Thursday, September 21, 2006

SPLC: Adviser back at work, plans to continue lawsuit

From the Student Press Law Center:
Adviser back at work, plans to continue lawsuit
Student editors say relationship with administration is stagnant

September 21, 2006

NEW JERSEY — Karen Bosley is back to work as the adviser of the Ocean County College Viking News after a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction in her pending lawsuit, and students say her return has been essential to the paper’s production.

“With no Karen Bosley we weren’t going to be here,” Viking News Editor in Chief Alberto Morales said. “We didn’t even start [planning for the newspaper] until the injunction was placed.”

Bosley was reinstated as adviser of the newspaper last month by the college’s board of trustees after a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction in July against the college’s attempt to remove her from the position.

The battle between the students and OCC administration began last year when three editors from the paper filed a lawsuit claiming several actions taken by the college administration, including Bosley’s removal, were a form of censorship and unconstitutional.

Full story...

Thursday, September 14, 2006

Catching up with Boz

I have been ridiculously busy the past couple of weeks, so here are links to a couple of fairly recent news stories regarding the plight of Karen Bosley and the OCC Viking News...

Bosley "vindicated" upon return to OCC newspaper - August 30, 2006
Asbury Park Press
Karen Bosley, who is returning as student newspaper adviser at Ocean County College after a unanimous vote by the board of trustees Monday, said she feels "somewhat vindicated" and is already working on the first issue of the Viking News, scheduled for publication on Sept. 21.

"I have spoken with three returning students and we are planning our first stories," Bosley said Tuesday. "We are changing the size of the paper and working on news stories about things that have happened on campus over the summer. I have always loved working with students at the newspaper and it will be great to continue."

College reinstates student newspaper adviser - September 5, 2006
Associated Press via firstamendmentcenter.org
Trustees at a southern New Jersey community college have decided to reinstate a student newspaper faculty adviser whose removal had sparked protests from journalism groups and even criticism from a federal judge.

The Ocean County College Board of Trustees voted Aug. 28 to reinstate Karen Bosley, who has served as adviser of the college's Viking News for 35 years.

The vote was confirmed Tuesday by college spokeswoman RoseAnn D'Urso, who said litigation on the matter prevented her from commenting further.