Staff Report
UNM and history Professor Richard Berthold have agreed that he will not be on campus for the remainder of the week while matters relating to his personal safety are investigated, Provost Brian Foster announced today.
“This is being done as a precautionary measure because of our concern about Prof. Berthold’s safety,” said Foster, who authorized the action on behalf of the University.
Arrangements have been made for Berthold’s classes to meet as regularly scheduled.
“During this week, we will monitor this on-going situation and UNM Police will continue to investigate matters that have come to our attention,” UNM Police Chief Kathy Guimond said.
Berthold has come under fire recently for his comment to his class Sept. 11 that “anyone who blows up the Pentagon has my vote.” He subsequently apologized for his remarks. Since then, several state legislators have called for his termination.
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The decision came following a series of threatening and obscene phone calls to the provost’s office and the History Department.
In a Sept. 27 UNM police report, an unidentified person left a message on the provost’s voicemail saying that if Berthold was not “ousted” from UNM within 24 hours, he would be. In a separate Sept 27 UNM police report, the history department told police it had received obscene phone calls on Sept. 21, Sept. 26 and Sept. 27.
Today the Faculty Senate will meet at 3:30 p.m. in the Kiva Lecture Hall to discuss the faculty’s response to Berthold’s situation.
