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OSU Band Review Results


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A four-month review of the culture of Ohio State University's marching band has resulted in recommendations for improvement in band operations and university oversight. Some of the suggestions include hiring a compliance officer, rewriting policies, and regular, mandatory training for directors.
          
A task force led by former Ohio Attorney General Betty Montgomery concluded that while the band had a culture of excellence, hard work and positive traditions, there was "an undercurrent of inappropriate behavior" fueled by "a misguided sense of commitment to the past" and an insular nature.
          
The task force was formed after the band's director was fired.
          
President Michael Drake asked Montgomery's task force in August to follow up on a two-month internal investigation that concluded then-director Jonathan Waters knew about but failed to stop a "sexualized culture" of rituals inside the band. The university concluded that created a hostile environment for students.