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Ball State protest sanctions draw criticism from FIRE, AAUP

Meghan Braddy — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 08:00:00 -0500

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) is calling on Ball State University (BSU) to drop disciplinary sanctions against 12 students involved in a November protest, arguing the university relied on "vague and overbroad school polices" that violate the First Amendment.

In a Jan. 29 letter to university President Geoffrey Mearns, FIRE said Ball State disciplined students for protected expressive activity and urged administrators to rescind sanctions and revise university policies.

The disciplinary cases stem from a series of demonstrations organized by Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) this school year.

In November 2025, the group held a protest at the Scramble Light on campus, marking the first week of a hunger strike in which several members of the organization participated to protest the university's investments in companies with ties to Israel.

The group of students said they were demanding the university "divest" from those companies and meet with them to discuss their concerns.

After speeches at the Scramble Light, protesters walked inside the Frank A. Bracken Administration Building, where Mearns' office is located. According to prior Daily News reporting, protesters gathered outside the president's office, chanted and attempted to enter, only to find the room locked.

Vice President for Student Affairs Ro-Anne Royer Engle asked students to leave. Video posted on SJP's social media later showed protesters outside the building as the University Police Department escorted Mearns to his car. The video showed that Mearns did not engage with the protesters before leaving.

However, FIRE's letter focused on a similar but separate incident that occurred just days later in November 2025.

12 students returned to the administration building around 4:45 p.m. to speak with Mearns about university investments again, and some were holding signs in protest.

According to FIRE's letter, the president's office doors were locked. Engle and Assistant Vice President Tiffany Peters met the students in the hallways and directed them to leave. Students argued they had a right to be in the building and to be there during business hours. At 5 p.m., administrators asked them again to leave, and a YouTube video posted by FIRE showed the students complying.

They continued protesting outside the building, more than 50 feet away, until about 5:30 p.m., according to the letter.

In December 2025, Director of Student Conduct Kaleigh Richardosn notified seven students - Cooper Archer, Sam Allen, Scarlet Overfelt, Micah Pech, Alex Bordenkecher, Lilly Bass and Paige Otto - that they were being charged with failure to comply, disorderly conduct and violations of the Non-Commercial Expressive Activity policy.

The University Review Board found Archer responsible for all three violations. Because Archer was already on conduct probation for disrupting a Board of Trustees meeting in February 2025, he was suspended and barred from campus through May 8.

His appeal for his suspension was denied Jan. 5 by Vice President for People and Culture Mark Liebling.

In late January, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs T.J. Brecciaroli found the remaining six students responsible for the same violations. They were placed on conduct probation and ordered to complete 10 hours of community service and write a 1,500-word reflection paper.

Two students' probation extends through January 2027.

According to SJP's social media posts, all 12 students involved have now been sanctioned.

Jessie Appleby, program counsel for campus rights advocacy at FIRE, said via email that the students' group affiliations are irrelevant to the matter at hand.

"The students' actions are protected regardless of whether they are or are not affiliated with any other group," she said. "Students do not lose First Amendment rights simply because of their affiliation with any particular group.

Appleby said the administration building is open to students during business hours and argued the students did not engage in disruptive behavior while inside.

"There is nothing in Ball State's policies that would warn students that they cannot enter a building otherwise open to students during business hours simply because they are with other students," she said.

The university charged the students with disorderly conduct under Ball State's Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities, which prohibits "disruptive" behavior, and its Non-Commercial Expressive Activity and Assembly on University Property policy, which prohibits protests, demonstrations and assemblies within 50 feet of certain campus buildings, such as administrative offices and classrooms.

"These two policies fail to define 'disruption' and 'protest,' which leaves students without clear guidance as to exactly what conduct is prohibited and incentivizes arbitrary and discriminatory enforcement by administrators," Appleby said.

Greg Fallon, associate vice president of university communications and digital strategy, said via email that they would not comment on the student charges as they fall under student conduct.

"Student conduct proceedings are FERPA (The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) protected and, as a result, not something the university will comment on," they said.

According to The Student Press Law Center, FERPA was created to "protect the privacy of personally identifiable information in a student's education record."

As a result, when a university handles student misconduct cases, the records created during that process - complaints, investigation notes, findings, sanctions and related correspondence - are generally considered education records under FERPA.

Because of this, Ball State can not publicly discuss the identity of the students charged, specific allegations tied to a named student or the details of the investigation or disciplinary outcome.

Still, FIRE is urging Ball State to revise its disorderly conduct policy to define misconduct as "material and substantial disruption to university functions and activities," a legal standard the organization said is commonly used in First Amendment cases and is already referenced in other university policies.

The organization also recommends that the university apply the same standard to activities restricted within 50 feet of certain buildings.

Appleby said FIRE has seen similar disciplinary actions nationwide and increased pro-Palestinian activism on college campuses following the October 2023 escalation of violence in the Middle East.

"As we saw a huge rise in pro-Palestinian activism on campus after Oct. 7, we also saw many universities investigating and/or disciplining students for various expressive activities, including protests and social media posts," she said.

Ball State's Freedom of Expression statement affirms that "freedom of expression is enshrined in the First Amendment" and guarantees members of the university community "the broadest possible latitude to speak, write, listen, challenge, and learn." The statement says debate may not be suppressed just because ideas are considered offensive or wrong.

However, the policy also states that the university may restrict expression that breaks the law or disrupts campus operations and "may reasonably regulate the time, place and manner ofexpression to ensure that it does not disrupt the ordinary activities of [the] university."

In a series of Instagram posts, the campus chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine criticized the university's actions.

"... All 12 students who engaged in the action from November 19th have been sanctioned and thus had their rights as students and citizens violated," a post Jan. 31 states.

In another post from Jan. 2, the group wrote that the university had suspended a student "who refused to be a silent accomplice," and demanded the university "give these 12 students amnesty and divest from all companies profiting from the genocide being committed against the Palestinian people."

Ball State's chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) also raised concerns about how the university handled recent freedom of expression cases.

"In a number of recent cases, including that involving the 12 students who tried to schedule a meeting with President Mearns, Ball State does not seem to be 'guarantee[ing]...the broadest possible latitude to speak, write, listen, challenge, and learn' as promised in the university's Freedom of Expression Statement," the organization said via email.

Ball State's AAUP chapter said policies like the university's Freedom of Expression Statement are intended to guide decision-making during difficult situations. But applying those principles inconsistently, the group argued, leaves faculty, students and staff uncertain about what behavior is allowed and creates an atmosphere of fear.

"It also harms Ball State's reputation, since we have repeatedly garnered negative national attention from places like The New York Times, The Chronicle of Higher Education, the ACLU, and now FIRE," the organization said. "This could make it harder to recruit and retain students, faculty and staff in the future and undercuts the pride some people feel in being publicly affiliated with BSU."

FIRE had asked the university to respond by Feb. 12, confirming it will drop the charges, lift sanctions and revise its policies, but the university has not. Appleby said the organization hopes to resolve the matter collaboratively but is prepared to consider additional steps if necessary.

"We're hopeful that the university will be willing to engage with FIRE on this matter," she said, "but we'll certainly consider other options to press the university to lift the sanctions if that turns out not to be the case."

Contact Meghan Braddy with comments via email at meghan.braddy@bsu.edu.

GALLERY: Ball State Women's Basketball vs. Ohio University

Kaibre Taylor — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 22:36:50 -0500

Ball State Men's Basketball's MAC tournament chances rise after win over NIU

Kyle Stout — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 19:15:45 -0500

Ball State Men's Basketball led by seven points at halftime against Northern Illinois (NIU) on the road. The Cardinals went on to win by 36 points.

The team outscored the Huskies 43-14 in the second half of play, leading to a 79-43 win, and propelling Ball State's chances at making the Mid-American Conference (MAC) tournament.

Head Coach Michael Lewis said that "there's not much to be upset with in a game like this."

"I thought we came out with a real purpose," Lewis said. "The ball went in the hole and some things snowballed."

The Cardinals looked like a completely different team all around. A team that has struggled all year shooting the ball made it look easy against the Huskies, as they shot 50 percent from the field and 44 percent from behind the arc.

The Cardinals recorded 20 assists, and what was most noticeable about the team's ball movement was their lack of turnovers. Ball State only turned the ball over seven times.

Lewis said that in both of Ball State's wins against NIU, taking care of the ball was a big priority to face a Huskies team that averages 87 points in wins and 62 in losses.

"We wanted to make sure we controlled tempo and pace," Lewis said. "The number one key in doing that is taking care of the basketball."

Things were looking bleak for the Cardinals Feb. 20 after a home loss to Akron. The team's conference record fell to 3-11, putting them at last in the MAC. At that point, the Cardinals would likely have to win out to even have a chance at making the eight-seed cutoff to make the conference tournament in Cleveland.

But after back-to-back wins, the chances at a bid in Cleveland look much better.

"[As] the calendar slips to March and you got an opportunity to play meaningful games in that month, it can be a lot of fun," Lewis said.

There are still some moving pieces that can happen for the Cardinals to make the MAC tournament. But the most likely path for Ball State to play in Cleveland starts with the team winning their last two remaining games.

