HILLSDALE, Mich. — A student editor at the Hillsdale College newspaper found several dead animals on his porch a few days after an editorial critical of the school's baseball team ran in the paper.

The carcasses were discovered early Monday at the off-campus home rented by Beyond section editor John Krudy. The Collegian reports that the bodies of one-and-a-half deer, several large rodents and a black goat had been left on the porch.

A copy of the paper's April 2 sports section — which included the critical editorial — was underneath the goat.

The Collegian has published an apology, calling the editorial a mistake.

Editor-in-Chief Joy Pavelski said the decision to write the editorial was "made in haste" after a majority of the newspaper's editorial board, facing an early morning deadline, could not decide on a topic.

"It was not our normal process of measured decision-making," Pavelski said.

Pavelski said Wednesday that Krudy has decided not to press charges.

Hillsdale College spokesman Christopher Bachelder said leaving the carcasses on the porch was an "unfortunate" prank and the school "has taken appropriate action in response."

"The persons responsible have apologized, the residents of the house where the animals were deposited have accepted the apology and we're treating the matter as an administrative matter that will have some ongoing consequence here at the college," he said.

Bachelder would not elaborate, citing student privacy. He also declined to say whether any members of the baseball team were involved or being punished, or whether any action will be taken against members of the newspaper staff.

All the carcasses were collected from roadsides. No animals were killed as part of the prank, Bachelder said.

"If that were not the case, that would change the dimensions of this," he said.