San Diego
San Diego State University President Thomas Day Monday postponed the one-day suspension he imposed last week on the editor of the campus newspaper for defying California State University regulations against political endorsements.
Day suspended R. Andrew Rathbone from his position as editor-in-chief of SDSU’s Daily Aztec after the newspaper endorsed candidates in Tuesday’s elections.
The endorsements came a day after the Daily Aztec published an editorial exhorting student publications on other CSU campuses to defy a systemwide ban on endorsements. At least 11 other publications defied the regulations, which carry the weight of state law.
Rathbone, who was scheduled to serve his suspension starting today, will instead be given the opportunity to argue against the punishment at an unspecified date, Day said in a letter to the student.
Rathbone had requested a stay of the suspension in an appeal filed Friday with Daniel Nowak, SDSU’s vice president for student affairs.
Rathbone also said Monday that he will file a lawsuit in the next few weeks against Day and the CSU trustees for violating the newspaper’s First Amendment rights.
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