The path to Cleveland continues Mar. 3 as Ball State will go on the road to face a team right below them in the conference standings, the Western Michigan Broncos.

"[To] come out here and do this today, it's really good, and you get a chance to do it again on Tuesday and play a really good opponent in Western Michigan," Lewis said.

Contact Kyle Stout with questions via email at kyle.stout@bsu.edu or on X @kylestoutdailyn.

Ball State Women's Basketball takes home senior day win over Ohio

Kyle Stout — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 16:24:24 -0500

Although it was business as usual for Ball State Women's Basketball in an 86-85 home win against the Ohio Bobcats, the game held more weight than usual at Worthen Arena. It was senior day in Muncie, and emotions were high for multiple reasons.

Senior forward Bree Salenbien, who has led the Cardinals in points per game through the majority of the season, played her final game in Worthen Arena.

"I'm thankful [to] the coaches for giving me an opportunity," Salenbien said. "It's not every day you go pick a kid up that doesn't have the great stats that I did coming out [of Gonzaga]. I'm thankful and I'm grateful to be here."

Head Coach Brady Sallee said he could go on and on about Salenbien's importance to Ball State's program. He said the team "hit the lottery" in the offseason with the acquisition of the forward.

"When we saw her name pop up, that she was going into the portal we got excited instantly," Sallee said.

Sallee said Salenbien is a player that is willing to do whatever it takes to reach her goals. He said that coming into Ball State, she could have just been a one dimensional three-point shooter, but the head coach said she was open to whatever the team needed.

"She did what we needed her to do in order for us to be successful," Sallee said. "She found her way in this to be the player that she is."

Salenbien showed out in front of the senior day home crowd, as she had a near triple-double with 12 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds. The forward saved her best playmaking performance for last, as her 11 assists is a season and career high.

Salenbien said that in preparation for the game, the team knew the Bobcats were prone to overhelping defensively and allowing Ball State to have open shooters. The forward credited a lot of her success to the gameplan and her teammates for knocking down shots.

"Staying balanced, being able to kick out, and of course [when] you have the teammates that are hitting the shots like Grace [Kingery]," Salenbien said.

Sophomore guard Grace Kingery splashed in seven threes in the victory and recorded a career high of 24 points. The guard said other threats on the court for the Cardinals made it easy for her to get open and knock down shots.

"Just being able to step into a shot just made it really easy," Kingery said.

It was a game of threes, as there were a combined 74 three pointers attempted between the two teams.

Ohio accounted for 47 of those.

Sallee said that is "the way they play." The head coach said he has not slept well the nights leading up to the game, because he knew what type of game Ohio would play.

He also said the team has not been completely healthy. Sallee said multiple players on the roster have been on and off battling sickness, and leading up to the game, he was a little nervous for this game in specific.

Sallee said playing Ohio is like walking in a haunted house knowing going around a corner will be scary but going in anyways because there is no going backwards.

"There were so many corners that we went around and got the hell scared out of us, but we just kept going and going and going, and we came out one point ahead today," Sallee said.

All of the factors in the game pointed to it almost being the postseason. A narrow one-point victory is right in character for the calendar nearly flipping to March. Sallee said it is fun to still be competing for a Mid-American Conference (MAC) regular season title with two remaining games and having the looming MAC tournament in Cleveland right around the corner.

Sallee said he knows the team can go up to Cleveland and win, and he said it is a pretty awesome feeling to know his team has a good chance to win the conference.

"I've coached some teams where you hope you go up and [have] a chance, [but] my last few years I've known that we're as good as anybody going up there," Sallee said. "And I think we feel that way again this year."

The Cardinals will have a week of rest before heading to Toledo Mar. 7 for their last regular season game of the year.

Contact Kyle Stout with questions via email at kyle.stout@bsu.edu or on X @kylestoutdailyn.

"Women of Whitely" Highlights Black Women in Muncie

Kahmara Munn — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 13:00:00 -0500

MUNCIE, Ind. - As Black History Month comes to an end, the community gathered one last time to celebrate the histories of the Muncie and Whitely communities.

Each year, the Notable Women of Muncie and Delaware County Project hosts an event dedicated to Black History Month. This year's event is even more special as it is also in collaboration with Bracken Library's 50th anniversary and Muncie Public Library's America 250 initiative. Melissa Gentry, supervisor of the Paul W. Stout Map Collection and panelist, explains the importance of educating the public on topics like these.

"Muncie is just such a unique city. We have such a rich history that's connected to so many big events in history, and I think it instills a sense of pride in you," Gentry said.

Gentry believes Muncie plays a significant role in Black History, and other community members agree with her point. "Women of Whitely" is held at the historical mark of Shaffer Chapel Museum. The museum holds a world of Black History from Whitely community members and Muncie residents. Akilah Nosakhere recognizes how remarkable it is to have history to reflect on and build upon.

"Yes, it does move me. The women have always been the movers and the shakers in the community and in the family. And the women of Whitely showed that in their activities," Nosakhere said.

Nosakhere is a Muncie native, and she makes it her duty to learn about the path that these women paved.

"It's the strength and the spirit that goes through generations, it keeps moving forward, and that's why I'm here tonight, to push it and to keep it moving forward," Nosakhere explains.

The Notable Women of Muncie and Delaware County project will continue to host events that tell the stories of inspiring women. The Shaffer Chapel Historic Museum is open and available to the public for any interest.

Contact Kahmara Munn with comments at kahmara.munn@bsu.edu.

Ball State students worry, professors explain how they handle their classrooms amid legislation enforcement

Channing Matha — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 08:00:00 -0500

Kaia Recker, a fourth-year social studies education major, said that during the 2025 fall semester, she could read certain professors' faces and tell when they were nervous while discussing topics such as current events.

She explained that when something appeared in the news, her professor seemed to pivot away from the topic rather than have an open discussion about it, as the class normally would.

"I think he was holding back," Recker said.

Recker said she saw this discomfort after the death of Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and co-founder of Turning Point USA, who was assassinated Sept. 10. at an event at Utah Valley University. Kirk was active in Republican politics and often spoke on college campuses, and his death drew mixed reactions from faculty and students at Ball State.

After his death, Suzanne Swierc, who at the time served as director of health promotion and advocacy at Ball State, posted a message on her private Facebook account describing the situation as a "tragedy" while also saying his death is "a reflection of the violence, fear and hatred he sowed."

The post was widely shared beyond its intended audience and sparked significant public backlash, leading the university to terminate Swierc Feb. 17 for "disrupting campus operations," according to its initial statement announcing the termination.

When Recker and her classmates asked a professor how to approach the topic of Kirk's death with high schoolers in their practicums, that discomfort remained. Recker said she believes Swierc's firing caused this uneasiness because professors "don't want to be next."

Though Kirk's death might have been a determinant for some, educators have indicated unease with potential controversy in the content they cover subsequent to the passing of Senate Enrolled Act (SEA) 202.

Madilyn Sams, a third-year social work major and honors student, said she noticed a difference in the manner her professors approached their usual curriculum. When referencing a specific professor, Sams said she could tell he was nervous to bring anything up that was politically charged.

She said she realized this shift "especially" after SEA 202 passed in March 2024. It is intended to ensure "the protection of free inquiry, free expression and intellectual diversity" in higher education. The legislation also requires universities to create formal processes for students or others to submit complaints if they believe an instructor has failed to promote those values.

Despite this, Sams said she prefers that, no matter what, professors are able to share their opinions even if students disagree.

Sams acknowledged that while unilateral conversations "are never going to get you anywhere progress-wise," she said, "It just feels like any sort of legislation that is geared toward what you can and cannot say in a classroom is never going to lead to anything good."

Barry Ramage, a fourth-year social studies education major, said he has had some professors "straight up" tell the class they were scared of being targeted by the university and that, to avoid it, they would change their curriculum.

He said that, though he experienced this a few times, it was primarily a gradual approach that professors took, as they emphasized that they would speak on subjects in a specific way or not delve into certain topics as deeply.

As some of his professors changed their teaching practices, Ramage said he felt he "missed out" on subjects that could have been discussed.

"To put it bluntly, we're not getting our money's worth," Ramage said, referencing how restricting educators' speech, specifically in higher education, affects students.

Recker said that in her freshman year, they had more "nitty-gritty conversations" in which deeper concepts could be discussed. Contrasted with now, she said she feels that "everyone's always scared to speak out in the class discussion," due to the current political climate.

Ramage said that though SEA 202 attempts to support intellectual diversity, it "in reality, is just hurting intellectual diversity."

"We were already having those tough conversations," Ramage said. "We were already having those 'intellectually diverse' conversations."

As someone entering the education field, Ramage said he is "very worried" because he feels that presenting both sides can "hurt" what students take away from their classes, particularly social studies, because certain topics and incidents are "excused."

"It's like by watering down these past issues and, you know, not correctly talking about these past events, we're allowing them to happen again and even worse, possibly right now," said Ramage.

Also, as an individual who wants to be an educator, Recker said that the classroom must be a place where students "build their intellect" and can "work with others."

Ramage, Recker and Sams all said they feel for their professors - a feeling of worry.

Sams said it is "scary" that "one small slipup" can be reported and cause a professor to lose their "entire living."

