BAND FALLS SILENT
Absence at football loss disastrous, but Band Run is on

By JENNY ALLEN and DAVID HERBERT, SENIOR STAFF WRITERS

Midway through the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game, a cry arose from the student section. “This is our house, this is our house,” the crowd chanted louder and louder. It was a memorable moment for the opening of the new Stanford Stadium, or it would have been, that is, if it had come from Stanford’s student section.

The Band, placed on indefinite provisional status last week, was not on the field during the Cardinal’s 37-9 drubbing at the hands of the Midshipmen, with predictable results: as the game began to turn in Navy’s favor, the Card might as well have been playing in Annapolis. A few Bandies were in attendance, dressed in street clothes but still donning their pin-encrusted “lids,” and The Tree, co-terminal student Tommy Leep, was flashed on the Jumbotron. But with an on-going investigation into mid-summer vandalism of the Band Shak, the irreverent brass and drums fell silent.

And so did the crowd.

“What’s the point?” asked senior John Collins as he stood up from his seat two minutes into the second quarter and quietly left the stadium.

The rest of the Red Zone seemed to agree. The student section never got into the game, unimpressed with Cardinal Competitive Cheer’s pleas for noise and the faint sound of “All Right Now” being piped in over loudspeaker.

By the time Navy was piling it on in the third quarter, students were recycling the poster board provided for the halftime card stunt to construct paper airplanes. The biggest cheers after halftime were for the paper airplanes that floated from the upper deck and onto the field.

“It could be a very quiet season if The Band stays suspended,” said senior Jarret Guajardo.

The Band is in limbo after the University announced last Thursday that the group is on indefinite provisional status and will be led by an interim director. And while the Band Run will go on as planned Wednesday, it is unlikely that the group will be present for the critical Washington State showdown this Saturday, according to officials close to the situation. The decision to put The Band on probation was based in part on a University report completed on Sept. 13, which determined that several members had intentionally vandalized the Band Shak, a leased modular near Encina Hall and the Serra Complex, on the evening of July 17.

“Given the seriousness of the Band Shak incident, compounded by the recurring problems with the Band, I am lifting the current interim suspension [since July 18] and placing the Band on indefinite provisional status while the University determines the conditions under which the privileges of The Band will be fully reinstated,” said Vice Provost of Student Affairs Greg Boardman.

The University defines indefinite provisional status as meaning that (1) the Band will not be performing at this weekend’s Stanford Stadium grand opening or any other athletic event through at least the end of September; (2) all students involved in the vandalism will be suspended from Band membership; (3) the Band may not travel for at least one year; (4) the Band’s alcohol suspension will be extended indefinitely; and (5) the Band will be required to pay the full cost of the damages to the Band Shak, estimated to be between $30,000 and $50,000.

Associate Dean of Students Chris Griffith will be responsible for approving the Stanford Band’s participation in any University and non-University events. Griffith and Boardman have agreed to allow the Stanford Band to hold its traditional Band Run during early fall quarter.

“The indefinite provisional status provides the time to address a number of organizational deficiencies within the band, to establish a partnership between Band leadership and the University, and to give the Band an opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to address our concerns,” Griffith said. “Until we’ve had sufficient time to make progress on these goals, a full performance schedule will not be implemented. The Band Run is a tradition, the welcoming of incoming freshmen on their first night at Stanford, and there was strong support to allow that tradition to continue.”

As interim director, Griffith hopes to help establish an organizational model for the Stanford Band that “promotes responsibility and accountability while retaining the creativity that is uniquely Stanford.”

“I think it is important to instill the notion of stewardship — that the care of the organization by this generation of band members will ensure that the traditions continue beyond their tenure,” Griffith continued.

Student organization misconduct is typically reviewed by the Organization Conduct Board (OCB) with recommendations made to the Dean of Students for administrative action, according to Boardman,

“Given that the Band has appeared before the OCB multiple times, and given that serious Band misconduct continues, I have decided not to refer the Band Shak incident to the OCB,” Boardman said. “This decision is in keeping with the OCB protocol that provides for an alternate process for review and resolution.”

This alternative process includes not only Griffith as interim director, but also the creation of a Band Reinstatement Committee that is charged with developing criteria for the Stanford Band’s full reinstatement.

“At a minimum the Band Reinstatement Committee’s criteria will include developing policies to (1) ensure compliance with University policies, law, and respect for persons and property, (2) develop an effective organization and leadership model, and (3) create a strong working partnership between Band leadership and the University,” Boardman said. “The overriding principle in this effort is to preserve the spirit and creativity of a scatter band while achieving these goals. Inherent in membership in any organization is the acceptance of both the privileges afforded its members as well as the consequences for actions that violate the University’s standards of conduct.”

Boardman’s decision was not based solely on the recent vandalism, which he noted included damage from sledgehammers and food against the walls as well as destroyed music equipment. The indefinite provisional status is also a response to a history of misconduct by the Stanford Band; since 2003, nine conduct complaints have been filed with the Office of Student Affairs.

“I think our focus now should be on talking about the future,” Boardman continued. “The University wants to move forward with the Band to determine under what conditions that the Band can be reinstated.”