The fallout from last night’s VEISHEA riot begins. After a chaotic evening of property damage, attacks on cops, and the serious injury of at least one student, Iowa State University president Steven Leath said in a press conference today that not only will one of the college’s largest and best-known celebrations cancel its activities this week, it may not continue in its present form at all.
Steven Leath says the likelihood of VEISHEA continuing in its present form is very small. Idiots ruin it for the masses once again.
— WRNL (@WideRtNattyLt) April 9, 2014
This isn’t surprising. As HuffPo college editor Tyler Kingkade told BroBible today, the alumni base is horrified at what happened in Ames, as, I’m sure, is the college administration and most of the current student body. A few bad apples ruined an event that, according to Kingdale, “virtually every college student in the state looks forward to.”
Between now and 2015, a task force will be formed to refocus the celebration and decide whether it can return in any form. From KCCI:
The future of the event will be reviewed by a task force committee that will be formed, Leath said. Leath said that despite numerous attempts to move and retool the event, problems continue. Leath said he talked with former ISU president Gregory Geoffroy, the mayor and police chief of Ames, student groups and others about how to move forward.
Leath said he has received hundreds of emails asking for an end to VEISHEA, but Leath said other response like on Facebook has been more balanced.
Leath said VEISHEA will be completely refocused on what it used to be or it will be eliminated.
“The problems revolving around alcohol, house parties — these issues have to go away,” said Leath.