She believes fear motivates professors to alter their curriculum and the way they conduct themselves in the classroom, "especially" after SEA 202 passed. Additionally, she said she thinks Swierc's firing was the "turning point" for professors' modification of classroom methods and their verbal and written approaches.

Several Ball State educators declined to be interviewed about this topic, with some citing concerns about the future of their careers at the university.

"I don't feel comfortable being interviewed," said a source, via email, from the College of Sciences and Humanities, who wished to remain anonymous. "Professors are being surveilled and policed regarding their teaching."

Assistant Teaching Professor of Political Science Johanna Maple said via text message, in-full, "In response to your request for an interview re: freedom of expression at the University, I want to give you a response, in my personal capacity and not as a representative of the university, nor any constituent component of Ball State University, nor any other person or entity.

"I want to respond because as a citizen and as an attorney, I believe in the fundamental importance of the First Amendment to our democracy. I value deeply student journalism. I agree with the sentiments expressed in the university's Freedom of Expression Statement, and with [the] President's quote on the university webpage that 'Freedom of expression is at the core of the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.'

"I also agree with the Faculty Council resolution on free expression passed Oct. 23. But because of the chilling effect of the University's recent actions, and my concern regarding the impact that an action against me could have on my students' course sequence and graduation timelines, and the corresponding impact an action against me could have on my colleagues, I decline to be interviewed."

An anonymous source from the School of Journalism and Strategic Communication said they are usually a "free-speaking person" both in and out of the classroom, and that they are "fearless" about the topics discussed in class, encouraging everyone to "speak freely."

While the source said they are not "personally afraid," they are "concerned" on behalf of other university faculty, particularly with possible "short-term repercussions."

Sarah Vitale, an associate professor of philosophy in the psychological sciences department at Ball State, said she tries to create a space in class where students feel comfortable taking risks and saying things that may not be fully developed.

Vitale said that over the course of her teaching career, she has learned "how to facilitate" what she believes are "respectful, engaged conversations with students."

However, Vitale said that after the passing of SEA 202, she "became nervous" that she could get reported, even though she is not breaking the law.

She said that she has to remind herself that she will not allow the state legislature to "bully" her into "avoiding what are considered controversial topics," as these topics "are important to how we live together in the world."

Vitale said she tries not to express her own views in the classroom because it is not her role. For her, it is a place for her to get those views out of others and to aid her students in understanding the perspectives of the authors they study, she said.

The associate professor said these topics are "the most important things," and she wants her students to be able to read long-form articles, to discuss them with peers, to figure out their societal roles, because "otherwise, things are just happening to us."

But she said she tells herself "that it's not bravery if you're not afraid."

Ultimately, Vitale said that she is "most afraid of" what could happen to students, that they could be denied certain things in their college experience.

Associate Professor of Architecture Matthew Wilson said via email that within their curriculum, they do their best to inform students "that history is full of heavy and difficult subject matter." In pairing, Wilson said that they implore students to approach historical subjects with "an open mind," as a couple of their courses are focused on "the human side of architecture and are taught as a form of recognition [of] justice."

They said people may feel "less inclined, more uncomfortable and even increasingly unwelcome to speak their mind" due to the "onslaught on the humanities, critical thinking, contemplative inquiry, and intellectual diversity proper beyond a western canon."

Wilson said that because students, faculty and others can report a professor, it can put these careers "on trial," but despite this, they said they will continue to teach their area of knowledge the way it must be taught.

"To do otherwise would be a disservice to students, an offence to the past and present, and a betrayal of my beliefs and values," Wilson said.

An anonymous source from the English department said they try to keep classroom conversations student-driven, because they do not think talking about difficult or important subjects should be avoided.

They said what is mainly challenging at the university is that students are "just so polite" and often do not want to disagree with one another. Because of this, they said, they do not have problems with students getting angry or fighting.

"But I think it's really important, and I think it's important now not to avoid topics because we're afraid we'll get in trouble if we talk about certain things," they said, even though they are sometimes hesitant to share an example relevant to class material.

While they said they are "not yet" afraid, they are aware that "there are things that could cause trouble," so they are "worried" that something perceived as such could become public.

"I think day to day, I am not afraid. I am trying not to anticipate bad things that might happen and act as if they will happen," they said.

They said they do not teach classes that they feel could be considered "controversial" or "woke." Because of this, they do not feel that they would be "the first target," so they are "not afraid" but acknowledges that "probably other people have more rational reason[s] to be."

Jess Hoffman, an assistant clinical lecturer of social work at Ball State, said that she has found herself feeling "more nervous" about heavy topics. Hoffman said she feels this way "especially" as she saw the public's reaction to occurrences, "and then how that influences everybody else's, like even Ball State's response to things we've been doing in the classroom for a long time."

She said she opens the floor to her students to share different views, and if she does not discuss something a student is curious about, she encourages them to bring those ideas into her classroom to "explore that together."

Hoffman said that during the fall semester, students told her they were "more scared" or "more nervous" about bringing up specific things in the classroom.

She said that since she is cognizant of the words she uses, she does not believe that anything she said outside the classroom could get her in trouble. At the same time, Hoffman said that while she understands being cautious with what she posts online, it is "not the time for self-preservation in terms of being a social worker."

As she adheres to her textbook, Hoffman said that she holds back on recommending external material. She said that about two or three years ago, when she worked part time for the university, she did not feel conflicted about it.

"I feel restricted by the political environment, by my fears about how the university might respond if something I said was disruptive," Hoffman said.

She shared a story in which she said someone made a fake Facebook profile impersonating her and posted that "she" was going to wait outside a school for a woman's children. The woman in question had previously posted about Charlie Kirk on Facebook.

Hoffman herself had also posted about the death of Kirk, but said that her own statement was a "moral neutral" since she did not "celebrate" his death and would not for anyone. She said her own post was on her private account, so only her friends could have viewed it.

Hoffman received calls from the Yorktown Police Department shortly after, and she stated it was not she who made the post targeting the woman and children. But because that post was eventually deleted by the fake account, the police said it was over.

However, Hoffman said she contacted the woman who was harassed to explain the situation, but the woman did not believe her.

"I didn't threaten someone's kids. That's wild behavior," Hoffman said. "And then it just kind of highlighted how quickly something that I could do in the community could come back here."

Assistant Teaching Professor of Economics Nathanael Snow said he believes everyone should think before speaking, and he tries to practice this to be "considerate" to those around him. He said that thinking twice should pertain to "every context."

When issues emerge at the university, such as a professor saying something in a classroom that "seems inappropriate," Snow said the proper way to respond is in a slow, deliberate manner with room for community participation.

Snow said that this era has "many factions," and when people are in one, they typically act and speak for the sake of their faction's approval. He said that this is done "without any motivation" to engage those outside of one's faction. Because of this, he said, responses are swift. It is occurrences like this that Snow said he believes people could respond to more efficiently.

"It takes courage to be willing to face the roars of the crowds that want immediate action, retribution [and] revenge, to allow tempers and the heat to cool," Snow said.

Snow said that though others are "very skeptical" about using discussion as a means to attain "peace, reconciliation and agreement," he is not. He said he understands it is difficult, but he "honestly and completely" believes everyone should be permitted to express their viewpoints and be heard.

"I don't have to agree with anybody. Nobody has to agree with me," he said. "But I think that that's how we discover the world that we live in, the range of the world that we live in, and it can often encourage us to be more humble about our own perspectives."

He said he is not scared, but he is "careful." He said this is not done out of worry for himself, but for his students, his community and for society.

In an email, Snow said that, as an expert, he should not express his perspectives, and he makes a constant effort to heed when someone believes he is speaking as an expert. As a citizen, Snow said he expresses his opinions "as one voice among all the other[s]" and that his beliefs should not have a greater influence than others since he is in a teaching position.

"Because I hold an academic position, people sometimes attribute greater weight to my opinions than others. They should not," he said.

The Ball State Daily News reached out to university spokespersons for comment Feb. 3, but received no response.

Ball State has stated on its website that freedom of expression is central to its mission and that it complies with state law. As SEA 202 remains in effect, its implementation and its impact on classroom experiences continue to unfold across Indiana's public universities.

Contact Channing Matha at channing.matha@bsu.edu.

GALLERY: Ball State Men's Volleyball vs. Purdue Fort Wayne

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 23:19:08 -0500

Board of Trustees approves 'Village Green' project

Linnea Sundquist — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 20:48:43 -0500

Ball State's Board of Trustees (BOT) unanimously approved the budget and site plan for the "Village Green" project during its Feb. 27 meeting in the L.A. Pittenger Student Center in Cardinal Hall A.

The "Village Green" project, presented by the Director of Real Estate Services and the Real Estate Development program, Chris Palladino, is designed to create a community space for Ball State students and Muncie residents to utilize.

Cecil Pendland, landscape architect for the Rundell Ernstberger Associates, said the project aims to create "a gathering space for social gathering, potential programming events, casual space for students and community to come together in the Village."

The space will be located on the southwest corner of Martin Street and University Avenue.

"What we're trying to do here … is bridge Ball State and the city of Muncie, [and] get our student body down to the Village," Pendland said.

