NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — The director of Tennessee State University’s Aristocrat of Bands has been placed on administrative leave following an internal audit, the university’s interim president announced Thursday.
Dwayne Tucker, who took on the role as interim president in December following Dr. Ronald Johnson’s resignation, said he made the difficult decision to remove Dr. Reginald McDonald from his position as band director due concerns regarding “travel requisitions and advances and related lack of compliance with TSU policies and procedures.”
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“As this is an ongoing personnel matter, I will not be able to comment further about it at this time. What I can say is that this difficult decision, and any that come here forward, have at their core a shared commitment to ensuring a bright and stable future for Tennessee State University,” said Tucker.
In October, the university announced the Grammy-winning Aristocrat of Bands would no longer play at away games due to “financial considerations.” According to a letter, the cost of travel for the band would have exceeded $150,000, which presented a challenge for the university’s current financial landscape.
According to Tucker, McDonald will be on administrative leave with full pay as an investigation into the matter continues.
No additional details were immediately released.
