Earlier this month, The Ohio University Marching Band became one of several student organizations to be placed under investigation by the university due to allegations of hazing.
Since Oct. 9, the university has received four incident reports of hazing by members of the marching band. Those include reports of new members being forced to drink alcohol and dirty their band jackets by rolling in dirt or with cigarette burns.
Members of the marching band, known as the Marching 110, are required to enroll in marching band courses for academic credit. That means each practice and every public performance given — including games the band plays at and the parade — are considered university-sanctioned academic activities, according to a university news release.
The Marching 110 received an administrative directive Oct. 10 to specifically stop all non-academic group activities, which includes the unofficial gatherings at which members would dirty their band jackets.
No other organization under investigation by the university, including several fraternities, sororities, business fraternities and the men’s club rugby team, falls under the same category as the Marching 110. While the other organizations may be officially recognized by the university, no other organization under investigation exists as part of an academic course.
Because its members must participate in university-sanctioned events for academic credit, the Marching 110 is allowed to officially meet for band practices and public performances.
Editor’s note: The article has been updated to clarify the hazing allegations against the Marching 110.
