ISU Faculty Group Files Federal Lawsuit

An Idaho State University faculty group filed a lawsuit in federal court today against the university’s administration.

The Idaho State University Faculty Association for the Preservation of the First Amendment claims a denial of rights guaranteed by the First and 14th Amendment of the United States Constitution.

The group makes the claim based on an administrative policy of blocking faculty wide emails from the ISU provisional faculty senate since November of 2011.

The lawsuit stems from the vote on a new faculty constitution, one in which the ISU interim provost wasn’t in favor of.

When the constitution was approved 201-98, the ability to mass email faculty was blocked and has been held by President Arthur Valias.

“The bottom line is that they have abridged the First Amendment rights. It’s got to a point where our clients felt they needed to take action so that the university would be in joined from causing this irreparable harm,” said attorney Ronaldo A. Coulter.

When reached for comment, ISU told us, “The university has not yet been served with a complaint. We will respond in due course.”