According to Director of Issues Management and University of Oregon Spokesperson Angela Seydel, the university found Serrato’s statements in his Instagram video “abhorrent and not in alignment with our values or mission.”
Seydel also said that Serrato has been placed on “administrative leave” and an investigation has been opened.
Administrative leave means that Serrato is taking paid time off, pending a university investigation.
In the post, Serrato said to followers, which included some UO students, to “go f— yourself if you voted for Donald Trump.”
Serrato concluded his story, saying “I hope you go jump off of a f—ing bridge,” with a peace sign.
Seydel said that the university has opened an investigation into the matter and are reviewing it under “university policies and the individual’s role as a public employee.”
According to Seydel, while the university is investigating, they will be providing “support for concerned students and employees, including resources for mental and emotional health.”
Seydel said the university can confirm that the social media post has been taken down after the university “counseled” with “the individual.”
Earlier today, the son of president-elect Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jr., responded to Serrato’s post on social media platform X.
Trump Jr. wrote, “Feel sort of ironic that the guy that runs fraternity and sorority life at University of Oregon probably could have never gotten into a fraternity. It’s disgusting, but not surprising, that an employee at a state University would speak this way about MORE THAN HALF of the country.”
UO Alumni Chip Messenger commented on Donald Trump Jr.’s post in response to Serrato’s comments, threatening to pull his funds out of the university.
“I’m pulling a $100k gift if this guy is still affiliated with my university by month end,” Messenger said in response to Trump Jr.’s post.
In an interview with the Daily Emerald, Messenger said Serrato’s comments were “not acceptable.”
“Regardless of who people vote for, this type of language is not acceptable, especially [on] the public platform,” Messenger said. “You’re held [to] a high standard if you were employed by a public university or a public company, and one person isn’t more important than an institution.”
Messenger also said that bringing this “unwanted attention” to the university is “not acceptable.”
“Not to mention, but people’s mental well-being is especially challenged since the pandemic, and suggesting people [to] harm themselves, is not okay.”
Messenger confirmed that he is serious about pulling his $100,000 funding from the university if Serrato is not dismissed by the end of the month.
“Yeah, my next round of funding will not go out by the beginning of November if people like this are saying these sorts of things,” Messenger said. “You can’t just be saying stuff like this and work for a public university and expect people who write checks to just take it.”
Riley Fox contributed to this report.
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