University of Oregon President Michael Gottfredson on Monday issued a statement on the snowball fight that went viral over the weekend.
In an email Gottfredson sent out to the entire student body, he stated that the UO Police Department, the Office of the Dean of Students and other campus officials are investigating the snowball incident that occurred on Dec. 6, which was captured on video and posted on YouTube. The video garnered attention everywhere from NBC’s Today to The New York Daily News and even reached the No. 2 spot on Reddit Saturday night.
“We have identified several of the individuals involved as UO students and are determining appropriate disciplinary actions to be taken in accordance with the university’s established policies and protocols,” the statement read. “In cases where those involved are student-athletes, additional disciplinary action is being carried out by the Athletics Department.”
After speaking with the drivers of the vehicles shown in the video — an emeritus faculty member, Sherwin Simmons, and another staff member — UOPD, Dean of Students Paul Shang and football head Mark Helfrich released a public statement:
“The University of Oregon takes the conduct of its students seriously. Consequences are clear for those whose actions reflect poorly upon the university or violate its standards for student behavior. However, until the facts of the snowball-throwing incident are sorted out, it would be premature to speculate about any potential outcomes in this case.”
Shang’s full statement is available here.
“As president, I assure you that the University of Oregon will not stand for behavior that threatens the safety of our campus or violates our code of conduct,” the statement continued. “This unacceptable incident is not being taken lightly, and we continue to take swift, appropriate action to address the matter.”
Here’s the full text of Gottfredson’s statement:
Members of the Campus Community:
On Friday, a short video was posted to YouTube depicting an incident in which several individuals inappropriately interfered with two vehicles attempting to drive through a snowball fight on our campus.
The UO Police Department responded to the situation quickly, and in concert with the Office of the Dean of Students and other campus officials began an immediate investigation of the incident. We have identified several of the individuals involved as UO students and are determining appropriate disciplinary actions to be taken in accordance with the university’s established policies and protocols. In cases where those involved are student-athletes, additional disciplinary action is being carried out by the Athletics Department.
Over the weekend, the UO Police Department, Dean of Students Paul Shang, and Coach Mark Helfrich spoke with the motorists seen in the video, an emeritus faculty member and a current staff member. Dean Shang issued a public statement on Saturday that read, in part:
“The University of Oregon takes the conduct of its students seriously. Consequences are clear for those whose actions reflect poorly upon the university or violate its standards for student behavior. However, until the facts of the snowball-throwing incident are sorted out, it would be premature to speculate about any potential outcomes in this case.”
Dean Shang’s full statement, as well as other statements regarding the university’s response to this incident, will be posted on the UO Communications website as they become available.
As president, I assure you that the University of Oregon will not stand for behavior that threatens the safety of our campus or violates our code of conduct. This unacceptable incident is not being taken lightly, and we continue to take swift, appropriate action to address the matter.
Regards,
Michael Gottfredson, President