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UW Band assistant resigns amid controversy
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by Lynn Heidmann and Nick Penzenstadler
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
The assistant director of the University of Wisconsin marching band resigned Monday amid allegations of sexual harassment during a trip to the University of Michigan Sept. 22-23, 2006.
Michael Lorenz was accused of misconduct the same weekend reports of hazing among UW band members drew national attention, though administrators have since cleared him of the accusations.
According to a report released through an open records request filed last year by The Badger Herald, a "part-time female employee" filed a complaint in November against Lorenz. The complaint said Lorenz came into the female's room, took off his shirt and refused to leave after repeated requests to exit the room.
An investigation conducted by the UW Office for Equity and Diversity, however, found insufficient evidence to charge Lorenz with sexual harassment. The OED said Lorenz's behavior did not violate federal or state discrimination laws but added the assistant director's actions were inappropriate for a university employee.
"He was exonerated of sexual harassment, but the behavior he admitted engaging in was simply not acceptable," said Gary Sandefur, dean of the College of Letters and Science. "We were prepared to fire him, but he decided to resign, and we accepted that."
School of Music Director John Schaffer said in a letter obtained by The Badger Herald that Lorenz's resignation will not take effect until May 27, at the conclusion of his current appointment.
When contacted by The Badger Herald, Lorenz declined comment. But according to a report compiled by OED Complaint Investigator Stephen Appell, Lorenz admitted only to visiting the woman's room in response to a noise complaint he received earlier in the evening.
Lorenz said in the report that he did sit on the woman's bed and take off his shirt, but denied allegations that he asked for sex or asked to crawl into bed with her.
The OED report also said Lorenz had been consuming alcohol the evening of the incident, and both parties agreed Lorenz did bring a can of beer into the woman's room.
"[Lorenz] stated that he does not sleep well on these trips, and the stress and the alcohol impacted his judgment," the OED report said.
Lorenz also confirmed in the report that he requested to use a blanket, saying he was "cold and he needed to warm-up" and asked to use the woman's spa.
Though the woman said in the complaint she did not give permission for Lorenz to use the spa, Lorenz said in the report that he asked for the key to her room after the incident to retrieve his hat, and instead used the hot tub in her absence.
According to the report, Lorenz also admitted to ignoring repeated requests to leave the room. But the OED concluded evidence was not strong enough to suggest Lorenz created a "sexually hostile work environment," and his actions "did not reveal the existence of a pattern of sexually offensive conduct … towards the complainant."
In his letter of resignation, Lorenz said the whole situation was a "misunderstanding."
"The report did question my judgment and behavior," Lorenz said in the letter. "I was concerned that my actions would become publicized, blown out of proportion and then adversely reflect on the band and its members. I did not want that to happen."
And in a letter written Nov. 30 to the woman who filed the complaint, Lorenz said he was "ashamed" and "embarrassed" by his behavior and asked for the woman's forgiveness.
But according to the resignation document signed Monday, Schaffer said Lorenz "will have no contact — either personal or professional" with the woman and will not travel to any athletic events with the band.
Schaffer also wrote that Lorenz will be required to attend training to help him "[carry] out the remainder of [his] administrative and supervisory duties."
UW Provost Patrick Farrell told The Badger Herald Lorenz made the right decision in his resignation, regardless of the validity of the allegations, and added the whole situation was "unfortunate."
"It's clearly his personal decision, and [Lorenz] will choose how to deal with it from here," Farrell said. "Anyone who works at the university has the responsibility when they get into a situation — when they haven't upheld that responsibility, it's time for them to relinquish their position."
Chancellor John Wiley placed the entire band on probation in early October for allegations of hazing and threatened to shut the organization down if any further incidents occurred. Sandefur said Lorenz's incident coincidently surfaced around the same time as Wiley's warnings to the band, but he explained the two incidents were completely separate events.
There should be a clear dividing line, Sandefur said, between the actions of the band and of its director.
"We want to put this behind us," Sandefur said. "I hope this doesn't mar the image of the band — this particular incident … doesn't indicate that everyone engages in this behavior."
As for the future of the UW Marching Band, Farrell said the goal is just to move past the incident and ensure the allegations against Lorenz do not reflect the image of the band itself.
"It's a series of unfortunate events," Farrell said. "We'll accept [Lorenz's] resignation and move on."
UW Band Director Michael Leckrone was unavailable for comment Tuesday night.
Anonymous (February 14, 2007 @ 9:11am):
According to a report released through an open records request filed last year by The Badger Herald on a Monday at 2:43 p.m. from a public telephone on the corner of Park and Regent St. while the temperature outside was a balmy 56 degrees and sun shone down through a break in the clouds, lighting up the side of the building and reflecting what was across the street with uncanny accuracy.
Anonymous (February 14, 2007 @ 9:14am):
Do all the band members get rooms with spa's when they travel?
Anonymous (February 14, 2007 @ 11:20am):
This is bullshit.
John Wiley, I hate you.
Anonymous (February 14, 2007 @ 11:24am):
no spas at the hotel in Michigan, unless you count the "fountain" in the lobby
Anonymous (February 14, 2007 @ 11:26am):
What the hell was the Badger Herald doing way down on Park and Regent?
Anonymous (February 14, 2007 @ 11:34am):
I wish
Anonymous (February 14, 2007 @ 12:46pm):
hate to break it too you, but that hotel has no spas in its rooms.
Anonymous (February 14, 2007 @ 12:52pm):
If everyone looked like McDreamy, this type of behavior would be more tolerated. His rights as an ugly, shirtless man have been violated.
