Iowa says it is investigating allegations of “inappropriate actions” made toward student members and staff of the Hawkeye Marching Band during Saturday’s game at rival Iowa State, according to a statement released by the school on Monday.
“We have contacted Iowa State Athletics administration and are working to gather additional information,” athletic director Gary Barta said in the statement. “Our main priority is the safety of all Iowa students, staff, and coaches when attending events away from Iowa City.”
No further information was provided by either school. When contacted Monday afternoon, a school spokesman at Iowa State said he was just recently made aware of the allegations and added, “we’re looking into it.”
Eric Bush, director of the Hawkeye Marching Band, said the athletic department is taking the lead on the investigation, but declined to say what happened.
“The Hawkeye Marching Band is a family,” he said. “We take care of one another. While we might be saddened and shook up by the stuff that happened, we’re going to continue to be a great band and provide excellent entertainment to everyone who watches.
“I don’t want to give the details yet because we’re still trying to figure out what happened. That’s the bottom line. We’re collecting information from the students and trying to figure out what events took place.”