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Missouri

College president apologizes for viral video of him drinking from beer bong while tailgating

By Caleb Parke , Fox News
Published | Updated
Carlos Vargas

Dr. Carlos Vargas, president of Southeast Missouri State University, apologized after video surfaced of him drinking from a beer bong. (Southeast Missouri State University/Twitter)

A college president has apologized for drinking from a beer bong while tailgating before last Saturday’s football game, promising that it “will not happen again.”

Dr. Carlos Vargas, Southeast Missouri State University President, said in a statement to colleagues and students that his actions projected an image “I am not proud of, is not flattering, and certainly not expected from the president of Southeast Missouri State University.”

“During my attendance at a tailgate party prior to the Southeast football game on Sept. 15, I was observed being offered and accepting to drink beer from a beer bong, a device normally associated with excessive or binge drinking, which is conduct I do not condone,” his statement read.

The video of Vargas taking a knee and downing the beer was posted by Barstool SEMO on Twitter with the caption, “THATS MY PRESIDENT”. It has been viewed over 136,000 times, and received praise from students in the video as well as online.

The Board of Regents wrote in a joint statement with Vargas that while Saturday’s actions represent a “lapse in judgement,” Vargas has their full support and backing going forward.

The president of the board, Donald G. LaFerla, said he spoke with Vargas and called it a “teachable moment.”

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The public school highlighted last Wednesday commendable actions from Vargas that make him stand out as a college president, cheering with fans, instead of watching from one of the luxury boxes, and another instance of him helping a student study in the library.

“I think some of us take Vargas for granted, because I can’t name a single President out of any big organization that tries to go out and meet people like that,” a student wrote on Facebook.