Binghamton University Continues War on Social Work Student by Other Means

After FIRE intervened in defense of Binghamton University Department of Social Work student Andre Massena, we announced that the department had backed down from its attempts to suspend or expel him because of his political activism against a professor who was also head of the Binghamton Housing Authority—activism which had embarrassed the department. It seems that the department is now trying to expel him by other means. One angry student, the pseudonymous "Lisa White," has reported that students have noticed the changes in how professors are treating and grading Massena, and that she and at least one other student are voluntarily leaving the department. Meanwhile, Massena's case has been featured by the Binghamton Review in a strong article that chronicles this outlandish case to the utter shame of the department. FIRE is taking the allegations very seriously, since the department's track record and outrageous actions against Massena to date have given us every reason to believe the allegations. We will investigate them and will back Massena strongly if we determine that the department is engaging in retaliation for his speaking out.