Letter from President Gamble

[SonomaCat]

July 3, 2006

To members of the University community,

By now most you have read about last week's arrest of two former
student athletes in the death of Jason Cody Wright. Wright's body was found
June 23 at MSU's Post Farm west of campus.

The circumstances surrounding Wright's death are extremely concerning,
and the two suspects, John LeBrum and Branden Miller, could face the
death penalty. More arrests are possible as the criminal investigation
continues.

This incident is the most serious one I've encountered in my many years
of higher education. It troubles me and I felt a responsibility to
communicate with you about this. I have felt a range of emotions in the
last several days--sadness, distress, disappointment and disbelief. I
suspect that each of you may have experienced many of the same feelings.

The university has and will continue to cooperate fully with local
investigators. It appears that this incident was connected to illegal
drugs, and I must express how concerned I am about drug use in our
communities and the culture it creates. I serve on the Montana Meth Project Task
Force, and illegal drug use will continue to be an issue that I will
work to combat in our communities and on campus.

While we aren't responsible for the actions of our former students, I
do believe that last week's arrests reflect negatively on this
institution. In light of this and other drug-related incidents, including the
arrest last March of eight freshmen on drug charges, our senior
leadership team has decided that it is time to take a fresh look at ourselves.

For one, we need to send a more powerful message that illegal drug use
will not be tolerated on our campus. Each of you can help spread that
message in your encounters with current and prospective students and
their families.

We need to take a look at our policies, procedures and practices in
several areas of our campus. Specifically, we are bringing in an outside
consultant to look at the athletic recruitment process to make sure we
are doing all we can within the requirements of NCAA rules to bring in
student athletes who will be successful. Both of the former students
arrested last week had left MSU and their teams before completing their
degrees. Academics are my No. 1 priority for student athletes, and it
does no good for any coach to recruit a student athlete who cannot be
successful academically.

I plan to get this review effort underway in the next few months and to
have it completed by the end of fall semester. I think Montana State
University is a great place to get an education and we will continue to
build on our many strengths in the days ahead.

Thank you for your many contributions to this university. Please
contact me if you have any comments or suggestions on the approach we are
taking to this situation.

Sincerely,

Geoff Gamble
President, Montana State University

[PapaG]

Well, at least he didn't pull a Brodhead and throw the entire athletic department under the bus prior to a vetting of this debacle.

On the other hand, he alluded to future arrests, which may or may not escalate this horrible situation.

Let's just say I am worried. I am not hearing positive things from those I am in contact with.

[briannell]

I am glad he addressed it!!!! got it from my alumni mail. I think it's good he's open to suggestions, and NOT rallying the covered wagons around it. kuddos for stepping up and saying that MSU will not tolerate this behavior and that even if it means some athletes goto jail MSU will not hide, but step up.