This statement relates to articles currently appearing regarding disciplinary proceedings to address a complaint lodged by a University of California, San Diego student against representatives of a student run newspaper, the Koala.  It is important to note that Constitutional rights to free expression were not at issue in this proceeding. The sole issue under review was alleged disruptive behavior by a student at a meeting.

UCSD STATEMENT REGARDING THE KOALA/JUDICIAL BOARD HEARING:

The student-comprised Judicial Board at the University of California, San Diego ruled on June 5, 2002 that there was insufficient evidence to substantiate a student complaint that representatives of the Koala, an independent student-run newspaper, had disrupted a November 19, 2001 meeting of another student group, the Movimiento  Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan (MEChA). The charges against the Koala were consequently dropped.

The student complaint and hearing focused exclusively on alleged disruptive behavior by an alleged Koala staff member. Neither the complaint nor the hearing concerned the Koala’s editorial content. 

We also would like to clarify a secondary issue which arose in the course of this proceeding. Another UCSD student publication, the Guardian, asked permission to attend the hearing. Under university policies, the privacy of participants in disciplinary hearings is paramount.  Closed hearings are a normal procedure in the case of disciplinary issues. To protect the privacy of its student records, UCSD was unable to comply with that request.

Contact: W. A. Cox  (858) 534-0363; univcomm@ucsd.edu