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Officials at Ohio State University — whose students may have scrawled signatures on ancient rock art during a geology field trip to Utah — said Friday that the school is looking into the matter and will take appropriate action.

"The Ohio State University deeply regrets any damage our students may have caused during a summer geology field experience in Utah," OSU spokesman Chris Davey said Friday.

Investigators have been looking at an Ohio State connection because the signatures are paired with the letters OSU and may have been put there during a field trip in July.

National Forest Service archaeologist Charmaine Thompson said Thursday that the graffiti was made on top of rock paintings that are at least 700 years old.

The black lettering was found on a large rock in a remote area in the Manti-La Sal National Forest, about 100 miles south of Salt Lake City. Thompson said the rock paintings are not very visible and it's hard to tell that there is a figure there.

Terry Wilson, a professor in the School of Earth Sciences, said OSU has conducted a six-week geology course in Utah since 1947 that includes visits to the Reddick Canyon outcrop, where the writing was found.

"In yearly visits to the site, faculty and staff never observed rock art; and if they had been cognizant of it, would have been vigilant in protecting it," Wilson said. "Ohio State geology field camp staff pledge to make very clear to current and future geology students that it is not acceptable to write on rock outcrops or deface a natural resource in any way."

She added the staff also pledges to lead an effort to clear the outcrop of writing, while protecting any rock art.

"We value highly our access to public and private land in Utah and will continue to work hard to be good stewards," Wilson said.

— The Associated Press contributed to this story.