The Neuhoff Sculpture Court is enclosed by the Mead Art Museum and James and Stearns Hall. The sculptures were placed there in the spring of 2001.
Campus police were alerted to the vandalism when they received a phone call from a student at 11:53 p.m. reporting that the "Pronghorn Antelope" sculpture had been knocked down. Officers responded to the call and found no one at the scene.
Campus police received a second call at 12:11 a.m. that someone was knocking down the "Indian Hunter." Officers reported to the scene and spoke to a number of witnesses. "At that point we had some names," said Carter.
The student who reported the incident said that he saw a group of students standing in the courtyard after the second sculpture had been tipped. "I only saw a clear view of two of them but there were definitely more," he said.
James Resident Counselor Rosalyn Foster '05 said that the incident was the result of horseplay. "A couple of kids were just messing with the statues, taking them off the white bases which resulted in a great deal of damage," she said.
President Tom Gerety addressed a letter to the College community explaining what had happen to the sculptures. "[The sculptures] were toppled from their bases and broken by acts of vandalism," he wrote. "We know already that they will require tens of thousands of dollars of restoration work."
According to Assistant Dean of Students Frances Tuleja, the College will try to fix the sculptures. "An attempt to restore them will be made although it is not sure at this point whether they can be completely restored," she said.
Gerety's letter also said that an investigation was in progress. "We understand that the perpetrators are Amherst College students," he wrote.
Though Carter and College administrators cannot comment on the specifics of the investigation or potential actions that may be taken against the parties found responsible, it is possible that the incident will be considered a criminal matter.
"Because of the very serious nature of this case I will be seeking council from the president," said Carter. He added that it has not yet been determined if the matter is a student code of conduct referral, a criminal matter or both.
Gerety also suggested in his letter that the students responsible may face criminal charges. "I know that you will all join me in condemning what has happened. Assuming that we can identify the perpetrators and establish their guilt, we will pursue appropriate punishment through collegiate and or criminal processes," stated the letter.
According to James Resident Counselor Ari Kahn '03, resident counselors have not received any information in addition to what has been made public.
"They didn't tell us anything that we didn't already know from the Gerety letter. [The incident] is sad because they were pretty but there hasn't been any sort of crackdown because they knew it was specific to some wacky students."
The sculptures were a gift to the College from Herbert L. Pratt, Class of 1895. According to the letter from Gerety, "These works were among the most significant in the Mead's important collection of American art."