COLUMBUS (AP) — Ohio State University is requiring its roughly 150 alumni clubs and societies to stay silent when it comes to disparaging comments about the school, or risk losing money and other perks it provides them. Most are signing on.
The move comes two years after the school fired its marching band director because of an internal investigation that found a “sexualized culture” in the band. That prompted the marching band’s alumni group, one of the university’s most visible, to speak out publicly against the university and offer the fired employee public relations and legal help.
The university tells The Associated Press the band controversy isn’t connected to the alumni group changes, which began months before Jonathan Waters’ firing in 2014.
Ohio State says it’s an effort to protect its multibillion-dollar brand.
Disparagement clauses are standard in trademark agreements, and they can require users of logos and other perks to give up some free speech protections, experts said.
The marching band alumni organization — “TBDBITL,” standing for The Best Damn Band In The Land – is independently incorporated, has its own logo and owns the “TBDBITL” trademark.