12-15-2016, 03:21 PM
Mass e-mailing so many of you have this in your inbox:
Quote:Dear Stanford Community Member:
Let me start by thanking all of you who have written to President Tessier-Lavigne, incoming Provost Drell, and me about the Stanford Band. Although for expediency I am writing a single response to all of your messages, I assure you that we have read each and every one. The love that you have expressed for the Band and for Stanfordthough not so much its administrators!is truly moving.
I have been a fan of the Band since the late 1970s, when I was a student at Stanford. In 1982 I suffered with other Stanford fans when "The Play" snatched defeat from the jaws of victorybut earned us a treasured place in football history. I confess to enjoying countless halftime shows at or beyond the edge of propriety, including the famine of 96 and the drum majors weddings in 2004. (You had to be there.) Hearing the Band play "All Right Now" always tugs at my heartstrings. And yes, I know when to jump; my sister, who was a Dollie in her own student days, made sure of that.
I see the positive impact of the Band on so many aspects of Stanford lifefrom the spirited welcome it provides profros as they stream out of Memorial Auditorium on Admit Weekend, to its rousing farewell to graduates and their families at the close of Commencement. Some would say the Band's quirkiness, irreverence and creativity is the public manifestation of Stanford's DNA, its ethos. And I am inclined to agree.
No one wants to change that.
The Band has had a history of controversies and regrettable incidents, and for many of its fans, those incidents are themselves part of the Band's appeal. The current situation, however, is not about that history. It is not about how "Sexion" is spelled, or about the universitys public image. It is about a set of serious concerns regarding Band actions around sexual harassment, hazing, alcohol and drug use, and about the Band's failure to address the underlying issues effectively. The complaints that led to the original review came from band members themselves, not members of the administration.
The Band has the option to appeal the decision that has been issued, and should the Band do so, the appeal will come to me, as Provost. I will consider such an appeal carefully and thoughtfully, and take to heart the input I have received from you.
The university has an obligation to hold student organizations accountable for their conduct, and for its impact on individual students in our community. I hope on this point we can agree. I can assure you that the university's goal is not to end the Band, to end the Tree or the Dollies, or to undermine aspects of the Stanford experience that have been important to our students and alumni. I also can assure you that I fully understand the importance to many people of student leadership of the Band, which has been a common theme in much of the input I have heard. I would hope a solution can be found that maintains that leadership, with university intervention and guidance only when needed.
Please know how much I appreciate the time you took to provide your thoughts. Underlying each letter I have received is a commitment to and love of Stanford that I respect and share. I sincerely hope you will stay engaged in the life of the campus and will continue to share your perspective on issues of importance to you at Stanford.
Sincerely,
John Etchemendy
Provost