Finance, Facilities and Planning Committee

Vice President for Business Affairs and Treasurer Michael G. Fowler presented to the board updates on the university's investment performance for the fourth quarter of 2025, with the university's current investment portfolio now at 422.8 million.

The current investments are structured as a three-tier system, with tier one controlling all daily operating funds.

Tier two is the university's short-duration fixed-income, which Fowler said is primarily used to fund tier one as an emergency working-capital reserve.

Tier three consists of two areas: the core and the core plus fixed income.

As of Dec. 31, 2025, the investment portfolio was allocated with 70.7% tier three, which is the long-term assets. Fowler said designated funds are 12.9 percent and 8.2 percent in tier two and 8.1 percent in tier one.

"These funds continue to be allocated [in] a way to minimize risk, but also allow for some market participation beyond fixed income type accounts," Fowler said.

Ball State's investment financial performance returned with a 1.36 for the fourth quarter, slightly outperforming the benchmark evaluation of 1.35 for the fiscal year to date, he said.

Heading into 2026, Fowler said the university's investments are "set to handle a mix of challenges and opportunities."

"The economy continues to remain strong, and we are actively engaged with our advisors to make sure we maximize the investment returns while also controlling the amount of risk that we have," he said.

Along with the board approving the "Village Green" project, Pendland also presented the idea of creating a connection between the Village and the university campus through Martin Street.

Pendland said this will create a safe walking environment by making the street curbless while still serving as a roadway for motor vehicles. Certain areas have been designated for both semi and box trucks, he said, as well as adding colorful plantings and trees to provide shade.

The board adjourned after approving both the budget and scope for improvements on Martin Street and the "Village Green" project.

Employee Development and Wellbeing Committee

Vice President for People and Culture, Mark Liebling, presented the board with eight retirees who were awarded the emeritus and honoratus status, a title given to retired faculty, administrators or staff, three of whom were present during the meeting.

All of the retirees present were approved by the board.

Liebling shared an update regarding Ball State's People and Culture, saying the department's momentum is "strong and accelerating."

He explained that a "significant upgrade" in the department's system is the "functional power of the Workday system," an engine that powers its products and artificial intelligence (AI) agents by specializing in human capital management, payroll and financial management for organizations, according to its website.

Liebling said that the department's ambition for the learning management system is to be a "one-stop shop" for all Ball State employee development and training initiatives.

"Workday allows us to reduce the number of vendor contracts and enables modernized, flexible and controlled time keeping, which benefits our employees and their leaders," he said.

Audit and Compliance Committee

Director of Internal Audit and Advisory Chifundo Biliwita presented to the board confirmation that all NCAA revenues and expenses are in line with the "agreed-upon procedures."

Biliwita said that the NCAA requires all Division One apprentice programs to submit financial reports. But before the report is submitted, it must be reviewed by an external auditor.

The project was in collaboration with Ball State's athletics team, the university's controller's office as well as the Internal Audit and Advisory office.

Biliwita said the NCAA will need to make sure the reports are "done according to the accounting standards, and then secondly, that all categorizations in the reports [are] within the prescribed, agreed-upon procedures."

Finally, he said that the NCAA will also want to confirm that the department's revenue recognition is in line with its policy for all nonprofits and governmental institutions in the U.S.

"I think this is something that I'm deeply proud of as a university," Biliwita said. "We do not have any issues on this report. It was a clean report."

The motion was approved by the board.

Academic and Student Affairs Committee

Jason Rivera, vice provost for student success and dean of University College, presented an update on student success and retention rates to the board.

He started by explaining the university's 10-year average retention rate, with Ball State currently outperforming other Indiana universities, at 78 percent.

"Our retention is stable," Rivera said, noting during his presentation that COVID-19 had a "significant impact" on Ball State's retention.

Chair of the board, Brian Gallagher, told Rivera that he should be "unsatisfied" with stability and have a goal of getting back to the 80-80.8 percent range.

While Rivera said he does not "necessarily disagree," he said it is "important from the human relations aspect to remember the heavy lift we're asking folks to engage in as they do this work."

"When we run, don't celebrate the successes, and when we're pushing for more, which we should do, we already run thebrisk of folks feeling disenfranchised or not supported," Rivera said.

Regular Meeting

Following a lunch break, student protestors arrived at the meeting to sit in on the discussion.

Ro-Anne Royer Engle, vice president for student affairs, presented to the board the Ball State University Dance Marathon (BSUDM) leadership, introducing President Macie Morehouse and Vice President of Internal Affairs Megan Moshak.

Morehouse offered many thanks to the BOT for the members of BSUDM joining today's meeting.

Moshak said BSUDM is a registered student organization within the university that resides under the Ball State Office of Student Life. The program is also registered under the Children's Miracle Network (CMN).

BSUDM does fundraisers for local CMN hospitals, Moshak said, with their local CMN hospital being Riley Hospital for Children. The organization also partners with other student organizations on campus to support Riley.

"Our mission is to create a year-round fundraising and awareness effort to support the children and families of Riley Hospital for Children by unifying the Ball State University student body to create hope and healing," Morehouse said.

Following a question and answer portion after both Morehouse and Moshak were done presenting, a student protestor spoke up to the board, asking, "Can I make a comment?" to which the student claimed, "Every hospital in Gaza has been bombed."

Gallagher asked the protester not to disrupt the meeting, to which the student stayed silent until the meeting was adjourned.

While one student spoke out during the meeting, the rest of the group sat silently until the meeting ended, with some students bringing handmade signs protesting the board into the room.

The next BOT meeting will take place May 1 in the L.A. Pittenger Student Center in Cardinal Hall A.

Contact Linnea Sundquist via email at linnea.sundquist@bsu.edu.

Pokémon's 30th Anniversary Pokémon Day Stream Recapped

Mason Mundy — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 19:55:00 -0500

On February 27th 2026, Pokémon held their annual Pokémon Day Pokémon Presents livestream. With 2026 being the 30th anniversary of the Pokémon franchise, the Pokémon Company had many major announcements to share.

To start the presentation, Pokémon announced the Pokémon Red & Blue Game Music Collection, a mini Game Boy replica with replica Pokémon Red & Blue cartridges that contains music from those games. Retailing for $70, the Game Music Collection contains 45 songs from the original Pokémon Games. Information about the 2026 Pokémon World Championships in San Francisco were detailed, including PokémonXP, a series of events in San Francisco leading up to the world championships. The Pokémon Trading Card Game saw a teaser of a special 30th anniversary set. The teaser showed many cards from throughout the years, ending with something Mewtwo and Mew related. For the first time, this set will be released across the world on the same date.

Pokémon announced many updates to their mobile games. In Pokémon GO, a huge range of Pokémon that have appeared previously are returning. In Pokémon Masters EX, three new characters are arriving, including Red (1996) & Pikachu from Pokémon Red & Blue, Florian (Anniversary 2026) & Ogerpon from Pokémon Scarlet & Violet, and Juliana (Anniversary 2026) & Terapagos also Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. The first partner Pokémon are getting special outfits in Pokémon Café Remix and Mew is appearing in Pokémon Sleep. The legendary birds Zapdos, Moltres and Articuno are coming to Pokémon Unite and a new set and missions to unlock hourglasses are live in Pokémon TCG Pocket.

Some classic games were released onto the Nintendo Switch. For Nintendo GameCube - Nintendo Classics on Nintendo Switch 2, Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness is coming to the program, the first time that game has been re-released. Pokémon FireRed and Pokémon LeafGreen, remakes of the original Pokémon Red & Green are available on the Nintendo Switch Eshop for $20 each. Pokémon Champions, an official battle simulator, is set to release in April on the Nintendo Switch, and later in the year on mobile

For home console games, Pokémon Legends ZA had a new Mega Evolution release, Mega Garchomp Z. This pokemon is available as a Mystery Gift to players with the Mega Dimension DLC. Pokémon Pokopia revealed local multiplayer, Rotom DJ, and Chef Dente. Pokémon Pokopia released March 5th for Nintendo Switch 2.

For the last announcement, Pokémon unveiled the next generation of mainline Pokémon games: Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves. While just being a short teaser trailer, Pokémon showed off most of the games world, the artstyle and playable character designs. This trailer gave viewers a look at the first generation 10 Pokémon, with the grass starter Browt, the first starter Pombon, and the water starter Gecqua. The game is set to release worldwide on Nintendo Switch 2 in 2027.

Pokémon Day is always an exciting day for Pokémon fans and the 30th anniversary stream gave Pokémon fans a lot to discuss and be excited for this upcoming year. We expect more exciting news to come from Pokémon to keep the 30th anniversary hype going.

Sources:Pokémon, Pokémon, Pokémon, Pokémon, Nintendo, Nintendo, Pokémon, Pokémon, Pokémon, Pokémon, Pokémon, Pokémon, Pokémon, Pokémon, Pokémon, Pokémon, Nintendo, Nintendo, Nintendo, Nintendo, Pokémon, Pokémon, Pokémon, Pokémon

Photos: Pokémon, Pokémon, Pokémon

Contact Mason Mundy with comments at mason.mundy@bsu.edu or on Instagram @masonmundy1029.

Review: Mitski does it again with 'Nothing's About to Happen to Me'

Sam Jasionowski — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 10:00:00 -0500

The opinions and views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the opinion of Byte or Byte's editorial board.

