Asbury Park Press: OCC president says both sides "happy" with lawsuit settlement

Jon H. Larson, president of Ocean County College, finally reacts to the OCC-Viking News settlement...

OCC president says both sides "happy" with lawsuit settlement
Student journalists sued college over First Amendment rights

Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 06/19/07

BY LAUREN O. KIDD
TOMS RIVER BUREAU

TOMS RIVER — In response to the settlement of a lawsuit filed against him by student journalists, Ocean County College President Jon H. Larson said Monday that he "welcomes the settlement and the chance it affords us to give our students a premier learning experience."

The settlement was announced Thursday.

The lawsuit against Larson and his administration — filed by Alberto Morales, Scott Coppola and Douglas Rush, editors of the Viking News, the college newspaper — charged that college administration officials violated their First Amendment rights.

They alleged that the administration was trying to intimidate editors and control newspaper content after the Viking News' periodic criticism of Larson and his administration's policies...

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More on the Viking News-OCC settlement from the Asbury Park Press

Here is yet another Asbury Park Press article about the settlement between OCC and the Viking News:

Adviser "proud" of students' legal victory

OCC journalists fought censorship

Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 06/18/07
BY LAUREN O. KIDD
TOMS RIVER BUREAU

The longtime adviser to Ocean County College's Viking News said she is "very proud" of her students following the settlement of a lawsuit the students filed against the college.

In the lawsuit, student editors charged college administration officials violated their First Amendment rights.

"There are a lot of students in this country that don't understand the rights and responsibilities of the free press,"said adviser and professor Karen Bosley.

When rights are violated and students "understand they can take legal action, many of them won't or don't," she said.

Bosley said she is proud of her students for exercising "their First Amendment rights without worrying about the administration trying to act against them." She also said she is thankful for the assistance of the Student Press Law Center.

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Text of joint statement; SPLC article link

Here is the full text of the joint statement from the Coppola v. Larson settlement that reinstated Prof. Karen Bosley as Viking News adviser and resulted in a "First Amendment" statement that says Ocean County College "supports free speech" among other things.

Joint Statement - Coppola v. Larson


And here is an excerpt from an article on the Student Press Law Center Web site...

A college newspaper adviser removed from her position in December 2005 has been permanently reinstated as part of the settlement of a lawsuit filed by several students who claimed her removal was an act of censorship by intimidation.

Karen Bosley, who had served as adviser to the Viking News at Ocean County College for 35 years until she was removed, continues her lawsuit against the college for taking away journalism classes she had taught at the college. Bosley is also a previous board member of the Student Press Law Center.

According to an article published in the June 7 issue of the Viking News, the settlement states the college "supports the free speech rights of students and employees and a student press free from prior review, prior restraint, or censorship as well as recognizes all student media as limited public forums."

"I'm very happy with being restored as adviser and extremely happy with the First Amendment statement because it not only protects student journalists and student media workers, but also students in general," Bosley said.

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BOZ IS BACK!

This is absolutely fantastic news! Congratulations to Boz and the staff of the Ocean County College Viking News!

OCC, journalism students reach settlement in First Amendment case
Fired faculty adviser also gets job back permanently

Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 06/15/07
BY KIRK MOORE
TOMS RIVER BUREAU

TOMS RIVER — A legal settlement announced late Thursday will create a new student media advisory board at Ocean County College and permanently reinstate professor Karen Bosley as faculty adviser to the Viking News, the campus' award-winning student newspaper whose editors charged administration officials violated their First Amendment rights.

The settlement of the case that student journalists brought against OCC President Jon H. Larson and his administration includes a guarantee that "Ocean County College supports the free speech rights of students and employees and a student press free from prior review, prior restraint, or censorship as well as recognizes all student media as limited public forums."

"Therefore, the exercise of these rights or freedoms cannot be the subject directly or indirectly of any sanction or dismissal from Ocean County College," states a section of the settlement papers.

Bosley, reached late Thursday night, said, "I'm delighted to be restored as adviser, and I'm delighted with the First Amendment statement (made by this case). I'm extremely proud of my students for fighting this case."

Bosley, who spoke to the National Press Club in Washington Thursday night about the case, said that journalists there were overwhelmingly in favor of the battle the students had fought, and said she was grateful to them and the Student Press Law Center for its support.

Bosley, who spoke to the National Press Club in Washington Thursday night about the case, said that journalists there were overwhelmingly in favor of the battle the students had fought, and said she was grateful to them and the Student Press Law Center for its support.

The case drew national attention, after Viking News editors complained the administration was trying to coerce them after negative stories ran in the paper. Bosley and her supporters said her adviser's job was taken as payback for that dispute, a charge the college denied.

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