Marquette, MI – (Great Lakes Radio News) – A lawsuit has been filed in federal court in Marquette by a Northern Michigan University faculty member and a student against five members of the Board of Directors of the university’s student newspaper.
Professor of English Cheryl Reed and current North Wind newspaper managing editor Michael Williams filed the suit today against NMU Vice President of Enrollment and Student Services Steven Neiheisel, Board Chair Aubrey Kall, and board members Pearl Gaidelis, Eric Laksonen and Troy Morris.
The suit alleges the defendants took actions that violated the 1st and 14th Amendments of the U.S. Constitution when they recently voted to not reinstate Reed as the paper’s faculty adviser and denied Williams the position of Editor in Chief.
The suit also calls for an injunction preventing the Board of Directors from appointing a new adviser and to reconsider Williams’ application.
Williams was the only applicant for the position of Editor in Chief.
The suit alleges the actions of the five defendants were retaliatory in nature after recent controversies concerning the North Wind’s coverage of several issues at NMU.
