Two groups of men entered classrooms in Dale Hall Wednesday afternoon and refused to leave when requested by instructors, Dean Paul Bell stated in an e-mail sent out Thursday afternoon addressed to administrators in the Arts and Sciences department.
The message was sent from the account of Suzanne Harrell, manager of administration for College of Arts and Sciences.
The message described the groups of seven to eight men as moving in unison when they walked in and took seats in the back while two stood at the back doors. Eventually the men "left the room in the same manner as they entered it."
The message asks administrators to remind faculty to carry cell phones in class and to call OUPD if a similar incident occurs.
College of Arts and Sciences administrators referred questions to Public Affairs and the President's office.
"As is standard procedure at the university, we look into anything that is reported. As with all calls to OUPD a report was filed. However, there is nothing to indicate that this was anything other than a prank by a student group," university spokesman Jay Doyle said Friday in an email.
OUPD deferred comment to the administration.
Full text of the e-mail:
To all A&S Chairs/Directors and VIPs:
I want to make you aware of two recent classroom disruptions. On Wednesday afternoon, two groups of men entered two large adjacent lecture rooms in Dale Hall during classes. Seven to eight men entered each room, walked in a uniform manner and sat down in unison in seats, and two men stood at the back doors to the classrooms. They refused to leave when requested to do so by the instructor and eventually left the room in the same manner as they entered it. OUPD is investigating this matter.
I encourage you to remind your instructional faculty to carry a cell phone to class, if possible, and to call OUPD immediately at 325-1911 if any disruptive activities like this should occur.
Paul B. Bell, Jr., Ph.D.
Dean, College of Arts and Sciences; Vice Provost for Instruction; and Professor of Zoology
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mrgreen 3 years, 2 months ago
Too bad there are no cameras in that building, the footage could have been used to find out who it was.
bulm8944 3 years, 2 months ago
Weird. Did anyone see this? Why and when did they eventually leave?
lasercats 3 years, 2 months ago
That is creepy as hell.
TheJR 3 years, 2 months ago
Wow, hope OU PD catches these guys. Inexcusable even as a prank given the circumstances.