ALBANY -- The cancelation of Fountain Day -- a University at Albany celebration that was scrapped after students destroyed property during the notorious "kegs and eggs" melee -- inspired its own bit of vandalism.

On Wednesday, the campus woke up to purple, spray-painted signs stenciled on concrete pillars across the campus's Academic Podium.

The message: "Did you know? Ninety-nine percent of UAlbany students were NOT part of the kegs N' eggs riot but were punished for it."

The paint job came just four days before students would have filled the campus' reflecting pool for the annual Fountain Day, a traditional celebration of spring symbolized by the starting of the fountain.

But UAlbany President George Philip canceled the event after the so-called "kegs and eggs" riot of March 12 where dozens of college students destroyed cars, tossed televisions off of balconies and struggled with police officers who tried to break up the melee. Much of the vandalism was caught on tape and -- to the embarrassment of college officials and student -- shown to the world on YouTube.

UAlbany officials weren't amused by the newest vandalism and campus police opened a criminal investigation. A $1,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of whoever spray-painted the graffiti. If the university determines students caused the damage the matter also will be referred to the school's judicial system where punishment can range from reprimand to expulsion, said UAlbany spokesman Karl Luntta.

"We do not condone or endorse this behavior," he said. "This is vandalism."

As students walked through the Academic Podium on Wednesday, they said they understood the graffiti's message, but condemned the method.

"It's still defacing the university," 27-year-old Trevor English said. "There's other ways to go about your point of view without being irresponsible."

The signs painted on the columns appeared to be a play on UAlbany's Social Norms campaign that heralds survey results to encourage healthy choices. For example, one poster from that campaign states that 86 percent of UAlbany students partied without using alcohol in the last year.

Ironically, Wednesday morning's message was in support of a party that often involves alcohol that was canceled in response to the alcohol-fueled "kegs and eggs" melee.

Since the riot, more than 50 people, some of them UAlbany students, have been arrested or ticketed, and the Albany Police Department released videos and photos of more than two dozen people they said were involved in the incident.

Some students said the university overreacted in canceling Fountain Day, arguing that some of the people involved in kegs and eggs were not UAlbany students.

Lunnta said there are "no security cameras" in that area of the campus.

By noon, a number of the signs had already been washed off and an email had gone out to students from Clarence McNeill, the university's assistant vice president for student success.

The email said students who breach the code of conduct, including "deliberate destruction or defacing of property -- including incidents of graffiti," are subject to judicial action from the university and arrest under state law.

"I remind you of this so you may be mindful of your responsibilities as members of the university community and successfully complete your academic requirements for the spring semester," McNeill said.

At the lobby of University Hall on Wednesday, three women chit-chatted about the vandalism, wondering how they would explain the signs to prospective students on campus tours and remarking on the immaturity of the graffiti.

"You're not going to change the decision," one of them said about Fountain Day's cancelation.

Luuk Visser, an 18-year-old from the Netherlands, said most students understood and accepted the cancelation of Fountain Day, but one small group has destroyed the university's reputation.

"I guess the best way to do it is to attract the least media attention possible instead of fighting fire with fire," Visser said.

Reach Dayelin Roman at 454-5350 or droman@timesunion.com.