14 CommentsOn Friday morning, the Columbia University Band Alumni Association sent out a press release announcing that the marching band will continue to play at future athletic events, including the homecoming game this Saturday.
“The Columbia University Marching Band has been a University tradition for over 100 years. It is my strong hope that this tradition continues for the next 100 years and beyond,” said President Bollinger in a statement. Following student backlash against the Athletic Department pulling all funding from Columbia University Marching Band (CUMB) and prohibiting them from performing at all athletic events, “Dean Jim Valentini, Athletic Director Peter Pilling, and representatives of the band have met, resolved the issues needed attending to, and found a way forward that preserves the band and that tradition.”
CUMB and the Athletic Department have established a “new partnership,” in which the band will be “under the supervision of Columbia Athletics and subject to a code of conduct,” says Samantha Rowan, the president of the Columbia University Band Alumni Association. Addressing the band’s past controversies—including sneaking into Butler Library to perform Orgo Night despite being prohibited by the Columbia administration—Samantha states that the Alumni Association recognizes “it’s important for the band to improve its musicality and maintain its traditional satirical approach while also being respectful in its words and actions.”
We will continue to update this article with more information.
The full text of the press release is included below:
University President Lee C. Bollinger: “The Columbia University Marching Band has been a University tradition for over 100 years. It is my strong hope that this tradition continues for the next 100 years and beyond. I am, therefore, very pleased to say that over the past two weeks Dean Jim Valentini, Athletic Director Peter Pilling, and representatives of the band have met, resolved the issues that needed attending to, and found a way forward that preserves the band and that tradition. The Columbia University Marching Band will again be playing at this Homecoming Weekend.”
Cameron Danesh-Pajou, manager of the Columbia University Marching Band: “The establishment of this new partnership between Columbia Athletics and the Columbia University Marching Band presents an exciting opportunity for all parties in what has been over a century of collaboration. Through upholding the standards integral for a positive game day atmosphere, the Band will once again be able to continue its tradition of supporting Columbia Athletics, the student body, and the Columbia community at large.”
Samantha Rowan, president of the Columbia University Band Alumni Association: “We’re very excited to work with the Marching Band and the Athletics department to get the band performing again. We all understand that it’s important for the band to improve its musicality and maintain its traditional satirical approach while also being respectful in its words and actions. Over the long-term, we’re hopeful that the Marching Band will flourish and continue to support the football team, the men’s and women’s basketball teams and other Columbia sports programs for many years.”
The reorganized band will be under the supervision of Columbia Athletics and subject to a code of conduct, just as is the case for Columbia’s teams and affiliated groups. Columbia College will guide the band on traditions outside of athletic contests that comply with this new arrangement.
CUMB via Bwog Archives
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14 Comments
@Anonymous Sorry CUMB, but your days are numbered. Free speech does not mean freedom from consequences.
@Anonymous All is right with the world.
@Leonard Levine Great. I trust the Marching Band and Columbia will evolve reasonably into the 2nd century of the band. I was reluctantly prepared to make this an issue at my class’s 50th Reunion this June. Leonard Levine ’70C
@Your class 50th reunion You still should make it an issue. Please remember Orgo Night. It’s very much a free speech issue. Will the president get away with dishonestly pretending it isn’t? And realize that Orgo Night was the central cause (not the whole thing but a major part) of this whole manufactured crisis. Yes, your class sure should take a long, hard look at what’s become of their university.
@class of '70 reunion next June Do make it an issue. This story is far from done. Mr. Bollinger, the big free speech guy, is still running scared of kids who are triggered by Orgo Night. Your class should be interested in the hypocrisy and the capitulation to scary activist students. What’s become of Columbia the beacon of free expression?
@Anonymous Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequences you bigot.
@CC ' 04 What a relief. The administration should take a moment to examine why it puts students and alumni through pointless micro-crises
@anon Yay! Roar, Lion, roar!
@Stewart #CANCELPREZBO
@Anonymous He bowed to pressure from BIGOTS and is allowing hate speech back on campus. Shame on him.
@Lee D. Bollinger I’m not fond of bigots myself, although I believe people who say offensive things shouldn’t be shut down but rather disputed and/or ignored. Anyhow, I’m curious to know just what Columbia Band performances or utterances you found bigoted, specifically when these offense occurred. You do realize, I hope, that the Band, like all student organizations (and rivers), is an ever-changing organism. The filthy river water can be replaced by clean. The band people who may have bothered someone even as recently as a few years ago are gone. But regardless, remembering that this is America, and a university, and Columbia, consider that maybe the best treatment of people who offend you may not be to shut them up. That’s a reaction that is the slipperiest of slopes. Careful what you wish for.
@Anonymous Yes! Heraclitus rules!! Good point about how the river changes and so do student groups. A lot of times, complaints about the marching band (and other groups on campus) are based on something that happened five years ago, or ten or twenty.
@Not quite the full story, PrezBo For a quick course in president-speak, read Bollinger’s statement carefully. People have “resolved the issues that needed attending to,” he says, and the band “will again be playing at this Homecoming Weekend.”
Both true, but neither tells the full story.
They’ve resolved the “issues that needed attending to”? You mean the phony issue of recognition for the band, which is now so easily resolved, only after overwhelmingly negative publicity for the University and an astounding outpouring of support from students, alumni and others? Yeah, that issue.
And sure, the band will be playing at Homecoming – in the stands. Despite now being a recognized group, they won’t be playing on the field. Not at pregame, not at halftime. And not in the alumni tent.
This president is pretty good at telling the truth. Just not the whole truth.
@Not quite the full storym PrezBo For a good lesson in president-speak, read Bollinger’s statement carefully. He says, quite correctly,, that the administration and the band have “resolved the issues that needed attending to” and that the band “will again be playing at this Homecoming Weekend.”
You mean they’ve resolved the issue of the band’s recognition? The fabricated issue that could easily have been resolved in the same fashion, and wouldn’t have been but for the negative publicity for the University and the stunning outpouring of alumni and student support for the band? Oh yeah, that issue.
And yes, the Marching Band will play at Homecoming tomorrow – but despite the fact that the band’s recognition issue is resolved, they’re playing in the stands only. Not on the field. Not at halftime. Not at pregame. Not in the Homecoming tent. One wonders why.
This president apparently is good at telling the truth, just not the whole truth.