University administration terminates media adviser
Paul Isom, former student media adviser, interviews with WNCT in front of The East Carolinian newsroom. -Morgan Hopley | The East Carolinian
On Jan. 4, administration terminated the university’s Student Media Adviser two months after The East Carolinian published nude photographs of a streaker at a football game.
Paul Isom, who was in charge of overseeing the campus radio station, WZMB; television station, Campus 31; magazines Rebel and Expressions; yearbook, Buccaneer; and The East Carolinian, had been with the university since 2008 before his dismissal.
Isom has worked as a student media adviser/director for more than 15 years.
Though his termination came shortly after the publication of the nude photos of John Sieglinger, the man who streaked at a Nov. 5 football game, the university did not cite a reason, according to Isom.
“They were very careful not to give a specific reason,” said Isom. “I asked twice.”
Isom said his dismissal was decided upon by a “team of administrators,” but that the final decision came from Chris Stansbury, director of marketing and communications.
“The fact that he was given no specific reasoning seems to point to the incident,” said sophomore Daniel Johnson. “I guess it doesn’t really seem unexpected.”
After Stansbury and a Human Resources representative delivered the news to Isom, he said he was given three and a half hours to clean out his office.
In a media advisory, Dr. Virginia Hardy, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, stated that the decision was, “a personnel matter.” Hardy also stated that there would be no further comment on the situation from the university.
The photos initially created much controversy, both at a local and national level. Administrators called the decision to publish the photos “in poor taste,” and held meetings with those involved.
In the meetings, administrators stressed that there would be consequences for the publication of pictures.
Isom was present at these meetings and had several additional meetings with university officials.
“My interactions with administration changed fairly noticeably after the photos ran,” said Isom.
Isom said that appointments he had scheduled with university officials were frequently canceled and that ask for leave time was ignored.
“I can see how the photos were considered in bad taste by the university,” said junior Child Development and Family Relations major, Kristen Caputo. “However, I feel like he is protected by the First Amendment.”
Isom is on the hunt for a new job and is considering taking action against the university.
The circumstances have already caught the eye of the Student Press Law Center in Arlington, Va. According to its website, the agency is devoted to educating high school and college journalists of “the rights and responsibilities embodied in the first amendment and supporting the student news media in their struggle to cover important issues free from censorship.”
The center recently published an article regarding Isom’s termination and the legality of the publication of the nude photos.
“There’s no camouflaging what this is, which is retaliation for an editorial judgment made by the students that was completely within the students’ authority to make,” said Frank LoMonte, executive director of the SPLC. “They’re clearly punishing the adviser for something he not only didn’t control, but legally couldn’t control.”
According to LoMonte, removing Isom from his post does in fact create some concerns involving the First Amendment.
LoMonte also asserted that the newspaper’s editors might also have a First Amendment claim, since public university students typically have more freedom of speech than public university employees.
Isom recently had his exit interview with the Human Resources department of the university, but the meeting will remain confidential.
This writer can be contacted at news@theeastcarolinian.com.
What about the Editors? Why did they not get fired? Hope they sleep great at night…Paul’s out of a job…maybe mom will give them a trophy…
Maybe Paul was fired because he was doing a terrible job as Adviser. But sure, blame the Editor’s for his firing. Oh, and blame this firing on this one incident based on his account.
He was fired for “personnel” reasons. If he was fired for a disciplinary reason, such as the streaker photos, it would have been public information.
In fact, my main problem with the Editors is that they choose to keep letting Paul’s account be the -only- account. I’m tired of hearing his one-sided whining on every news organization in ENC.
Really? He was doing a “terrible job as Adviser”? How would you know that?
Your brilliant ECU Administrators have the only other side to this story and they’re very carefully not talking about it. Paul is. I say, if he’s willing to stand up and shout about this then he should be the one everyone listens to.
In journalism, no comment is as good as an admission of guilt.
Check it… http://static.mgnetwork.com/nct/media_path/documents/FIRE_Letter.pdf
I know because I worked under him in the past. He pushes an agenda and that’s become quite clear in recent months.
Obviously, if this was two months after the streaker, his entire job performance was taken into account. Yes, I will concede that the streaker photos were likely the cause of concern, but it seems like a decision that happened over time and after review. The only person saying it was definitely caused by the streaker photos is Paul.
I thought the administration handled the initial incident with the streaker poorly and I think they’re handling this poorly now. You’re right. They should give reasons. That doesn’t automatically mean this is a first amendment issue. And it certainly doesn’t rule out a review of job performance, which I highly believe to be the cause of his firing.
Why don’t the big girls and big boy editors comment? They were grown enough to show the penis, why not come out and talk about the situation?
The dumb editors derserve a trophy for showing an man’s thing and getting Paul fired. Pirate….could the fools have told the story without showing his thing….yes…
Yes, the paper is for us, but not all of us want to see a man’s thing. We know what it looks like…why show it….
They should be held accountable. It’s a shame they ruined a man’s life and they will not be held accountable.
Sir, it’s called a penis. The more you’re scared to use the term, the more scared you are to see one. Obviously.
The dumb editors derserve a trophy for showing a man’s thing and getting Paul fired. Pirate….could the fools have told the story without showing his thing….yes…
Yes, the paper is for us, but not all of us want to see a man’s thing. We know what it looks like…why show it….
They should be held accountable. It’s a shame they ruined a man’s life and they will not be held accountable.
Dear East Carolinian,
Good story on this incident. I am a former student of Paul’s from his time at Alabama; about 30 of us have a google group devoted to journalism matters and college football, not in that order. Of those 30, we all hold Paul in the highest esteem. My former colleagues and I are shocked at the actions of your university, and we sympathize with the difficult situation this has put you in, but we applaud you for your coverage of it.
I’m of a little more conservative stripe, but to paraphrase a famous quote regarding free speech – I disagree with the editorial decision that led to this incident, but I will fight for your right to make that decision. Keep up the good work. Continue to hold those in positions of power accountable in the public sphere.
So let’s get this right: TEC runs a front page story on some moron who thought it would be funny to get naked and run across the field during the Military Appreciation Day events. No word on Military Appreciation Day but a naked moron rates a front page photo. How crass, how moronic, both the naked moron on the field and TEC for giving the guy attention. By the way, some of us do appreciate our military. As for the ability to use good judgement at TEC; we’d appreciate it if you would do so please. That’s all we ask for, a little good judgement. When I want to see naked morons I’ll watch the Jerry Springer Show. Just because you have a 1st Amendement right to be a moron doesn’t mean you have to excercise that right. Please; less tabloid trash and more professional news coverage of the University. I really do expect a little more from TEC.
http://www.change.org/petitions/editor-in-chief-of-the-east-carolinian-resign-as-editor-in-chief
Resignation form Editor