President Robert Shelton released a universitywide memo yesterday stating inaccuracies in recently publicized stories surrounding threatening letters made to UA students.

“”Over the past 24 hours, Tucson and Phoenix news organizations have carried unexpected coverage of an FBI investigation into threatening letters sent to media outlets and individuals at a handful of universities, including the University of Arizona,”” Shelton said in the memo.

“”Unfortunately, some news accounts wrongly characterized these letters as carrying threats against UA students. We have verified with the FBI that these letters never contained threats to UA students. Though the anonymous letters made statements about inappropriate media portrayal of cheerleaders, there were no threats made toward any UA students.””

According to The Associated Press, the letters, which were also sent to national networks and university athletic departments in Michigan and Ohio, are said to have criticized media coverage of female athletes and claimed that cheerleaders with long-sleeved uniforms get more airtime than those with shorter, more revealing uniforms.

“”For the last 6 years, Ohio State cheerleaders have received more TV time than any other Division 1A cheer squad on ESPN, because they wear long sleeved red/white outfits. If they wore sleeveless outfits, they would not get ANY TV time. So, we are fed up with this constant exploitation,”” the author wrote, according to The Associated Press.

The letters are believed to have been mailed from Portland, Ore., and delivered in September of 2004.

In his memo, Shelton also reiterated the UA’s commitment to safety on campus and encouraged anyone with information on the letters to contact the FBI at (866) 915-8299.

– The Associated Press contributed to this article