"True story. New president of UM is excited to signal the death of the students … either that or he slept through his lit survey classes," said Lisa Simon, former UM faculty member in English, on Facebook. She described the tweet as just a gaffe, but an ironic one from a president "who says he values the arts (even as he guts them)."

Said @nkcsullivan, Natasha Sullivan, of Missoula: "I do not think this reference means what you think it means. Try taking an English class at UM — unless you cut them all first!"

Joseph Thiebes (@thiebes), pursuing a doctorate at Montana State University in Bozeman, first questioned the tweet, but then figured the president's interpretation might be apropos: "That's exactly right, with all the cuts to humanities, and money pouring into athletics, the bell does indeed toll for the students."

The president's tweet was curated with pictures, including one of a bell inscribed with the words "sound for the student/spirit and tradition" visible on one side. In response, another observer recoiled, "Ouch, Man! Ouch!" and added, "there's a reason the inscription reads the 'bell sounds' for the students."