A little over two years after the release of her last album-The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We-Mitski has released her eighth studio album, Nothing's About to Happen to Me. Although the album recycles a lot of similar-sounding production from her previous work, Mitski has found a sound that works perfectly for her level of musical creativity, producing another great album in her discography.

I had the opportunity to listen to the album an entire week early at the Muncie local record store, Locked Groove Records. The record store hosts plenty of album listening events, even hosting one for Mitski's previous album. If there's ever an artist hosting a listening party, I cannot recommend Locked Groove Records more.

The Cohesion Shines Through

Mitski writes on this album about watching a relationship start to die but being too enamored to be the one to cut it off. This relationship could be romantic, platonic, or even her complicated relationship with fame and music, but it's so present throughout the album that it feels palpable through the entire 35-minute runtime. Mitski has always been very particular with the writing of her songs; she wears her heart on her sleeve. It's so personal, and this album does not shy away from that. Her writing is what really shines through as an artist.

"Rules" is her most unique song on the album. She uses counting in her chorus to highlight the rules that she sets in the verse. I love it when artists get a chance to experiment with their work, and this song definitely feels like it gave Mitski a chance to flex her creative muscles. Although I was a fan of Laurel Hell, it was definitely one of Mitski's messiest projects and comparing Nothing's About to Happen to Me to it, the cohesion is immensely better. Even with some experimental sounds sprinkled within the tracklist, it feels so beautifully crafted.

Mitski Understands Her Sound

The production of the album goes in a lot of different directions, but that is not uncommon for Mitski. Compared to other records, Nothing's About to Happen to Me is very sonically well-rounded. Some artists prefer to change up their music style to produce something new, but in Mitski's case, she has a pretty distinct style of music that suits her so well I could easily listen to 10 more albums with the same production. "Cats" and "Lightning" are reminiscent of Bury Me at Makeout Creek, whereas "Where's My Phone?" and "Rules" have similar production to Be the Cowboy, which I personally enjoyed.

Tracks like "Dead Woman" and "I'll Change For You" have perfect instrumentals. The backing behind "Dead Woman" feels haunting, exactly the kind of emotion you'd want to feel when listening to that track. Where "I'll Change For You" has a slowed-down, soothing sound, matching the atmosphere she builds in the lyrics and all of the imagery about being at a bar. There are even natural sounds that play that you would hear in a somewhat crowded bar on an evening out; it pulls the song together beautifully.

She's Done it Again

Standouts on the album for me include "In a Lake," "Cats," "Rules," and "That White Cat." The writing on each of these tracks is so descriptive, I felt encapsulated by it. The cat metaphors that Mitski weaves throughout this record are charming, breaking up the intense themes of the record with a simple white cat. Mitski has always been an artist who writes about very personal experiences, making her records very unique and personable, and Nothing's About to Happen to Me continues her mission to personify the difficult parts of love and life.

Sources: Spotify, Spotify, Spotify, Instagram, Spotify, Spotify, Spotify, Spotify, Spotify, Spotify, Spotify, Spotify, Spotify, Spotify, Spotify

Contact Sam Jasionowski with comments at samantha.jasionowski@bsu.edu or on Instagram @sjasionowski.

Preparing for Spring Break: Here is your CommCenter Catch Up!

Cardinal Media — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 10:00:00 -0500

Even with spring break beginning next week, it's important to stay up to date. We're here to help! Check out the College of Health Career Fair, have a laugh at John Mulvaneys Mister Whatever tour or help shape AI at Ball State in a focus group!

College of Health Career Fair

The College of Health is hosting their first ever Career Week for College of Health Majors, which concludes with a Career Fair.

If you're a last-semester senior looking to enter the workforce, or interested in a career with a healthcare company, or perhaps looking for a job that can pay bills while you're still in school, or maybe interested in learning more about the types of jobs that exist in healthcare companies, come check out our event!

COH Career Fair
March 27 from Noon - 3 p.m. in HB 103/A

The College of Health will be hosting a wonderful group of employers with active positions to fill for qualified candidates. Plan to bring copies of your resume and dress in interview attire, as there will be some on-site interviews.

This is open to all majors across the University, not limited to just College of Health, but the majority of the employers are in the healthcare or related fields.

Questions, please contact Theresa Mince, theresa.mince@bsu.edu

John Mulaney is returning to Emens on March 1 with his Mister Whatever tour!

John Mulaney is bringing his Mister Whatever tour to Emens Auditorium on Sunday, March 1 at 7:00 p.m.!

John Mulaney is a three-time Emmy Award, Critics' Choice award and WGA award-winning writer, comedian and actor.

Mulaney's latest Netflix stand-up special, BABY J, converts his personal turmoil into comedic brilliance. BABY J earned him 2023 Emmy nominations in Outstanding Variety Special and an Emmy win for Outstanding Writing For A Variety Special. BABY J also received the 2024 Critics Choice Award for Best Comedy Special.

Don't miss out on the chance to see one of the biggest acts in comedy live! Get tickets today!

Free Snacks + $10 Gift Card: Help Shape AI at Ball State!

Help define the future of AI on campus.

How are you actually using AI? What should the future of technology at Ball State look like? A series of student focus groups will be held to gather input and feedback.

The perks:

Get Paid. Every attendee receives a $10 Tango gift card.
Free Fuel. We'll have snacks and drinks provided.
Direct Impact. Your feedback will directly influence how we implement AI tools for students.

Ready to join?

Spots are limited. Pick a time that works for you here.

For more information, go toBall State's Communication Center.

How 2024 legislation impacts current educators in Indiana

Channing Matha — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 08:00:00 -0500

As debates over academic freedom and political influence in higher education continue across Indiana, new state policies and public reporting systems are reshaping conversations at public universities.

At Ball State University, those conversations have surfaced in the wake of a state-launched reporting portal, new legislation on intellectual diversity and the termination of a university employee over a private social media post, prompting faculty groups to question how freedom of expression is being upheld.

Launched by the Office of the Attorney General, the Eyes on Education portal was officially established and made accessible in February 2024.

The portal was developed to "give parents, students and educators a way to share examples of what is being taught and promoted in schools and to provide transparency for parents and keep Hoosiers informed," according to the Office of the Attorney General's website.

The page notes that the portal is not aimed to prompt legal action, but can "be used to initiate those conversations."

According to the portal's launch announcement post, marked as a press release event on the Indiana Attorney General website, Rokita defined the portal as "a platform for students and parents to submit and view real examples of socialist indoctrination from classrooms across the state."

He stated that his office launched the portal because Indiana children must focus on "fundamental educational building blocks, NOT ideology that divides kids from their parents and normal society," and because "The media and schools themselves have continued to deny that this indoctrination is happening" in the state.

The announcement states that it allows submissions from "colleges, universities and other affiliated academic entities," in addition to "K-12 classrooms in Indiana."

The portal also allows users to submit examples of content they deem "objectionable," and access other submissions. It first lists "Charlie Kirk Submissions" by school. Ball State University has two submissions, including a screenshot of Suzanne Swierc's Facebook post.

Swierc, then-director of health promotion and advocacy at the university, was fired after the university said she caused a "significant disruption to the university" when posting about the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk on her private Facebook account.

On top of educators' social media posts submissions, such as the one about Swierc's, submissions can also range from school announcements to posters and curricula, such as required or recommended readings, assignments and lecture slides.

School clubs are submitted as well. Some topics of submissions are centered around conversations including gender identity, Black Lives Matter (BLM), race and ethnicity, privilege, sex and puberty and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).

Signed in March 2024, Senate Enrolled Act 202 implemented procedures that institutions must follow in pairing with "intellectual diversity." The legislation defined "intellectual diversity" as "multiple, divergent, and varied scholarly perspectives on an extensive range of public policy issues."

A main component is a mandatory reporting system that allows faculty and students to file a complaint about a staff member whose duties involve teaching students in an institution if these members do not meet the "intellectually diverse" criteria outlined in section 2(a)(1) through 2(a)(5). This system must be made known to university faculty and students through Ball State's website.

Since SEA 202 applies to all public colleges and universities across Indiana, the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) has weighed in on the topic.

Senior Program Officer Mark Criley from the AAUP Department of Academic Freedom, Tenure, & Governance said via email that universities and colleges can only serve the public if faculty members with the mission of "discovering and disseminating knowledge" are able to "follow their expertise and professional judgement." He said that academic freedom "is the right of faculty members."

"Without it, faculty members will only pursue ideas that are popular, safe, and comfortable, not the ones that are best supported by argument and evidence," Criley said. "Society - and students - suffer as a result."

An additional element mandated in the legislation incorporated tenure. According to SEA 202, if a faculty member is to be granted tenure or a promotion, they must follow the standards that encourage "intellectual diversity." Every five years, the board of trustees of institutions must review faculty members who hold tenure and meet the criteria.

The law said that an applicant, an employee of or a person who teaches in an institution must not be required to "pledge allegiance to or make a statement of personal support" for any policies that treat people differently based on their identity or any "political or ideological movement."

If an institution obtains a statement or pledge of such, including one that involves DEI or similar topics, the institution cannot grant "admission, enrollment, or employment; benefits; hiring, reappointment, or promotion; or granting tenure."

