October 13th, 2015 by WCBC Radio

Dr. Cynthia Bambara, president of Allegany College of Maryland, and Dr. Tom Bowling, interim president of Frostburg State University, in a previously scheduled meeting, discussed the incident this weekend that resulted in a student from each institution being hospitalized.

The fight that led to the injuries sustained by these students took place at Bobcat Court, an apartment development near Frostburg State University in which students from both institutions reside.

While some early reports attributed the fight to possible tension between some ACM and FSU students, the incident remains under investigation by C3I and no apparent motives have been made public.

In a joint statement, Drs. Bambara and Bowling indicated, “We very much appreciate the quick response from local law enforcement agencies and the ongoing efforts being made by the officers in C3I to gain insight into what precipitated the violence.”

In an effort to address any potential tension between groups of students and prevent future incidents, the two presidents are developing plans for at least a two-part dialogue series, one to be held at ACM and another at FSU.

“The first program will focus on understanding to what extent this conflict exists and on gaining an understanding of the issues that may have contributed to any tension that has been reported to exist between our students,” said Bambara and Bowling. “We are committed to creating a safe space in which difficult conversations may be held.”

The second program will focus on engaging students in developing solutions to resolve any conflicts. Both programs will be moderated by faculty and staff at both institutions.

“We wish both of the students a full and speedy recovery,” Bambara and Bowling said. “Allegany College of Maryland and Frostburg State University are dedicated to ensuring that our students have a safe place to live and learn, and we look forward to greater collaboration”