Frostburg State University: Administration Retaliates Against Student Journalist’s Critical Coverage by Dreaming Up Harassment Investigation

In November 2020, immediately after student journalist Cassie Conklin’s critical reporting on Frostburg State University was highlighted by the Baltimore Sun, the university summoned her to a meeting and informed her that she was under investigation for allegedly slipping a threatening note under a university staffer’s door a month earlier. Despite video evidence proving Conklin’s innocence, the university not only began investigating Conklin, but FSU’s president also demanded the student newspaper itself investigate and discipline Conklin. FIRE, joined by the Student Press Law Center, wrote to FSU to urge the university to cease its investigation against Conklin and retract its demands upon the student newspaper. The following day, FSU assured FIRE that there would be no further investigation into or punishment against Conklin.