President Steven Leath emailed the following statement to the Iowa State community at 5:10 p.m. today:

TO: Iowa State Faculty, Staff and Students:

As we approach the end of what has proven to be a very difficult week for the Iowa State community, I want you to know that I understand and share the disappointment that many of you are experiencing as a result of the suspension of VEISHEA.

I especially want to acknowledge the disappointment of the students who have devoted countless hours in preparing for this week. Even after Wednesday’s announcement, these students have continued to exhibit exceptional leadership and dedication to their community – including working with the City of Ames and local businesses to help address the property damage in Campustown. In addition, students are also participating in efforts to support the young man who was injured late Tuesday night. The injured student is in stable condition and is conscious. The students involved in these efforts truly embody the ideals of Iowa State.

While this week has historically provided an opportunity to highlight these ideals and the best of what our university has to offer, it became clear after the events earlier this week that this celebration was coming at the expense of the safety of our students and our community – and that is a tradeoff which I am not willing to accept.

Despite the suspension of VEISHEA, most unrelated activities either have or will proceed, including the performances at Stephens, the spring football game, and the ISU Foundation Distinguished Awards Ceremony.

While much of the feedback I have received has been supportive, I realize not all interested parties agree with my decision. However, I appreciate the respectfulness and understanding shown by many of you who would have preferred a different course of action.

As we move forward, I also would like to offer you the opportunity to provide suggestions about the future of VEISHEA. Please share your thoughts and ideas at [email protected]. The task force, which will be appointed next week, will consider your feedback as it evaluates the future of VEISHEA and develops recommendations for my review.

Let’s work together to ensure we represent Iowa State University in a way we can all be proud of – now and in the future.

Sincerely,

Steven Leath

President