A controversy over (1) funding for travel and per diem payments to band members during band camp and while traveling and (2) the use of prerecorded music and commercials during games at times the band would normally have played led to the placement of Band Director Gary Sousa on administrative leave. He was barred from being on campus in October 2013 and was dismissed as band director, effective at the end of March 2014. An online petition posted by student Jessica Henderson on October 9, 2013, garnered more than thirteen thousand signatures requesting that travel arrangements be returned to those of previous years and that containment of the use of prerecorded rap music and commercials to media timeouts be as in the past. The music issue was precipitated by the new SEC rule that institutionally controlled (prerecorded) music could be played between plays and at other times normally reserved for collegiate bands.
Sousa’s concern about prerecorded music and, according to UT, his failure to use established channels for resolution of conflict began in 2009 when Sousa wrote to SEC Commissioner Mike Slive to complain about prerecorded music being played over both bands at that year’s UT vs. Alabama game. UT officials did not know about the letter until the SEC contacted them for more information, although Sousa said he had discussed the letter with then-Athletics Director Mike Hamilton. The university and Sousa agreed that the problems of communication between the band and the Athletics Department escalated with the appointment of Dave Hart as vice chancellor and director of athletics. The move of the reporting line of the band from the chancellor to the provost to the School of Music (July 2013) complicated the issue as well.
In its report of the investigation, UT’s Provost’s Office also cited as insubordination the band’s independent contract with Under Armour to provide apparel. In 2013 the Athletics Department told band officials they would no longer pay for matching clothing for band members to wear for travel or in the stands when it was too hot for the full uniform. Sousa sought, through regular purchasing channels, proposals for band clothing. Working with Purchasing, he accepted the bid from Under Armour. UT had an exclusive contract with Adidas to provide apparel, and UT central officials found out about the new arrangement when contacted by a representative of Adidas.
On October 7 Sousa shared concerns at the monthly Alumni Band Council meeting and distributed a two-page explanatory sheet. The following day he met with a reporter for his first interview. On October 9 he lifted the no response policy that required band members to remain silent about the issues. Shortly thereafter, Jessica Henderson posted the online petition. While Sousa had written to an associate athletics director about his concerns and had written a letter to the chancellor, which was not received until several days after media reports of the controversy, UT judged that his failure to address the concerns through the normal channels of resolution of conflicts and his involvement of current and former band members in the dispute before availing himself of those channels constituted inexcusable insubordination. He was placed on administrative leave on October 14, 2013. Since he was not only the director of bands but also a tenured professor within the School of Music, he was permitted to return to campus to prepare for his spring semester class load on December 19.
The provost’s office conducted a full review of the situation under the direction of the vice provost for faculty affairs, which concluded that Sousa had acted improperly and had been insubordinate. He was removed from his position as director of bands (which he had held since 1997) and as the WJ Julian Fellow, and he returned full time to his tenured faculty position in the School of Music. In the return to teaching, Sousa’s appointment changed from 12 months to an academic year, resulting in a loss of $25,000 in salary. He also was stripped of the $15,000 WJ Julian Fellowship. Associate Director of Bands Don Ryder was appointed interim director of bands and was subsequently made the permanent director.