Road-trip protocol clarified for OSU band

Associated Press

COLUMBUS

Ohio State University told federal education officials Wednesday that the school has begun designating specific rooms for changing in and out of marching-band uniforms during road trips and has made other policy changes since discovering a “sexualized culture” within the band and firing its director.

The university provided the information in its first quarterly update to the U.S. Department of Education under a September settlement agreement. The pact ended a federal inquiry into the school’s handling of sexual-abuse cases.

Band members also are instructed under new guidelines not to change in public, including on buses or in hallways regardless of what they’re wearing under their uniform, and not to socialize in other students’ hotel rooms. New policies also say students can ask for personal accommodations, whenever they want, to change their uniforms.

All band members are provided a copy of the revised policy manual and are required to review and sign it.

The policy changes came after the July 24 firing of director Jonathan Waters on grounds he failed to stop a host of sexually charged band rituals.