The following was released this afternoon by U Maine ... :-( ... wts
 
Dec. 19, 1997
Contact: John Diamond at 581-3743
Joe Carr at 581-3571
 
THREE UMAINE STUDENTS CHARGED WITH CRIMINAL THREATENING
 
ORONO -- Three University of Maine students, all members of the men's
ice hockey team, will appear in Bangor District Court on Jan. 16, 1998
to face charges of criminal threatening, following a Dec. 14 incident
described by UMaine President Peter S. Hoff as "reprehensible."  In
addition, the Maine Attorney General's office is reviewing evidence and
may charge at least one of the students for allegedly making racial
slurs in violation of Maine's Civil Rights Act.
 
According to UMaine Public Safety officers, three students placed a
telephone call from an Orono apartment to another student, who is also
an athlete, in a UMaine residence hall on Sunday.  One of the callers,
alleged by police to have been 22-year-old junior Bryan Masotta, made a
series of threats which included insulting racial language.  Two other
voices, believed by police to be those of Shawn Mansoff, a 22-year-old
sophomore and Matthew Oliver, a 23-year-old junior, were heard in the
background making threatening remarks.
 
Mansoff, from Edmonton, Alberta; Masotta, from Northford, Conn.; and
Oliver, from Euclid, Ohio, have also been suspended from the hockey team
for an indefinite period of time by the team's coach, Shawn Walsh.
 
In addition, UMaine Dean of Students and Community Life Dwight L.
Rideout took immediate disciplinary action against each of the students
upon charges being made by the University's Department of Public Safety
and referred the matter to UMaine's Office of Judicial Affairs, which
decides the outcome of violations of UMaine's Student Conduct Code.
Federal privacy laws prohibit the University from disclosing the details
of student disciplinary actions.
 
"Threats of violence and expressions of racial hatred are
reprehensible," Hoff says. "This University has a zero-tolerance policy
toward this kind of behavior.  We will not tolerate it."
 
"The conduct these three students are accused of is totally
unacceptable," Walsh adds.  "If guilty, they have disgraced themselves
andtheir families, their teammates and their school.  The consequences
will be severe."
 
The threatening comments and racial remarks were recorded on the
student's voice-mail system. The student who received the call sought
immediate assistance from Sean Frazier, UMaine's assistant to the
director of athletics for Equal Opportunity.  Frazier guided the student
through the necessary steps to resolve the issue, starting with
assistance from UMaine's Public Safety office.
 
"The student's level-headed approach to this problem, and Sean
Frazier's wise, thoughtful management of the situation really show the
value of the University's programs that are in place to assist students
in this  multicultural community," says Director of Athletics and
Recreation Suzanne J. Tyler.  "If these programs were not in place and
were not effective, the situation could have escalated into something
even more serious."
 
In addition to Frazier, who also serves as an advisor and resource for
numerous groups on and off campus, UMaine's formal support and
intervention network includes its Office of Equal Opportunity, an
associate dean and an assistant dean for Multicultural Student Affairs,
as well as an Office of International Programs, the Wabanaki Center and
the Franco-American Center.
 
Hoff says that the alleged involvement of three student-athletes should
not in any way reflect on other students or teams.
 
"Members of our athletics teams have a demonstrated record of academic
performance, peer leadership, and community involvement," Hoff says.
"Along with many other UMaine students, they organize food drives, raise
money for charities, and lead peer-education programs on diversity and
personal responsibility.  This ugly incident should not overshadow those
positive contributions of so many."
 
Hoff and Tyler plan to communicate with varsity athletes from all
sports and other members of the community in the upcoming semester to
discuss issues related to diversity, civility and tolerance.  Both
participated in a similar program earlier this semester.
 
"These discussions need to be ongoing and widely inclusive to help
raise public awareness and understanding on and off campus," Hoff
explains.
 
In addition to campuswide promotion of the discussion session, Hoff
intends to send a letter to each UMaine student-athlete to urge his or
her support and leadership for a campuswide dialogue.
 
UMaine begins its semester break today.  Spring semester classes resume
Jan. 12.