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Band reacts to new fiasco
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Also by Nick Penzenstadler:
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- Organization confident 'Sex Toys 101' will go on (May 1, 2008)
- Law School shuts down 'Sex Toys 101' talk (April 30, 2008)
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Following Monday's resignation of the University of Wisconsin assistant marching band director recently cleared of sexual harassment allegations, students and faculty said they are already looking to move on. Michael Lorenz was the subject of a UW Office for Equity and Diversity investigation after a female employee said he entered her hotel room uninvited during the weekend of the Michigan football game Sept. 22-23. "It was one of those things you regret happening," said UW Marching Band Director Michael Leckrone. "I just hope for the best." Though the UW Office for Equity and Diversity ultimately exonerated him of sexual harassment, Lorenz chose to resign from his position. According to Provost Patrick Farrell, Lorenz will work at the university until the end of the school year, finishing his duties as director of the University Band, a separate performance group offered to all students through the UW School of Music. Farrell said forcing him to leave would only hurt the educational process for his students. "Part of the thinking was to not punish kids in the course," Farrell said. "We will limit his contact and highly constrain where he goes, but not punish students." According to Gary Sandefur, dean of the College of Letters and Sciences, the resignation was not announced until Monday because of negotiations with Lorenz's attorney, adding the decision to let Lorenz stay at the university comes with certain guidelines. "He'll still be working for the band, but he won't be going on any trips," Sandefur said. "And he won't have any contact with person who made the accusation — it seemed like a fair way to let him make the transition." University officials also commended the woman who filed the complaint for not being too afraid to speak up. Farrell said the woman has been kept from the public eye so as not to be punished for having the courage to bring the situation forward. Currently on vacation in San Francisco, Sandefur said he has heard little response to the announcement. However, he added he did receive a concerned phone call from the parent of a UW band student. In terms of faculty, Farrell said the general sentiment has been that the incident was "unfortunate." At Wednesday's marching band rehearsal, Leckrone said he briefly addressed the issue. "The only thing that I mentioned was that I appreciate what Mike has done for the band over the years," Leckrone said. "We're sorry he has to leave in this manner." UW senior trumpet player Grant Jacobsen said the marching band would have had a hard time without Lorenz's guidance. Jacobsen added that until Tuesday, most band members had only heard rumors about the harassment allegations. "It's an unfortunate event, along with the whole Michigan trip," Jacobsen said. "Hopefully we can move on from here and move past it." UW spokesperson Amy Toburen said the incident with Lorenz just happened to occur within the same timeframe as the hazing allegations against the band members themselves that same weekend. "The band is a critical component for our alumni and campus," Toburen said. "We're hoping to move forward — we haven't had any other incidents since the chancellor met with the band."
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So, really, the only problem with this whole situation is that he made the woman feel uncomfortable by not leaving the room when asked, right? Was she staying alone, or do the double-up to save the University money? Was her phone broken, because she didn’t call anyone for help? Were her legs broken, because she didn’t leave the room?
Wiley is a piece of shit. The witch hunt against anyone who’s more popular than he is continues.
Play Swing Town. If you dont I boycott the 5th quarter.
I just love this:
“UW spokesperson Amy Toburen said the incident with Lorenz just happened to occur within the same timeframe as the hazing allegations against the band members themselves that same weekend.”
Now if only we could put italics or quotes around the word “happened” we’d really have something going. I mean, honestly, Ms. Toburen really expects us to believe the two aren’t interrelated at all? I’m no conspiracy theorist, but that is a helluva coincidence.
I’ll chalk it up to a common factor — alcohol — the cause of, and solution to all of life’s problems.
Something does not add up here
Am I missing something here? Yesterday’s article said they were going to fire him if he didn’t resign. If he was exonerated of sexual harassment, what’s all the fuss about?
As a member of the band for five years I would say that Mr. Lorenz is a very good role model. Somewhere in the privacy of a bar or hotel things got blown out of proportion between two 30+ year old adults who happen to work for the university.
When I was a student I felt perfectly comfortable sitting alone in a room with Mr. Lorenz. In my opinion this is just another incident of something being misinterpreted.
How can anyone possibly comment on this situation if you weren’t there? None of us should assume anything unless we were there and saw what happened with our own two eyes. And to say “when I was a student I felt perfectly comfortable sitting alone in a room with Mr. Lorenz”????? That doesn’t mean he is incapable of inappropriate behavior. Don’t be so naive.
…because it is obviously better to assume that he’s an evil monster automatically.
We’ll play Swingtown when the student section stops dropping f-bombs in the middle of it. The crazy, old man hates it and we get fined $200 if we’re caught saying it.
It is amazing the way band members and symphathizers circle the wagon whenever bad news comes out. The band has a longstanding reputation for inappropriate and offensive behavior. Now that their activities are exposed to the public they lash out. Blame John Wiley, blame Amy Toburen, blame the vicitim, blame everyone except Mr. Lorenz, Mr. Leckrone or members of the band.
It is time for the band to grow up, clean up and take responsibiltiy for their actions.
2/19 @ 9:57— First of all, we’re not defending Mr. Lorenz’s actions, and I would expect very few would. We are defending, however, Mr. Lorenz’s character from further damage than is deserved, because apart from this one instance he is known as a decent guy. Everyone makes errors in judgement that they regret for the rest of their days, and this is one of them. Mr. Lorenz will have to deal with his conscience, not to mention the wonderful addition of people who seem to love following others around and shame them for their faults.
God forbid the people who actually know him defend him as a human being! For if they did, then those who love to sling mud might find it harder to hide behind their insults! God forbid we stand by our friends as support for them in hard times! In this society, it’s all about me, and if someone I know gets attacked, well it sucks to be them, doesn’t it?
As to your comment about the band lashing out- I have yet to see any action whatsoever that could be construed as “lashing out”. The band didn’t seek retribution on those who went to the Chancellor, nor are they engaging in some form of public disturbance airing their grievances. The band got their talking to, dealt with the media circus, went to their sensitivity training, and moved on.
Additionally, I don’t think a single person in the band is blaming Wiley, Toburen, or the victim (certainly not the victim), and Mr. Leckrone is certainly not to blame because he had nothing to do with this matter. The band members can’t be blamed because they weren’t even there and the news of this came as a surprise to them as they opened up their daily papers.
The worst part about your comment is that you seem to think the band members had something to do with this, because they’re “inappropriate and offensive”. Well, no matter what you do, someone’s going to get offended. Like your post offended me. Perhaps you should grow up, clean up, and take responsibility for your actions.
I recently went to the Badger/Gopher football game and the band seemed nonexistent. The same song played over and over. No Swingtown, no “When you say Wisconsin, You’ve said it all,” no Tequila. boooooooooo