UC San Diego shuts down satirical newspaper

A federal judge found no compelling First Amendment justification for supporting a lawsuit by The Koala, a satirical newspaper, against the administration at UC San Diego. The student council yanked the funding for the newspaper after articles that led the administration to call the publication “profoundly repugnant, repulsive, attacking and cruel.” The judge ruled that the court had no jurisdiction under the 11th Amendment that prevents lawsuits against states by private citizens to be heard in federal court. The judge also pointed out that the council eliminated all funding for print publications so the move was viewpoint neutral. (Courthouse News Service, March 3, 2017, by Jon Chown)

Campus observers noted that the defunding will hurt 13 campus publications while The Koala continues to operate. The Koala motto “nothing is off limits” led it to recently attack a rape center, black students and Muslims. (The Triton of UC San Diego, March 6, 2017, by Gabriel Schneider)