The Ohio University Marching 110’s limited cease and desist was lifted Monday despite “cultural issues” such as sexual activities, drinking and illegal drugs being found in an investigation.
Third party investigators found these issues within the Marching 110 after interviewing student and faculty and staff members, according to another letter from Feb. 13, which was sent to the faculty, staff members and the band members from Dean of the College of Fine Arts Matt Shaftel and Dean of Students Jenny Hall-Jones.
“Several behaviors identified through the investigation are not the standard that we expect in an academic setting, especially from an organization that is a campus leader,” according to the letter.
Twenty-seven OU investigators met with 117 students and seven staff members, including members from across all instrument sections and all student ranks. Those people were selected at random unless they were identified in a certain report, according to the executive summary of process and recommended outcomes from Feb. 13.
The investigators found there were multiple annual activities that took place that included the illegal use of alcohol. Band members said nobody was forced to drink alcohol at any party or activity.
“Insufficient measures were taken to prevent underage people from consuming alcohol,” according to the executive summary.
Multiple witnesses also said there were marijuana and edibles present on the bus on a band trip.
In one section of the band, members watched porn together while being fully clothed for several years. Witnesses said that if they felt uncomfortable, they could leave, but several witnesses said they were unaware they were going to watch porn before they arrived.
There were also GroupMe messages of a sexual nature sent among that section, and in at least two occasions this school year, students performed skits where they acted out sexual acts.
Witnesses said the people were not physically touching each other, and they remained fully dressed. They also said participation was voluntary to perform in and watch, according to the executive summary.
In one section of the band, upperclass students would have freshmen show up to campus for events where they didn’t know what was planned. Witnesses said activities were done to confuse and disorient new members.
An event that the university investigation said is not problematic is the conditioning of new members’ jackets. This is to make the new members’ jackets appear more weathered so they resemble the older members’, according to the executive summary.
Some members of the Marching 110 anonymously reported, while others honestly shared their feelings with the investigators, according to the letter.
Between Oct. 9, 2019, and Dec. 6, 2019, the Office of Community Standards and Student Responsibility, or OCSSR, received six reports of alleged misconduct in the Marching 110. The band was placed on a limited cease and desist on Oct. 10, 2019, according to a letter sent on Feb. 13 to Shaftel and then-Executive Vice President and Provost Chaden Djalali from Taylor Tackett, assistant dean of students and director of the OCSSR.
The College of Fine Arts hired a third party to do a full membership review of the Marching 110 after the executive summary advised the college to do so. This included removing individual students from the band as deemed necessary.
Seven students out of the 222 members of the Marching 110 were recommended for disaffiliation of the organization, Robin Oliver, vice president for University Communications and Marketing, said. All seven of those members were recommended because they did not attend the required membership meetings with the College of Fine Arts.
Those meetings were to determine each member’s commitment to change, so the lack of attendance was unacceptable in that case, Oliver said. The students are allowed to appeal the decision.
The cease and desist meant all organizational activities had to occur with faculty members’ supervision. All academic activities for the Marching 110 continued, according to the letter from Tackett.
Since the Marching 110 is an academic class, OCSSR gave the College of Fine Arts the results from the investigation for further action.
