It's sad that West Virginia University President James Clements had to address the actions of a few on campus during his annual State of the University speech recently.
A speech that was glowing with the university's recent achievements and accolades and outlined new projects and initiatives was preceded by a warning, and rightfully so, to the relatively few - given the university's overall attendance of about 30,000 students- who decided to celebrate the Mountaineers' football win over Texas by starting street and trash can fires in Morgantown.
What's worse is some police officers were injured after bricks and bottles were thrown at several city fire engines, vehicles and officials, and in one incident, a light pole was toppled and tossed into a fire.
These kinds of post-game victory "celebrations" are well-known in many campuses across the nation. Ohio State has certainly had its share when the Buckeyes posted major football victories.
But that certainly doesn't make them acceptable. This behavior is juvenile and should not be tolerated.
Reports indicate that several people have been charged with malicious burning following WVU v. Texas post-game events. We truly hope the disciplinary route taken by the university will stave off further incidents there and set an example for other universities throughout the nation.
After all, there's much to be proud of and anticipate at institutions of higher learning, least of which is the football team's accomplishments. A university's impact on education and research is invaluable in the communities and states served.