Behavior of UA students during post-championship game festivities laudable

On Monday, March 31st, the men's basketball team defeated Kentucky in overtime to clench the NCAA National Championship. It is likely that Tucson residents will remember this day for many years to come. For some, the memories that remain will be those of the team or of the final dramatic minutes of the game. For others, the memories will be of the celebration that ensued in the hours following the game.

We, in the Dean of Students Office, spent several hours that Monday night on campus and in the areas surrounding campus, including Speedway Boulevard and Fourth Avenue. What we saw was not a riot, as had been reported by the media, but students and community members coming together to joyously celebrate the Wildcats' victory.

In the minutes following the game, more than 500 UA students converged on the Mall for an impromptu celebration of the team's victory. They came from all corners of the campus, playing in the sprinklers, chanting "U of A" and "We're number one," and cheering as the Memorial Student Union bell rang eighty-four times. Only a few media representatives witnessed the event. Those not there missed an opportunity to see UA students acting with self-respect and respect for their surroundings.

When the news broke the following day, the story the media told was one of UA students out of control. No one talked about the gathering on the mall, or about the many celebrations that occurred with no problems. Most importantly, no one told us that of those arrested for damaging property, only two were UA students. Imagine that Ä two students out of a community of 34,000 students! The University of Kentucky, who lost the game, had 26 people arrested in the areas surrounding their campus that same night.

The Dean of Students Office would like to step forward and say that we are proud of our students. We also want to thank the many student leaders who worked with us in the days prior to the game, helping to ensure a safe celebration. We believe that students conducted themselves with respect and responsibility, and celebrated the Wildcats' victory with class.

By Melissa Vito and her Dean of Student staff (letter)
Arizona Daily Wildcat
April 30, 1997