Last week, student media outlet KnightNews.com fired back filing a lawsuit against the University of Central Florida and it president, Dr. John C. Hitt. The KnightsNews.com lawsuit came one day after the school stopped all Greek Life activities with the view to working with fraternity and sorority chapters on addressing alcohol and hazing issues.
The complaint by KnightsNews is wide-ranging and charges that, the University and the University’s Student Government Association have refused to provide public records in response to requests, as well as violations of Sunshine laws which denied the public access to recent suspension hearings on anonymous hazing allegations against Alpha Tau Omega at UCF, according to KnightsNews.com.
The lawsuit also challenges the legality of the closure of Friday’s Sigma Chi suspension hearing, as KnightNews.com seeks a judicial order requiring changes by the University that would allow the public and media access to observe the hearings under Florida’s Sunshine Law.
KnightNews.com attorney, Justin Hemlepp, released a statement regarding the lawsuit:
“This lawsuit is about protecting the public’s rights under Florida’s Government-in-the-Sunshine Law and Public Records Act. Everyone in Florida, including Knight News, has a clear right under those laws and the state’s constitution to inspect UCF’s records and attend university board meetings where decisions are made.
“Knight News’s lawsuit alleges that UCF has committed a variety of violations of Florida’s open-government laws in the past year, including refusing to produce public records, failing to explain the legal basis for redacting from records that were produced, and prohibiting public access to board meetings where decisions concerning discipline of student organizations are made.
“Knight News is asking the court to order UCF to remedy those past violations, enjoin the university from committing future violations of the same type, and find unconstitutional university regulations that place Student Conduct Board hearings concerning discipline of student organizations outside of the Sunshine.”
On Friday, KnightNews.com received a statement from UCF regarding the lawsuit which said, the school is committed to complying with Florida’s open records laws.
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