Rodenbush v. Trustees of Indiana University

Summary

On October 30, 2025, Jim Rodenbush, the director of student media at Indiana University and faculty adviser for the Indiana Daily Student, filed a federal lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana. The complaint alleged that the university violated his First and Fourteenth Amendment rights by directing him to limit the content of the October 2025 homecoming print edition to only homecoming coverage and then terminating his employment when he refused. The lawsuit sought reinstatement and monetary damages and asserted that the university’s actions interfered with editorial independence and freedom of expression.

On October 7, 2025, Rodenbush informed student editors via email that administrators expected the homecoming edition to contain only homecoming content, with no traditional front page news coverage. He stated he could convey the directive but would allow editors to make their own decisions. Rodenbush had first received the directive in a September 2025 meeting with university administrators. On October 14, 2025, the Media School’s dean terminated his employment, citing his “lack of leadership” and refusal to follow the Student Media Plan. The IDS had previously reduced weekly print editions after IU addressed nearly one million dollars in debt and implemented the Student Media Plan, which allowed special themed editions including the homecoming issue. Indiana University stated that the decision to end all print editions was based on financial considerations and a transition to a digital-first model and emphasized that it did not interfere with editorial judgment.

Following the termination and print cancellation, faculty in the Media School said they felt betrayed and that the actions undermined trust in the university’s support for free expression. The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press sent a letter asserting that directing student journalists on what content to include constituted censorship. Student editors published an online homecoming edition on October 14, 2025, with “CENSORED” across the front page in response. On October 30, 2025, in reaction to national attention, IU authorized the IDS to resume special print editions through June 30, 2026, while reiterating that it had not attempted to censor editorial content.

The lawsuit focuses on the alleged constitutional violations and the chilling effect on student journalists caused by administrative directives and the termination of their adviser. Plaintiffs argued that the university’s actions interfered with editorial independence and violated free speech rights, while the university maintained that its decisions were financial and operational, not content-driven.