Le Moyne College: Dismissal of Student Newspaper Adviser

Le Moyne College dismissed a school newspaper's adviser for failing to exercise more control over the paper. Professor Alan Fischler had been the paper's adviser since 1996, when he was chosen by the paper's staff. When he was dismissed, he was informed by administrators that they wanted a more "hands-on" adviser who would supposedly make the newspaper a "showpiece" for the college. Fischler, who continues to teach at Le Moyne, was replaced by an adviser hand-picked by administrators-a move that spurred a months-long strike by the newspaper's student staff.

Case Materials

• "Le Moyne College Censured for Dismissing Newspaper’s Adviser," May 8, 2006: Exposing a disturbing trend in campus censorship, Le Moyne College has dismissed its college newspaper’s adviser for not exercising more control over the student paper. FIRE is joining a national organization of student newspaper advisers in condemning Le Moyne’s actions, while the staff of the Dolphin student newspaper has also staged a months-long strike in protest.
• "Alan Fischler's Column Criticizing Le Moyne College's Wrongful Dismissal of Scott McConnell," February 23, 2006

Media Coverage

• "Groups Defend Paper Advisor,"
  by Nancy Buczek, The Post-Standard (Syracuse, N.Y.), May 15, 2006
• "Le Moyne College Condemned for Pulling Student Newspaper's Adviser,"
  by Jim Brown, Agape Press, May 12, 2006