University of Oregon President Michael Schill on Monday used a New York Times op-ed to denounce students who stormed the stage at his "state-of-the-university" speech in early October and stopped him from speaking to the student body, calling them "misguided."
He questioned the motivations of the protesters, who said they were present to protest fascism and neo-Nazis. Schill disagrees, taking issue with the protesters' intolerance for viewpoints that didn't align with their beliefs.
"It is also ironic that they would associate fascism with the university during a protest in which they limit discourse," Schill wrote. "One of the students who stormed the stage during my talk told the news media to 'expect resistance to anyone who opposes us.' That is awfully close to the language and practices of those the students say they vehemently oppose."
About 45 students rushed the stage when Schill tried to give his speech, chanting "Nothing about us without us," and "Shame," the Daily Emerald reported.
Schill had to post a recording of the speech online, which took the air out of his announcement of a $50 million gift to the school.