UC Davis Marching Band Suspended After Sexual Misconduct, Hazing Allegations
DAVIS (CBS13) — Officials have suspended a university marching band following a newspaper investigation into allegations of hazing, binge drinking, and sexual misconduct.
According to the website, "The California Aggie Marching Band is one of the proudest, most spirited and best-loved organizations on the UC Davis campus," but some band members told a different story.
"Stereotypically, you think band geeks or whatever. When you hear they're getting into binge drinking and sexual misconduct, it's pretty surprising to hear," UC Davis student Patrick Reiser said.
A Sacramento Bee investigation uncovered stories of hazing, drinking, and sexual misconduct. Now the marching band has been suspended after the newspaper detailed stories of band members who "had sexual experiences so traumatizing they sought professional therapy and woman said she had to be hospitalized for a psychotic breakdown."
READ THE BEE's INVESTIGATION HERE
"You hear so much about fraternities and sexual assault and how we have so many programs that were working on to make sure that doesn't happen, and then the next organization that starts happening it's almost like it keeps moving to the next one," UC Davis student Danny Nomura said.
Band members are accused of forcing others to drink. The Bee heard from a woman who "vomited and passed out after she was pressured to drink copiously from a bottle of bourbon."
Though current members say they've never been put in that position.
"Just because you haven't experienced it yourself, doesn't mean it didn't happen. I'm not saying they're false, but from my experience, it has been a very welcoming place me," band member Matthew Amezola said.
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According to the investigation, "one student described the band as a frat with instruments."
But even fraternity members say they've never experienced anything like these allegations.
"We really didn't have any hazing at all so it's really news to me that the band actually does. It's kind of crazy," Nomura said.
"It's hard to think that people you love have gone through that but kind of stuff, but I don't think that that necessarily reflects the band as a whole," band member Rachel Crane said.
Band members say they hope they will be able to play in time for the fall football season.