Academia is gaining a great advocate for speech and press freedom. Lucy Dalglish, Executive Director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, has been named Dean of the University of Maryland's Phillip Merrill College of Journalism, effective August 1, 2012.
Here is an excerpt from the press release:
Dalglish comes to Maryland after serving for more than twelve years as Executive Director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, a voluntary, unincorporated association of reporters and news editors dedicated to protecting the First Amendment interests of the news media. Based in Arlington, Va., the Reporters Committee has provided research, guidance and representation in major press cases in state and federal courts since 1970. Ms. Dalglish is President of the National Freedom of Information Coalition and Supervisor for the Sunshine in Government Initiative, a coalition of media organizations working on federal information policy, which she co-founded.
Prior to assuming the position of Executive Director in January 2000, Dalglish was a media lawyer for almost five years in the trial department of the Minneapolis law firm of Dorsey & Whitney LLP. From 1980-93, Dalglish was a reporter and editor at the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
This year, Ms. Dalglish won the National Press Foundation's W.M Kiplinger Award for distinguished contributions to journalism. In 1995, she was awarded the Wells Memorial Key, the highest honor bestowed by the Society of Professional Journalists for service to the Society and the journalism professions, and in 1996, she was inducted into the National Freedom of Information Act Hall of Fame. Dalglish earned a juris doctor degree from Vanderbilt University Law School in 1995; a master of studies in law degree from Yale Law School in 1988 (where she was a Knight Foundation Journalism Fellow) and a bachelor of arts in journalism from the University of North Dakota in 1980.
Thank you to Lucy for her leadership at the RCFP and welcome to academia!
As for music, this Umphrey's McGee line from the song, Bridgeless, conveys one of the underlying purposes for robust free speech and press rights:
The more you breathe open-minded air
You'll be reminded of why we're here.
* * * * * * thank you for sharing, that's perfect
Read your article I learned many things * * * *
Posted by: Louboutin Flat Men | May 20, 2012 at 09:44 PM
Welcome Mary. It is a great opportunity for you and even a better one for Maryland College.
Posted by: Dan Fried | May 30, 2012 at 07:31 AM