After 6 years as Morgan State University’s media advisor Denise Brown was suddenly fired last month. “This goes against the Morgan State University's student bill of rights it clearly states you cannot fire me for content," said Denise Brown.
She claimed her contract termination stems from a series of articles and opinion pieces published in the school newspaper,
The Spokesman, in February alleging misuse of funds from the student government association's budget. “We feel it is our duty to be able to notify the students of what's going on with their money,” said Ryan Marshall a contributing reporter to the paper.
Administration requested a meeting with the reporters the next day. Although a school spokesperson told us as a group, letters obtained by ABC2News proved administration intended to meet with the students individually - to see their evidence. “Just the fact that you want to meet with them by themselves speaks or suggests intimidation and if you have me out of the way you're going to try to speak to those students," said Brown. “We want to stand up to the University and say you cannot railroad the students," added Marshall.
So Brown asked to schedule a group meeting with no response. Then June 12th she received another letter stating her contract will not be renewed until the matter was resolved. One week later she was fired.
A school spokesperson told us Brown's dismissal is a personnel matter and was not directly related to her duties as media advisor and that there were issues relating to adhering to State rules and Morgan State policies.
“They have not given me any policy or procedure," said Brown, “this is just blatantly wrong how you're handling it and not to speak to anyone about it makes you wonder what are you hiding?"
The school emphatically denies trying to railroad or censure students and told us a number of employee contracts were not renewed because of the economic climate.
