Another "no" voted for free speech. Heck, I've been advocating to bring Monroe back. Wouldn't head-to-head competition between the two them be fun to watch?
One could argue that their continued smearing of the first Athletic Director to oversee a MAC title on the football field in half a century is defamation, so not protected free speech.
Depends on whether the AD is a public figure under Times v. Sullivan and its progeny. Though there are signs the current SCOTUS is posed to lessen the bar for the proof of defamation when public figures are involved, it’s always difficult to predict these things. It seems to me that one likely possibility is the narrowing of the category of those covered by Times. At first it was just elected pubic officials, then it got expanded in many subsequent rulings to what some justices, in dissent, thought ridiculous lengths. I remember one dissent that called the current state of affairs “bootstrap” logic. What he meant as that any newsworthy event focusing on a particular person made that person a “public figure” and therefore covered under the Times doctrine that requires proof not only of defamation, per se, but that the person being sued either knew the statements were false or had reckless disregard for their truth or falsity. As of right now, Bobcat1996 is likely protected as a good defense attorney could probably successfully argue that Julie would qualify as a public figure under the current loose definition.
I just put the question of university administrators being covered under Times to my favorite AI Bot, who should not be confused with an actual lawyer (nor should I):
“Yes, university presidents and athletic directors can be considered public figures under the New York Times Co. v. Sullivan standard. This ruling established that public figures, including those in prominent positions within public institutions, must meet a higher burden of proof in defamation cases.
Since university presidents and athletic directors often engage in public discourse, make decisions that affect the university community, and are frequently covered by the media, they are seen as having voluntarily entered the public arena. As a result, if they are defamed, they would need to demonstrate ‘actual malice’ —that the false statement was made with knowledge of its falsity or with reckless disregard for the truth. This classification helps protect free speech while balancing the need for accountability for false statements about individuals in positions of authority.”
Last Edited: 7/17/2025 2:52:34 PM by OhioCatFan