Tuesday, November 17, 2009
www.msureporter.com
Minnesota State University, Mankato
Censoring the student voice
illustration by ann reichel • msu reporter
An Indiana university sues a student for opinions in his blog in the first-ever case of its kind in the country ADAM PULCHINSKI
staff writer
Disciplinary hearings began in late October for a junior at Butler University in Indiana for what university officials called a libelous and threatening blog that criticized school administration. The student, Jess Zimmerman, has contended that nothing on his blog, TrueBU Blog, came close to what the university has alleged. Zimmerman, whose father and stepmother work at Butler, created the blog in October 2008 as a place to discuss goings-on at the university. “I thought it would be fun to see if we could have open
discussion,” said Zimmerman. “Something as an alternative to websites like ‘Juicy Campus.’” Juicy Campus is a blog that posts college gossip and, as Zimmerman said, can sometimes be negative. His goal was to create a place where positive criticism could take place. In his first blog, he stated “This is not a forum for attack. It is a forum for truth.” Zimmerman went on to say that attacks would not be tolerated. The blog continued through December of 2008 when Zimmerman received an e-mail to his account linked with the blog. The e-mail was from a university lawyer and informed Zimmerman, who was still only known by the moniker “Soodo Nym”, that legal action was being
exercised. Zimmerman took down the blog, but a lawsuit was filed in January. After several memos and statements by Butler President Bobby Fong, Zimmerman said that he felt he needed to “clear the air” about his blog. He felt that it was being misrepresented to school officials and the public and wanted people to know the truth. Among the things Zimmerman took offense to was Fong likening the incident to the massacre at Virginia Tech a few years ago. Fong cited an e-mail sent to Butler Provost Jamie Comstock that threatened “more trouble” as cause for
Censoring / page 4
Breaking ground Renewable energy research center to be built on campus MARTI KLINSING
staff writer
index
Minnesota State has found a new reason to be one of a kind. On Friday, ground was broken for a new, renewable energy research center on campus near Wiecking Center. The $1.8 million, 6,300-square foot building will be the Center for Renewable Energy Research and Technology Editorial...................................6 Voices......................................7 Variety....................................11 Sports....................................15 Classifieds.............................19
Transfer. Within the center, 1,500-square feet will be dedicated for the International Renewable Energy Technology Institute and 4,800-square feet will be dedicated to an emissions laboratory. Before taking their gold plated shovels to the ground, President Richard Davenport, Director of Business and Industry Partnerships
Ground / page 8
kyle janda • msu reporter Various members of the administration, including President Richard Davenport, took part in the groundbreaking ceremony for the new energy research center alongside Sen. Kathy Sheran Friday morning.
Director of “Juno” talks about his new film Variety, page 11
Playoff woes and blows Sports, page 15