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HBCU Cases in Student Press Law Center Files

Samples of HBCU cases from the Student Press Law Center files:

• Kentucky State University, 1994: Administrators halt distribution of the 1993-94 yearbook, objecting to the cover color, title, a current events section and missing photo captions. Also, they transfer the student newspaper's faculty adviser to a secretarial position after she refuses to censor material critical of the university. In 2001, two students who sued the university agreed to a settle their case in exchange for $5,000 each and $60,000 in attorney's fees and costs, as well as the release of the captive yearbooks.

• Battling Censorship on Campus Publications Silent Treatment From Campus Leaders Hurts All

• Fort Valley State, 1998: The Peachite�s adviser is fired because he won't censor the newspaper's coverage of university flaws. He later sues and wins.

• Florida A&M, 1999: Student government freezes The Famuan�s funds for two weeks to retaliate after the newspaper publishes a candidate endorsement, and reduces the newspaper�s budget for the following year.

• Morgan State University, 2000: Administrator and student leader halt printing of The Spokesman�s election-day edition to prevent endorsements.

• Florida A&M, 2001: Nearly the entire press run of The Famuan is stolen.

• Florida A&M, 2002: Administrators bar distribution of the 2001 student yearbook, disapproving of the book's title and of grammatical errors. Editor says it is retaliation for criticism over $10,000 removed from the publication�s account.

• Hampton University, 2003: Acting president ordered confiscation of 6,500 issues of the The Script's homecoming edition.