<p>MADISON, Wis. (AP) - The University of Wisconsin marching band has been suspended indefinitely while allegations of hazing, alcohol abuse and sexual misconduct are investigated.</p>
<p>I will say that this is NOT the norm at another Big 10 school, where D’s friend is in the marching band. It is also not the norm at my nephew’s southern public U, where he is also in the marching band.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, some groups have stupid “traditions” that otherwise intelligent group members follow … some think it’s cool, others go along to get along, and still others don’t like it but don’t say anything about it.</p>
<p>It’s not the norm at Rice, or at LSU. I was drum major at Rice several years ago, and DH was at the music school and closely tied to the band at LSU. Nothing like this there. We rather famously would end up dating and marrying other band members at Rice, but the greatest of our sins was nothing more than petty, prank-based theft. Drinking is mainly relegated to overaged members drinking hand-crafted beers with our brew-a-phile band director, and rarely to excess.</p>
<p>Also note that Wisconsin’s band has been in trouble before…</p>
<p>It is NOT the norm at U of Tenn. Pride of the Southland. Is your D or S in the Univ of Wis band? If you have a D or S in any college band, please do not think this is the norm. You are giving a lot of really good college bands a bad name by saying this is the norm. It is not the norm.</p>
<p>I’ll say further that as drum major, I got to interact with a lot of members of other schools’ bands, and I never once saw widespread irreverence within the band ranks. The student groups that would root for the football teams were occasionally terrible, but the opposing bands would typically be really cool, and they’d have punch-and-cookie receptions for us when we visited.</p>
<p>So, if punch and cookies are wild, then I guess you need to start expelling anyone toting a woodwind/brass/percussion instrument, because… guilty as charged.</p>
<p>marylandmom - as much as I wish my kids had continued band into college (heck, they quit in high school), no, they are not in college band, nor do they go to UW. Only connection is that H did Ph.D. work there back in the mid 80s.</p>
<p>There is a another thread on this in the parents forum. Only a small number ruined it for the majority. Fortunately the punishment may have been severe enough for an end to misbehavior. I recall that the Stanford band was rowdy in past years. It is too bad the band members required this wake up call, but I’m glad the behavior wasn’t tolerated forever.</p>
<p>"At that time [2006], seminude band members were alleged to have danced suggestively and there were reports of women being forced to kiss other women to be allowed to enter bathrooms on a bus.</p>
<p>The university said in a statement that the latest allegations were consistent with the 2006 troublesome behavior."</p>
<p>There’s a problem with the leadership of the band, starting from the top.</p>
<p>Of course this kind of thing shouldn’t happen any where, in any group, in any situation. But I’m sort of amused that for once it wasn’t the athletes or the greeks causing problems, but the music kids, who are supposed to be better than that, getting in trouble instead.</p>
<p>This is NOT run-of-the-mill college (band) behavior! And how ridiculously awful that the leadership of this group let this occur. Just sad.</p>
<p>Edit: I just went back and read the entire linked article. Good for the director for taking such action; however, one would think he would get a system in place for improved communications and implementation of consequences for specific individuals involved in such incidents so the entire organization does not have to be affected this way.</p>