Syracuse University: Disciplinary Investigations of Satirical Law School Blog
Cases
Syracuse University
Case Overview
FIRE Victory closed
Syracuse University College of Law (SUCOL) student Len Audaer was told on October 18, 2010, that he was being investigated for harassment for his alleged involvement with the anonymous, satirical blog SUCOLitis about life in law school, which was meant to emulate The Onion. The blog included a disclaimer stating, "No actual news stories appear on the site." "Independent prosecutor" and SUCOL professor Gregory Germain had threatened Audaer with expulsion, without ever revealing what expression in particular justified the charges or even who was charging him. Just days after FIREnamed Syracuse in The Huffington Post as one of the worst universities in the nation for free speech, Syracuse dropped the whole prosecution.