Oregon State University addressed the controversy over a noose found hanging outside a fraternity house.

Someone posted this picture on an Internet blog before Phi Gamma Delta removed the noose.

The frat said the noose was leftover from Halloween and it originally had a witch hanging from it, but no one took it down from the tree.

The school issued a statement which also addressed another incident in which some blackface-wearing football fans were interpreted as racist.

“A series of recent incidents at OSU have underscored for our campus how important cultural competency and sensitivity regarding matters of race are for all of us. We take these incidents seriously, as we do our responsibilities for the safety of our students and the environment on our campus.

We support our students as they exercise their rights of free speech and assembly in calling attention to issues that have caused considerable pain, frustration and anger; we have taken appropriate steps to ensure their safety and the safety of all patrons planning to attend Saturday's game. We further call upon all members of our community to contribute to a campus dialogue on these issues that is civil, sensitive and in keeping with our values as a public institution of higher learning. There is much that we call can learn on these matters and no better place to do so than at Oregon State University.”

The fraternity also issued an apology to anyone offended by the noose.