Requiring institutions to establish a "diversity committee" is another facet of the legislation. These committees must review the documented policies about "cultural and intellectual diversity." The diversity committees are required to provide an annual report that includes "findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the committee to the board of trustees."

The AAUP's mission is to "advance academic freedom and shared governance; to define fundamental professional values and standards for higher education; to promote the economic security of faculty, academic professionals, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and all those engaged in teaching and research in higher education," according to its website.

The organization has chapters throughout the U.S., which aim to "advance" this mission.

A June 2007 AAUP report titled "Freedom in the Classroom" discussed the organization's stance on topics such as "indoctrination," "imbalance," worries for "hostile learning environments," and "persistent irrelevance."

The report refers to the "1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure with 1970 Interpretive Comments," in which it stated that educators "should be careful not to introduce controversial matter[s] which [have] no relation to their subject."

In the "Freedom in the Classroom" report, the 1970 drafting organization added that the purpose of the prior statement is not to "discourage what is controversial" as "Controversy is at the heart of the free academic inquiry which the entire statement is desired to foster."

The 2007 report clarified that the statement from 1940 "should not be interpreted as excluding controversial matter[s] from the classroom." It also noted that the removal of controversial matters is against "the essence of higher education."

Criley said he is not a historian and cannot provide "an informed comparison" of various periods since the AAUP's founding in 1915.

But he said that the current "increase in attacks on academic freedom, institutional autonomy, and shared governance - including those coming from the state and federal government - is unlike anything most faculty members will have seen in their careers."

In response to students and educators who may be afraid, Criley said the AAUP "encourage[s]" them to "speak up for themselves and for one another, and to recognize that there is strength in numbers and solidarity." Additionally, Criley said that the AAUP recommends that faculty members join the organization and create a chapter "to protect academic freedom and higher education."

According to Criley, the AAUP "always welcomes inquiries from faculty members who are concerned that their academic freedom has been violated" at academicfreedom@aaup.org.

As a chapter of the AAUP, the Ball State University AAUP (BSU AAUP) issues public statements affirming its position on related matters.

Sept. 25, the organization published "AAUP Public Statement on Freedom of Expression at Ball State University" on its website.

The statement requested that the university "reaffirm their commitment to the BSU Freedom of Expression Statement." The organization said, though it understands "that freedom of speech does not equal freedom of consequences," the BSU AAUP believes that the choice to fire a Ball State employee for a post on a private social media account was "not in line" with the university's "commitment to free expression."

It cited the university's statement announcing Swierc's termination, explaining that the university does not have "the proper role" to "attempt to shield individuals from ideas and opinions they find unwelcome, disagreeable, or even deeply offensive."

The BSU AAUP also included that the statement from the university "may restrict expression that violates the law, falsely defames a specific individual, that constitutes a genuine threat or harassment, that unjustifiably invades substantial privacy or confidentiality interests, or that is directly incompatible with the functioning of the university."

The same section, Section 1.3, stated that these are "narrow expectations" of the university's stance on freedom of expression. It said that it is incredibly significant that these instances "never" be used in an approach that is "inconsistent" with the university's commitment to a completely free and open discussion of ideas.

The BSU AAUP release said that political figures like Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita "use their political office to decry expressions of private opinion," likely referring to Rokita's personal posting choices in connection to his Eyes on Education portal.

Because of this, the statement also said that Ball State leadership yields to such policies, rather than its own.

The statement garnered 389 digital signatures from "97 BSU employees, 13 retired BSU employees, 74 BSU alumni, 146 BSU students, and many BSU friends and community members," according to the document.

Those who signed "condemn the actions of BSU leadership" and implore them to admit they do not "value First Amendment protections" and to abide by their own policies and statements, or to "apologize" for breaching their Freedom of Expression statement and "reaffirm their commitment to it."

The chapter published its "Faculty Council Resolution On Freedom of Expression at Ball State University" Oct. 23.

The release reiterated statements from its "AAUP Public Statement on Freedom of Expression at Ball State University."

Its resolution included that the Ball State University Faculty Council "condemns the termination of Suzanne Swierc" because of statements from a private Facebook account; the BSU Faculty Council "joins" the BSU AAUP and endorsed its "Public Statement on Freedom of Expression."

The BSU Faculty Council leaders "will publicize" its acceptance of the BSU AAUP's statement; and that the BSU Faculty Council calls on Mearns to reassert the university's allegiance to its "Freedom of Expression Statement," to guarantee faculty and staff "will not be targeted or penalized" by Ball State's administration "for exercising their academic freedom or First Amendment rights."

The Ball State Daily News reached out to university spokespersons for comment but received no response.

As state-level policies continue to shape expectations for public universities in Indiana, Ball State now finds itself at the center of a broader debate over how intellectual diversity, institutional oversight and constitutional protections intersect. While state leaders argue that increased transparency and reporting mechanisms protect students and parents, faculty groups maintain that academic freedom is important to higher education.

Contact Channing Matha at channing.matha@bsu.edu.

Special Guest discussing Freedom of Expression cancelled at Student Government Association meeting

Landon Jones — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 15:48:20 -0500

Ball State's Student Government Association (SGA) held its weekly meeting Feb. 25, to discuss nominations for the opening position of treasurer and chief administrator.

SGA began its meeting with special orders of business with executive board nominations for the new executive board following its elections.

SGA started the nominations off with the treasurer position. Senator Ali Shorter nominated Kayla Steric for the position of treasurer for the next year and was followed up by Senator Finley Gay who nominated Parliamentarian Casen Lake.

Both nominations were approved by the Senate at-large.

SGA then went into chief administer nominations where the person nominated would again accept or decline the offer for the position.

SGA Senate nominated Senators Barizza and Francis Baldridge, both nominees were accepted.

Following the executive board nominations the SGA moved into Executive Reports starting with President Chelsea Murdock.

Murdock reported that the SGA was able to allocate $500 to the honors college to help supply menstrual products and $1,000 to the Student Center to supply them with vegetable products for free for students. She then reports that the SGA is working with the Center for Economic and Civic Learning on a voter registration initiative.

"This would be a multi-day initiative, lots of events and lots of great ways for us to connect with students across campus and in the community to get registered to vote ahead of the April 6 deadline for Indiana midterms." Murdock said.

Murdock then said that of the SGA senators may have been expecting a special guest for that day's meeting, but it was canceled at the last minute.

"I understand that many of you are expecting a special guest today. Vice President Miller is going to provide a little bit more clarity on that, and I apologize for those who are expecting our special guest today. We were not anticipating the change." Murdock said.

Vice President Shaina Miller went into her report explaining that the special guest was supposed to be Kevona Tyler, a public access officer and freedom of expression coordinator for the Office of General Counsel at Ball State University. It provides legal services for Ball State University, including its Board of Trustees, the President and all administrative units. The services include providing advice, counsel and training in all legal areas affecting the university.

Miller said Tyler was supposed to come in and present the Freedom of Expression rules and guidelines for the SGA and students, but Tyler declined the offer last minute. Miller said the choice was not made from either her or anyone on the executive board, and that they are just as frustrated.

"We had this presentation scheduled for over a month, and she has previously been supposed to present in October to SGA promoting freedom of expression is extremely important to our student body, and has been a continued goal of Chelsea and myself, especially for student employees." Miller said.

Tyler had sent in a message to the SGA for the executive board to read to them.

"In correspondence with counselor Tyler, she suggested that students read, 'University policies on TPM restrictions, our [Freedom of Expression] statement and our [Freedom of Expression] web page, which includes over 20 frequently asked questions.' end quotation." Miller said. "She also said that 'If a student has specific questions about the application or interpretation of university policy related to [Freedom of Expression. I suggest that they contact the vice president of student affairs in the context of student employment,'" Miller quoted from Tyler's message.

After Miller explained what had happened with the planned presentation, Treasurer Caroline Emerick and Chief Administrator Philena Evett spoke to the nominees for their positions to reach out to them for questions or answers when applying.

"I'm very excited to see these two candidates, and now, as always, if you do have any questions about the role, please feel free to reach out to me, as I'm more than happy to go into detail about what my responsibilities look like." Emerick said.

SGA will meet again in two weeks, March 12, at the L.A. Pittenger Student Center in Cardinal Hall B at 3:15 p.m.

Contact Landon Jones via email landon.jones2@bsu.edu

IPR: Muncie Mall to be fully demolished

Indiana Public Radio — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 14:18:59 -0500

"All we know is it's not gonna survive as it is. It has to be demolished completely," saysJohn Mulherin with Hull Property Group.

Hullboughtthe Muncie Mall in 2024. He says the company'soriginal planto tear down parts of the mall and re-do the interior is no longer viable. That's because the mall has a 92 percent vacancy rate.

Mulherin says the tenants aren't leaving Muncie, they're just leaving the "failed mall." And new retailers aren't interested.

"I know for a fact there are three major retailers that are looking at the Muncie market…. But they're not coming to the mall," he says. "We've talked to them. They're not coming to the mall in its current configuration."

Hull's new plan is to demolish the entire building - except for the portion that Buyer's Market owns. Then, the company will redevelop the 25-acre site with an interested "national wholesale club" fronting McGalliard Road, other interested retailers, and, according to the long-term plan, apartments.