Anonymous (February 14, 2007 @ 2:13pm):
Do you really need to refer to yourself four times? I'm pretty sure I know which newspaper I am reading.
Anonymous (February 14, 2007 @ 2:46pm):
hahahaha ugly, shirtless man...i love it
Anonymous (February 14, 2007 @ 3:40pm):
Sorry, the hotels the band stays in do NOT have spas, including the staff. Again, great reporting by the media to quickly take things out of context and report rumor instead of fact.
Anonymous (February 14, 2007 @ 3:48pm):
Given how the UW acted on the trumped up and ultimately unsubstantiated allegations against Barrows, it seems it also had to come down hard on this band guy. What kind of outfit is Leckrone running, anyway?
Anonymous (February 14, 2007 @ 4:06pm):
This is just more evidence that our society is deteriorating. It won't be long before asking a girl out will be considered sexual harrassment.
Wiley blows.
-Roadkill
Anonymous (February 14, 2007 @ 4:23pm):
this is bull...
i'm pissed
Anonymous (February 14, 2007 @ 4:27pm):
Interesting that L & S was prepared to fire someone who according to the article had been exonerated of sexual harassment charges and had not violated federal or state harassment laws. Hmmm...now maybe if he were a felon on the payroll the chancellor would be in a bigger hurry to protect him.
Anonymous (February 14, 2007 @ 4:29pm):
It is sad that other UW faculty can stay on for worse offenses with ACTUAL sexual contact and this happens to the assistant director for allegations? I see Wiley and his 'stormtroopers' are still out to get the band. One of these days he'll realize that this organization has very deep roots in the athletic department and the university. But yes, remind me of how we are not supposed to be human - just do math and science. Thanks Wiley for putting personal agendas ahead of doing your job - getting money for the University.
Anonymous (February 14, 2007 @ 4:34pm):
More faults in this story - there is only one other assistant director that is on staff, and she is married and her husband is on staff. SO, this story of a "part time employee" is a bunch of BS!
Anonymous (February 14, 2007 @ 4:39pm):
this was one of the amusing article I've read in awhile...he wanted use her blanket to "warm up" and then secretly used her "spa" aka hot tub? WTF!?? lol.
Anonymous (February 14, 2007 @ 5:47pm):
The whole situation is risible. If there are no hot tubs, it makes you wonder how many other faults there are in the story. These types news "releases" are just ways that large organizations, such as the UW, fabricate truth. Don't buy into it, they were going to fire him because of the black eye it caused the UW, and potential donations they receive from rich a-holes who want to see a prim and proper marching band. Did you know that your ancestors were all pimps and whores?
Anonymous (February 14, 2007 @ 7:12pm):
Read again--part-time employee does NOT mean band staff member. It was the dance team director (which is common knowledge for anyone who knows the situation) according to the Capital Times.
Herald Staff--do a little more digging--it seems the dance team had a massive alcohol party that was busted early this year that resulted in suspensions. They staggered the suspensions so they could still go to all of the Badger games and cover up the situation. That situation should be front-page news as well, and they should be on probation.
This chancellor protects who he wants, and will do everything to wreck the people he doesn't like.
Anonymous (February 14, 2007 @ 7:18pm):
College Students: Check
Alcohol: Check
Road Trip : Check
What the heck do you expect to happen. UW Band is not outside the norm. You take any group of young adults, whether it be Frat boys, the swim team, or Band Geeks - mix that with the above, you're going to get crazy behavior. Period. Quit acting like this is abnormal, because everyone gets crazy in college. Go Badgers!
Eat A Rock.
Anonymous (February 14, 2007 @ 7:39pm):
4:34, The part time employee may not have been part of the band. A story in a regional paper alludes to the complainant having dance team connections. As always boys & girls, we must look to other sources to get more of the pieces to the puzzle.
Anonymous (February 14, 2007 @ 7:51pm):
Might we presume the BH will be giving front page coverage to ALL faculty indescretions from this day forward? I'm thinking not. Y'all must be so proud to be playing into the chancellor's hands. Keep up the tabloidistic fervor.
Anonymous (February 14, 2007 @ 8:11pm):
for all the bandos out there, this wasn't the hotel we stayed at in Detroit; it happened the night we were all being good representatives of the university and staying with host families.
EAR
Anonymous (February 14, 2007 @ 9:47pm):
7:51 - This isn't just any faculty indiscretion. It's the second highest ranking official in the marching band, and he resigned as a result of the scandal. That alone makes it newsworthy, not to mention the band's hazing scandal last year already made national headlines.
Anonymous (February 15, 2007 @ 2:03am):
They night not have been able to find sufficient evidence to charge him with sexual harrassment, but what he admits to is appalling...
Not leaving someone's room when asked, taking his shirt off and using her hot tub?! If he wasn't there for sex, what was he there for?!
He should be more than just ashamed and embarrassed.
Anonymous (February 15, 2007 @ 11:42am):
2:03-
If she came into his room and raped him, I'm sure you wouldn't be appalled. All he did was take off his shirt and you're berating him.
Chancellor Wiley would have probably found a way to turn it around and make it seem like Lorenz's fault, since it is our society's belief that only men can commit sexual violations.
Anonymous (February 16, 2007 @ 11:29pm):
I didn't mind so much the "double-secret probation" that WIley had the band on before, but this whole thing makes me SICK, ESPECIALLY considering the amazing man they're getting rid of, like they can just judge his character based on circumstantial evidence and that's that. Just another day at the office for the 'Band Control' portion of Wiley's "double secret" cabinet of havoc-wreaking anti-band cronies. GAHHH!!! I DISRESPECTIVELY DISAGREE!!!
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