November 5, 2001
An Open Letter to Texas Tech Students:

Kelsey Walter's editorial in Monday's (University Daily) sum up the sad situation we find ourselves in at Texas Tech. Several hundred students with a very misguided definition of school spirit have blemished the reputation of this university. All alumni, current students, faculty and staff have been affected. Throughout the country, citizens will remember little about our victory over a school we were favored to beat, but they will long associate Texas Tech with video of a mob attacking fans from another university. While the actions of these students in no way represent the way the vast majority of our students feel about sportsmanship, school loyalty, or adult behavior, all of us will have to pay for their stupidity.

I want the students involved in the melee on Saturday afternoon to know several things. First, we will identify and handle appropriately all of those who vandalized our stadium, destroyed the south goal post and attacked fans from Texas A&M. We have excellent video of the entire situation as well as clear photographs from our staff and from photojournalists on the field that clearly identify those involved. Second, if you were involved in the post game brawl, I strongly suggest that you come forward, identify yourselves and apologize for your behavior before the Dean of Students contacts you. Those involved who do so will be dealt with differently than those who chose to hide. Third, I never imagined that I would deliver such a message to students of this university I love so dearly. However, mob rule will not be tolerated on this campus in any form, and I will take swift action to stop it.

I have been very proud of the strides in pride and pageantry we have made this season at our home football games. The crowds have been wonderful as has the atmosphere surrounding the games. However, I have read hundreds of letters from Kansas State fans about the abhorrent behavior of some of our students and now I have read hundreds more about even worse behavior on Saturday aimed at fans of Texas A&M. The Pride and Pageantry Committee has been renamed the Pride, Pageantry and Sportsmanship Committee and will begin a campaign today to teach the definition of that word to those who have misinterpreted it.
Texas Tech is a fine university where young adults learn the leadership skills that will carry them through life. It is not a haven for thugs and vandals who mock all that we stand for by low class, illegal shenanigans portrayed as school spirit or the innocent indiscretions of youth. Those responsible for sullying the image of this university on Saturday are now going to experience the consequences of their actions. Now and in the future, this university will not tolerate behavior by its students that violates the policies set forth in our Code of Student Conduct.

Our team acted honorably in its victory on Saturday; sadly, all our students did not.

Sincerely,
David J. Schmidly
President
Texas Tech University