"You build $65 million worth of apartments, it's gonna hit the books at $40 million in valuation."

Mulherin says demolishing the anchor stores can take place beginning next month. But the interior section won't happen until the last tenant moves out. He says that could take between six months and two years.

The Muncie Redevelopment Commission hadalready committed$2.5 million in tax increment financing for the original mall redevelopment plan. On Thursday, the MRC committed another $2.8 million to the new plan. The company does not receive that tax money until it shows improvement that generates taxes.

Muncie Mayor Dan Ridenour had long talked about the Muncie Mall having the "second largest assessed value" in the city of Muncie at $32 million. But in June 2025, the mall was reassessed for $4.7 million, according to Muncie Redevelopment Commission Director Jeff Howe. This week, Hull said the mall is valued at about $2 million.

The mall's future has been uncertain for the last several years. The Muncie Mall lost its firstanchor storein 2018 as part of a national decline in sales, eventually losing all its anchor stores.New managers, The Woodmont Company, took over in 2020 to market the mall for sale from Washington Prime Group. The next year, Washington Primefiled for bankruptcyand stopped paying the building's mortgage. The mall was eventually sold to Wells Fargo Bank in acounty sheriff's salein 2023 so the financing bank could recoup losses. In January 2024, Hull Property Group from Augusta, Georgia,purchased the mall. The company has a record of mall revitalization, including by demolishing and reconfiguring parts of mall complexes in other states.

Stephanie Wiechmann is our Managing Editor and "All Things Considered" Host. Contact her atslwiechmann@bsu.edu.

This article is republished as part of a collaborative content-sharing agreement between Ball State Unified Media andIndiana Public Radio, established to expand access to high-quality journalism and to better inform and serve the public through trusted, in-depth reporting.

Rain and snow coming our way along with rocky temperatures!

Kendra Heath — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 12:43:21 -0500

Tonight: Chilly temperatures persist through the night, keeping mostly clear skies with a few lingering clouds. Winds will be calmer than what we have been experiencing throughout the day these past few days. A coat will definitely be needed if you need to get out tonight!

Tomorrow: Leading into tomorrow morning, staying in the upper-30s as you are heading to the bus stop in the morning. Heavy coats still will be needed, and definitely shouldn't be put up anytime soon, especially with the nighttime lows and morning highs we have been experiencing. Leading into the afternoon, temperatures will begin to ramp up to the upper-50s, eventually reaching our high of 61 degrees by the evening hours. Winds will pickup throught the day, reaching near the 20 mph threshold. Overall, it will be a breezy, but sunny, and definitely warmer day than what we have been seeing here in our region lately!

Seven-Day Forecast: Looking into the week ahead, we can see the temperatures start to ramp up, but not for long! As Friday and Saturday will be much warmer than our average for this time of year, Sunday we start cooling back off with the mixture of rain and snow moving into our region and staying around for the rest of the week, eventually turning into just rain because the warmer temperatures won't allow for snow to accumulate. A rocky rollercoaster for our next week, try to take advantage of the warmer weather for the next few days! Happy spring break!

- Weather Forecaster Kendra Heath

NewsLink Indiana is a proud Ambassador for the NOAA Weather-Ready Nation program.

For more information about the Weather-Ready Nation program please click HERE

Suzanne Swierc's firing incites responses from political figures, student organizations

Channing Matha — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 10:00:00 -0500

Suzanne Swierc, then-director of health promotion and advocacy at Ball State University, was fired after posting comments about the assassination of a conservative political activist on her private Facebook account, prompting a lawsuit and sparking debate over free speech protections at Ball State.

After the assassination of Charlie Kirk, Swierc posted her thoughts on her private Facebook account, which quickly drew attention.

Kirk, co-founder of Turning Point USA, was shot Sept. 10. while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University.

In her post about Kirk's death, Swierc stated that if one believes Charlie Kirk was a "wonderful person," she cannot be friends with them. She wrote that though it is "difficult," she "prays for his soul" because she believes in the "Resurrection" and also stated that she feels for his wife and children.

Furthermore, Swierc said, "Charlie Kirk's death is a reflection of the violence, fear, and hatred he sowed. It does not excuse his death, AND it's a sad truth."

Her statement culminated with references to several victims of school shootings from Minneapolis and Colorado, emphasizing that these tragedies also deserve one's attention. Swierc concluded her Facebook statement with "Charlie Kirk excused the deaths of children in the name of the second amendment."

Swierc received innumerable responses to her statement overnight and into the next day, including calls for her termination from Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita and Randall McCallister, the Republican candidate for Indiana State House Representative in District 34.

Rokita referred to Swierc's words as a "vile comment," according to his Facebook post. He called comments such as hers "outrageous" and said that "they should make people question someone's ability to be in a leadership position."

McCallister pushed not only for Swierc's firing but also for Felicia Gray's, an assistant lecturer in elementary education at Ball State.

A screenshot provided by Adriene Cardin, a Muncie community member, displayed McCallister's Sept. 12 request for a protest at Ball State University in which he said, "Fire Suzanne Swierc immediately! Fire Felicia Gray immediately!" Attached to the Facebook post were Swierc's and Gray's headshots paired with screenshots of their social media statements about Kirk's death.

In another Facebook post, McCallister called for a vigil in honor of Charlie Kirk. He also referenced Gray's and Swierc's words, and said that educators must "uplift, not endorse murder and division."

In the same post, he said the community does not need, and should not permit, such "poison" in establishments.

On McCallister's campaign website, under the "Issues" tab, he stated that he wants to "return education to state and local control, stand up for school choice, and keep woke ideology out of our classrooms" and that he "will always defend free speech, the Second Amendment, and [the] right to live free from government overreach."

McCallister said in a Jan. 22 interview with the Daily News that, while yes, Swierc and Gray exercised their right to free speech, their speech should be held accountable by Ball State since there were "millions of people looking at Muncie" and the "university has staff members that encourage political violence."

"That's my main focus," he said, "is we need to denounce the violence and kind of cool the tempers on people, because both sides are getting very frustrated with each other, and they're not really talking."

He also said he does not think professors can successfully facilitate healthy, opinionated conversations among students in the classroom, primarily because "it is very hard, especially if a professor is non-neutral."

McCallister said that although he encourages such discussions, specifically when politically based, they should be reserved for outside classrooms.

McCallister's perspective about educators' impact in the classroom is shared by Rokita, who introduced the Eyes on Education portal.

The portal, launched by the Office of the Attorney General, is "designed to give parents, students, and educators a way to share examples of what is being taught and promoted in schools and to provide transparency for parents and keep Hoosiers informed," according to its website.

Swierc's post received additional attention because a screenshot was shared on the portal.

Ball State fired Swierc Sept. 17.

The university announced her dismissal from her position via social media, citing "significant disruption to the university" as the reason.

The public notice elicited divided reactions. While some agreed with and praised the decision, others condemned it as a violation of freedom of speech.

Amid these polarized responses, Swierc said in a Sept. 22 press conference held by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) that she did not regret her words.

The ACLU of Indiana disclosed it filed a lawsuit against Ball State University President Geoffrey Mearns for the infringement of Swierc's First Amendment right to free speech in a Sept. 22 press release.

According to the statement, ACLU of Indiana argued that because Swierc spoke her views as a private citizen, her firing was unconstitutional.

In an Oct. 2 Ball State University Senate meeting, President Mearns said he would not attempt to explain his decision to fire Swierc or provide his opinion on the lawsuit.

But Mearns recommended that everyone in attendance read Hedgepeth v. Britton (2025), a case that supported the firing of a public high school teacher for making "inflammatory" comments about the 2020 George Floyd protests on her private Facebook account, to understand his decision.

No further information regarding the lawsuit has been released at this time; however, student-led political organizations have weighed in on the topic.

Addressed to Ball State students, faculty, the community and other citizens, the Ball State College Republicans and the Ball State College Democrats released a collaborative statement about the firing through Instagram Sept. 23.

The statement said that both student organizations believe that political violence and any incitement or glorification of it do not belong within the university or society. The statement noted that higher education institutions "exist to foster inquiry, dialogue, and debate," referring to them as the foundation of "academic freedom and the democratic process."

The College Democrats and College Republicans stated that they are "gravely concerned" about the increase in individuals who attempt to "silence" others because of differing opinions, whether through means of "intimidation, disruption, or even violence." The organizations said that doing so impairs the rights of people and "the collective pursuit of knowledge and understanding."

The two groups maintained that freedom of expression is "essential" to cognitive advancement and civic duty, even when discomforting or challenging. They said that this "especially" applies to a college campus, where students are exposed to "ideas that form and shape the way they interact with our democratic society."

In the same statement, they said that academic freedom must be "safeguarded" to secure that "scholars and students can research, teach, and learn without fear of retribution or censorship."

Both organizations requested that "all members" of the Ball State community, including administrators, faculty, students and other citizens, recommit themselves to the "values of respectful discourse, open dialogue and peaceful disagreement."

The joint statement said that these were "opportunities for growth and mutual understanding" rather than "threats."

