UT band director put on leave, ordered to stay away from students

photo Gary Sousa

A feud between the Pride of the Southland Band director and the University of Tennessee Athletics Department has divided the Pride, especially after the university's announcement Monday that it had placed Director of Bands Gary Sousa on "administrative leave."

UT said Monday that Sousa will be on paid leave for the remainder of the fall semester, with both his band and teaching responsibilities reassigned. Don Ryder will serve as interim director for the remainder of the season. Sousa was forbidden from contacting students or other faculty members pending a "full review" of his actions, which UT officials said included "insubordination" and "misrepresentation of facts."

Sousa was reprimanded in a letter dated Monday from Chancellor Jimmy Cheek and in another dated Monday and signed by Provost Susan Martin, School of Music Director Jeff Pappas and Theresa Lee, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

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