OSU Makes Policy Changes To Meet Sexual Abuse Settlement

Ohio State University tells federal officials the school has begun designating specific rooms for changing in and out of marching band uniforms during road trips and has made other policy changes since discovering a "sexualized culture" within the band and firing its director. The university provided its first quarterly update Wednesday to the U.S. Department of Education under a September settlement agreement. The pact ended a federal inquiry into the school's handling of sexual abuse cases. Band members also were instructed under the new guidelines not to change in public and not to socialize in other students' hotel rooms. Director Jonathan Waters was fired in July on grounds he failed to stop sexually charged band rituals, including groping games on buses. Waters denies the allegation, and filed suit seeking reinstatement.