2008 Woodie Awards
Lennox, Gates butt heads
Roscoe bans videotaping on campus without permission
By: Frank Wisswell
Issue date: 10/17/07 Section: News
Campus privacy issues
Dean of Students Bruce Roscoe gave Lennox a letter on Monday, after the incident with Gates, asking him to stop videotaping students and professors on campus.
"Employers and students have a reasonable expectation of privacy, which includes the right to be free of recording," Roscoe wrote in the letter to Lennox.
Video and audio recording, Roscoe wrote, is not protected by the U.S. Constitution.
Roscoe said Tuesday the letter was drafted late last week, well before Lennox's incident with Gates. He said he attempted to give the letter to Lennox last week, but Lennox was in Canada.
Roscoe said the letter applies to publications and all students.
"This is not directed toward an individual," he said. "It would be appropriate to ask permission (before videotaping)."
Tim Boudreau, an assistant journalism professor who teaches media law, said office spaces are gray areas.
Disrupting classroom environments and hassling or badgering others could be violating others' rights, he said.
"If someone is in a public place, the journalist is free to record them," Boudreau said.
Smith said the case comes down to respect.
"(We expect) all employees and students to respect personal space," he said.
news@cm-life.com
Dean of Students Bruce Roscoe gave Lennox a letter on Monday, after the incident with Gates, asking him to stop videotaping students and professors on campus.
"Employers and students have a reasonable expectation of privacy, which includes the right to be free of recording," Roscoe wrote in the letter to Lennox.
Video and audio recording, Roscoe wrote, is not protected by the U.S. Constitution.
Roscoe said Tuesday the letter was drafted late last week, well before Lennox's incident with Gates. He said he attempted to give the letter to Lennox last week, but Lennox was in Canada.
Roscoe said the letter applies to publications and all students.
"This is not directed toward an individual," he said. "It would be appropriate to ask permission (before videotaping)."
Tim Boudreau, an assistant journalism professor who teaches media law, said office spaces are gray areas.
Disrupting classroom environments and hassling or badgering others could be violating others' rights, he said.
"If someone is in a public place, the journalist is free to record them," Boudreau said.
Smith said the case comes down to respect.
"(We expect) all employees and students to respect personal space," he said.
news@cm-life.com
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 78
Nick Smith
posted 10/17/07 @ 2:50 AM EST
Is it just me, or does that Lennox character seem to start some sort of different ineptly-conceived little incident or something virtually every semester? It seemed like every semester my last couple years at CMU this guy would go out of his way to start some sort of incident or something that would play out for a month or so in CM-Life over whatever it is he's trying to accomplish at that particular moment. (Continued…)
Nick
posted 10/17/07 @ 7:26 AM EST
Why is a public University censoring students? Students can no longer record lectures for future reference?
This is their reaction to Pamela Gates assault of a student who had the gall to ask tough questions?!
Say what you will about someone's tactics. (Continued…)
Neil Konwicki
posted 10/17/07 @ 10:03 AM EST
Why does CMU keep going to such extreme lengths to protect Gary Peters?
They let him break his contract by running for Congress, trustees gave him campaign contributions, they banned students from recording his lectures for studying, a dean accosted a student and now they're banning video cameras on campus. (Continued…)
Kelli Hemmer
posted 10/17/07 @ 10:05 AM EST
As a taxpayer, I'm ashamed that a Dean would physically attack a student for using his right to obtain public records.
John Fitz
posted 10/17/07 @ 10:07 AM EST
CMU legally can not prohibit people from videotaping, photographing or recording audio in public places. And as a law student, I'd recommend students and journalists call the ACLU immediately. (Continued…)
Laura Matthews '04
posted 10/17/07 @ 10:09 AM EST
Why is CMU censoring students? This never happened when I was a student on campus. Warriner Hall should be ashamed.
Kyle Warber
posted 10/17/07 @ 11:49 AM EST
It is so funny that Pam Gates probably laughed and scoffed at the people who grew mad at Michael Moore for sticking a camera in their face. She probably cheers on grass roots movements as they try to take on the conservative establishment like the Bush administration and frustrtae them at every turn. (Continued…)
Carson
posted 10/17/07 @ 12:23 PM EST
I love how everyone is attacking a dean without knowing the full story. She was not interviewed before the story so her side could not be given. She was scared of this Lennox! He is an imposing person and Gates is a very small woman! Who could be afraid of her?! All she did was make a motion to push down his camera. (Continued…)
Ashley
posted 10/17/07 @ 1:25 PM EST
Did you all watch the same video that I did? Lennox put that video camera right in the Dean's face. I would have swatted at it too if it was that close to my personal space. (Continued…)
MACStudent
posted 10/17/07 @ 1:41 PM EST
The video looks like Pam pushes the camera out of her way, not an assault on a student. Maybe if she touched him, but if you push a camera out of your way it isn't "assault". (Continued…)
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