According to an article by Marissa Payne, Editor-in-Chief of
the Daily Iowan, University of Iowa
President Bruce Harreld questioned whether the UI should play the
rivalry-series game in the future pending improvements to safety.
After Hawkeye Marching Band members went public with
allegations of physical harassment faced at the Sept. 14 Cy-Hawk football game
in Ames, University of Iowa President Bruce Harreld told The Daily Iowan on
Monday that he wants to use this game as an opportunity to improve safety
measures, questioning whether the UI should play the rivalry-series game in the
future.
“I’m not convinced at all that we should play this game
again — here or there or anywhere — unless we can protect our fans, our band,
and of course our athletes,” Harreld said.
Band members last week alleged suffering from broken ribs
and being bruised by a beer can at the Cy-Hawk game at Jack Trice Stadium.
Since the alleged incidents, Harreld said he reached out to
Iowa State University President Wintersteen as well as University of Northern
Iowa President Mark Nook about having conversations with athletic directors,
with band directors, and campus security and safety officials to prevent such
alleged harassment from happening again.
“And I think we need to put it on paper — how large should
our security forces be, where should the band bus park, what tunnel should we
have a secure group of people make officers and security people protecting
them…” he said.
Read it all here
