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University of North Carolina at Wilmington: Invasion of Professor’s Privacy and Suppression of Speech

A student at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington sent an email to Professor Mike Adams and others blaming the September 11^th 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States. She asked recipients to forward it those interested in "open" discussion. When Adams complied, forwarding it to others accompanied with his own criticism of her ideas, the student demanded that the University grant her access to the professor's private emails so that she could sue him. Although UNC-W's legal counsel acknowledged the student's claims were without legal merit, the administration nevertheless examined the professor's private correspondence. FIRE wrote to UNC-W Chancellor James Leutze pointing out Professor Adams was protected under the First Amendment, and therefore entitled to criticize the student's work. Chancellor Leutze, under intense media scrutiny, declared that Adams was never investigated.

Case Materials

• "UNC-Wilmington Update: Hiding from the Truth," December 20, 2001: In response to growing criticism, the administration of UNC-W has begun an effort to conceal what occured and to spin its way out of the public-relations nightmare that has ensued from its outrageous conduct
• "UNC-W's Form-Denial," December 20, 2001
• "UNC Wilmington, Without Shame, Invades Professor's Privacy and Chills Everyone's Free Speech," December 19, 2001: At the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, administrators intimidated by a would-be censor shamelessly abandoned their moral and legal obligations to protect freedom of speech and privacy rights on their campus
• "Transcript from Interview with UNC Professor Mike Adams on Fox News’ ‘Hannity and Colmes’," Hannity and Colmes (Fox News), November 9, 2001
• "FIRE's Letter to Chancellor Leutze," November 8, 2001
• "The Source of the Controversy," September 15, 2001

Media Coverage

• "You have gall but I have Town Hall,"
  by Mike Adams, Townhall, September 10, 2003
• "Professors' Organization to Investigate Erosion of Academic Freedom,"
  by Jon Sanders, Carolina Journal Online, October 14, 2002
• "Is Free Speech Free Again?,"
  by David Orland, Boundless.org, January 10, 2002
• "UNCW Action Called 'Absurd': Foundation Says School Shouldn't Have Pried Into Professor's E-mail,"
  by Mark Schreiner, Wilmington Star, November 3, 2001
• "Speech Codes on Campus,"
  by John Leo, Chattanooga Times, October 31, 2001
• "Tasteless Talk and Terrorism; Free Speech Even Applies to Attacks on Apple Pie,"
  by Suzanne Fields, The Washington Times, October 4, 2001
• "Campus Hawks and Doves Find Speech is Not So Free,"
  by Andrea Billups, The Washington Times, October 1, 2001
• "Don't Tread on Free-speakers,"
  by John Leo, US News & World Report, September 5, 2001