nature."

Berquam also noted last week that at least a few students had left the band after being victims of these antics.

Moving forward, Berquam and Leckrone have both said 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, and 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. The UW also hopes to start a council for band parents to get them more involved in oversight of band activities.

"I can't tell you how affirmed I feel with the interest of our students and band director in making changes," Berquam said Wednesday. "We still have work to do, but we continue to make progress."

Todd Finkelmeyer  —  10/15/2008 6:57 pm