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...

Read full story.

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.

Full story.

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.

Full story.

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.

Read full story

Another delayed posting of recent media coverage

Well, I was supposed to put these links up last week, but since I am busy looking for a new job, I just didn't get around to it...but here you go.

The first link/excerpt is from an editorial piece published in the Ocean County Observer on Nov. 12, 2006.

Students educate OCC on free press
Posted by the Ocean County Observer on 11/12/06

There are achievements of many kinds at Ocean County College, not the least among them more awards coming to the "mouse that roared," the student newspaper that is still embroiled in a First Amendment battle with the administration.

The Viking News is the David in this battle with Goliath and, as far as we can determine, the paper is as feisty and independent a voice on the campus as it has ever been.

That is the course its editors have charted, one advisor Karen Bosley helped them follow.

Read full story.

And here is a news story published in the Nov. 9, 2006, issue of the Ocean County Observer about the awards won by Prof. Bosley and the Viking News staff previously mentioned here at Boz Watch.

OCC newspaper, embattled adviser win national awards
Posted by the Ocean County Observer on 11/9/06

BY DON BENNETT
STAFF WRITER

TOMS RIVER — The Viking News — the student-run newspaper at Ocean County College — and its longtime adviser have been recognized with prestigious awards for their free press battle with the college administration.

Adviser Karen Bosley, who had to go to court to keep that job after the OCC administration decided to replace her, received the 2006 Louis E. Ingelhart First Amendment Award from College Media Advisers Inc., a group that had been highly critical of Bosley's ouster.

She was recognized for her work as an educator to "defend the First Amendment rights of student journalists."

Read full story.

Bosley, Viking News receive awards in St. Louis

While the St. Louis Cardinals were parading around with the 2006 World Series trophy Sunday, Karen Bosley and the Viking News picking up some hardware of their own in the Gateway City.

Bosley received the 2006 Louis E. Ingelhart First Amendment Award recognizing educators who defend the First Amendment rights of student journalists. The award, which is conferred annually by College Media Advisers, Inc., was formally announced at the Associated Collegiate Press/College Media Advisers-sponsored National College Media Convention in St. Louis, Oct. 29.

Meanwhile, the Viking News earned the 2006 College Press Freedom Award. Sponsored by the Student Press Law Center, the award is given each year to a college student-journalist or student news organization that has demonstrated outstanding support for the free press rights of America's college student media.

Three editors at the Viking News filed a lawsuit in May against college President Jon Larson and several other administrators after the school removed longtime newspaper adviser Karen Bosley. The lawsuit alleges that Bosley’s removal was the result of retaliation for several stories the newspaper wrote critical of the school’s administration.

In July, a federal district court judge issued a preliminary injunction that ordered school officials to reinstate Bosley as adviser while the lawsuit continues.

"Thanks to the Viking News' perseverance and commitment, their adviser — who for more than three decades has put her neck on the chopping block to stand up for her students — is back in the newsroom today," SPLC Legal Consultant Mike Hiestand told the gathering of college student journalists and advisers from across the country.

"Student media advisers everywhere can breathe at least a little bit easier thanks to the precedent their case has established," Hiestand said.

Read the full text of the SPLC's College Press Freedom Award press release.

To read the text of the Louis E. Ingelhart First Amendment Award press release, right-click or ctrl+click on the images below and open the image in a new window or tab. If you click regularly, you may need to sign in to Flickr or Yahoo to view the full-size image.

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(National College Media Convention graphic from CollegeMedia.org)