The Ball State College Democrats and College Republicans reaffirmed their commitment to continue to create spaces where opinions "may be freely exchanged, where disagreements are engaged in a civil way, and where the dignity of every participant is respected."

Both organizations at Ball State were contacted for a statement, but neither responded before the Feb. 2 deadline. The Office of the Attorney General was contacted for a statement Jan. 8, but the Daily News received no response.

Though university officials have largely declined to comment beyond initial statements, Swierc's case has sparked debate over freedom of expression and academic freedom, as the state's university educators, faculty and staff adapt to or persist with regard to public perception and the implementation of the Eyes on Education portal.

Contact Channing Matha at channing.matha@bsu.edu.

Why press freedom still matters

Executive Editorial Board — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 08:00:00 -0500

Feb. 26, 2026 is nationally recognized as Student Press Freedom Day, a day defined by The Student Press Freedom Law Center as "a national movement to stand up for press freedom and recognize the essential role student journalists play in their communities."

Though every piece of content in this Freedom of Expression special edition is tailored to illustrate the utmost necessity of freedom of expression across all professions, The Daily News has always believed in the importance of transparency, expression and the First Amendment with each article we publish.

Maintaining freedom of expression is a foundational principle of any newsroom. This adage rings especially true in a newsroom like ours, which resides on a college campus, a place designed to challenge ideas, push against norms and expose oneself to new concepts and ways of thinking.

The Daily News has been in operation since 1922. Over the years, our newsroom has worked diligently to ensure the sanctity of student voices, and we have continued to align with audience needs and interests as media trends emerge and landscapes change from decade to decade.

This edition is a primary example of the work we can accomplish through collaboration with sources within the campus and the Muncie and Delaware County communities we work to serve. We will continue to iterate that a free press is not merely a means of reporting events. It is also a safeguard against erasure, a platform for marginalized voices and a force for accountability.

All of us at The Ball State Daily News want to uphold the First Amendment in the articles we publish because without it, student journalism cannot exist in its truest form.

The First Amendment protects not only our right to report, but our community's right to know. It ensures we can ask difficult questions while covering the stories that matter, even when they are controversial or critical of institutions in power.

This is extremely important to us because censorship in student media is a serious problem.

For example, in late 2025, media school administrators at Indiana University Bloomington abruptly halted the print edition of the Indiana Daily Student and fired the student media director after he refused to remove critical news content from a special print edition.

Although IU's media school ultimately reversed the print termination, from our standpoint as a newsroom, the initial decision censored and violated editorial independence, and it was wrong.

This type of interference is why protecting editorial freedom matters, as it's been happening for years. The Student Press Law Center has data dating back to 2014 that shows that, even then, administrative censorship was a frequent challenge for student journalists nationwide.

The organization released a survey in which a significant number of student media editors responded, reporting several instances of administrative pressure to alter or withhold stories.

At The Ball State Daily News, our constitution and bylaws explicitly say our "editorial content shall be determined solely by the student editorial staff. The newsroom retains full editorial control over what it publishes, free from censorship, prior review, or undue influence by university administration, faculty, advertisers, or other outside entities."

Historically, we have always brought freedom of expression into the newsroom by practicing it daily. We have covered protests and policy debates, administrative decisions and student activism. We have reported on issues that directly affect our peers, even when doing so required navigating community pushback.

Freedom of expression is intrinsic to our reporting processes, our editorial discussions and our commitment to ethical journalism. As long as we continue to publish, we will continue to defend the right to do so freely.

Contact us via email at editor@bsudailynews.com.

Ball State Women's Basketball bounces back with big win over Akron

Kyle Stout — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 21:49:13 -0500

Ball State Women's Basketball bounced back in a big way under the bright lights of Worthen Arena Feb. 25. After the team's crushing loss to Miami (OH) Feb. 21 which dampened their chances to win the Mid-American Conference (MAC) regular season title, they jumped right back into the win column against Akron.

The Cardinals (23-6, 14-2) took down the Zips (7-21, 4-11) 88-55.

After a hard loss to the number one team in the conference, a 33-point victory following the loss is a pretty good indicator that the team is just fine. Sophomore guard Grace Kingery said it was good to have a bounce back performance like that.

"It helps us get prepared for Ohio on Saturday," Kingery said.

The Cardinals' Achilles heel in their loss to Miami (OH) was their turnovers. The team recorded 22 turnovers, and Head Coach Brady Sallee said the team cannot do that and win against a team like Miami (OH).

But against Akron, the team only turned the ball over 15 times.

"I feel good about the way we're taking care of the ball," Sallee said. "We're understanding how to play with one another and the way it's moving right now."

Freshman forward Aniss Tagayi is from Montpellier, France, and the forward had her family in attendance tonight, something that usually is not able to happen with a plane ticket and some more in between France and Muncie.

Tagayi recorded a career high 18 points in front of her parents.

"I'm happy they didn't fly seven hours for nothing," Tagayi said. "That was their first [Ball State] university game."

Tagayi was not the only Cardinals player in double digits, as the team had five players including her in double figures, and 10 Cardinals who at least recorded a point.

The Cardinals only led Akron 17-12 after one quarter, and Sallee said he thought the team was getting their feet under them and breaking a sweat at the start of the game. But after that first quarter, the Cardinals outscored the Zips 71-43.

"Once we started making a few of those, it was Katy bar the door," Sallee said.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Cardinals excelled. The Zips attempted 29 threes and only hit four of them. Kingery said defending the three-point line was something the team scouted in film and practice and did really well in the game.

It is evident on the stat sheet to any team that Ball State is an elite rebounding team, as entering the game the Cardinals were averaging 43.68 rebounds per game, which is good for fifth in the nation. The team added roughly 11 rebounds on to that average, as they had 55 rebounds against Akron.

Sallee said rebounding is "part of our identity", and that it would be a shock if those high rebounding numbers did not happen. But what the head coach was really pleased with was the teams' 16 offensive boards.

"It tells you [that] you got a team that's locked in," Sallee said.

Both Sallee and Kingery said the team's mentality is a day-to-day thing, even though the MAC tournament is right around the corner. Sallee said the team has the mentality that they can win every game they play, and he said that is all they have to have.

"When all [the regular season] is said and done, then there'll be a bus waiting for us and we'll head to Cleveland," Sallee said.

Not only is the team focused on winning each game, but the team is enjoying playing together as a group. Sallee said the team is enjoying every game, every film session and every practice together in their last few weeks as the 2025-26 Ball State Cardinals.

The head coach said society and especially college sports has lost the sight of togetherness, and playing for each other. But Sallee said that "this team hasn't lost sight of it."

"For me, that's really cool and I appreciate the heck out of it," Sallee said.

Up next, the Cardinals will host Ohio Feb. 28 at Worthen Arena for the last home game of the year.

Contact Kyle Stout with questions via email at kyle.stout@bsu.edu or on X @kylestoutdailyn.

Snowfall followed by sunshine tomorrow

Dillinger Clark — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 20:24:37 -0500

Tonight: Temperatures will slowly decrease through the night, eventually bottoming out at 26 degrees. The sky will remain mostly cloudy with scattered breaks in the cloud cover. A northwest wind of 10 mph will make it feel cooler, so it's best to bring something to keep you warm.

Tomorrow: Expect snowfall around 5 a.m., eventually clearing a few hours later. Make sure to bring a jacket with you , as we will start the morning at 28 degrees and mostly cloudy skies. Temperatures will rise through the day, with noon being 41 degrees and 5 p.m. 45 degrees. Clouds will part giving us bright and sunny noon skies, followed by scattered clouds at 5 p.m.

Seven-Day Forecast: Expect the unexpected these next seven days as each day will bring different conditions. Thursday and Friday will increase in temperature with Friday climbing to 60 degrees before falling down to 52 degrees on Saturday. On Sunday, temperatures will drop to 37 degrees followed with a chance of evening showers. Monday will give us a break from the rain just before it returns on Tuesday.

- Weather Forecaster Dillinger Clark

NewsLink Indiana is a proud Ambassador for the NOAA Weather-Ready Nation program.

For more information about the Weather-Ready Nation program please click HERE

Temperature Roller Coaster to Continue

Zachary Alberson — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 15:38:12 -0500

Today: Sunny and slightly warmer conditions today with a high of 49 degrees. Unfortunately, we have moderately windy conditions as winds are sitting around 20 mph with gusts upwards of 25 mph.

Tonight: Potential for some slick spots out there tonight, as we have a small clipper system moving through the area. We aren't expecting accumulations higher than half an inch, but this could still slick up the morning commute. Temperatures are expected to fall to around 26 degrees this evening.

Tomorrow: Another nice day is in store for tomorrow as temperatures are expected to rise into the mid to upper 40s once again. This should melt any snow accumulation by midday tomorrow. Expect a high of 46 degrees with partly cloudy skies.

Seven-Day Forecast: We are forecasting a temperature roller coaster of the next seven days as our highs range from mid 30s to low 60s. The start to the weekend is expected to be quite comfortable as we see our temperatures rising into the mid 50s to low 60s to start the weekend. Temperatures will then plummet into the mid 30s Saturday night and is expected to remain that way for a few days. There is the potential for rain and wintry precipitation throughout the weekend into next week, primarily on Sunday night and Tuesday.