Update: Out of fairness, here is the link to SU’s statement regarding this matter, via the comments below. I suggest you read the whole thing and make up your own mind, but here’s an excerpt:

Finally, the Law School has been criticized for seeking to “gag” the press from reporting the case. Once again, the charge broadly misses its mark. The prosecutor has asked the hearing panel to prevent the parties from publicly disclosing the names, and only the names, of the people who were mentioned in the blog or who participate in the case and wish to maintain their privacy. The order is designed to protect the privacy rights of the victims and the integrity of the process from witness intimidation. The prosecutor has also asked the hearing panel to prohibit the parties from publicly releasing partial documents to prevent misrepresenting the facts to the public. There is no attempt to gag the press from reporting on the case, or to gag the parties from commenting on the case, as long as the names of private individuals are not disclosed, and any documents are published one time in their entirety

In sum, Syracuse University places a high value on free speech and due process, but also places a high value on the rights of all of its students to study and learn in an environment free from harassment, intimidation and ridicule.

My original post dated January 27:

Nancy Cantor must be so proud. Syracuse University tops list of the 12 worst schools for free speech.

Chilly Syracuse, New York, is home to the most dramatic ongoing attempt to stifle student speech so far in 2011. The Syracuse University College of Law has beenconsidering expelling a law student for “harassment” because he liked The Onion enough to allegedly participate in a satirical fake-news blog about law school life. But SU won’t reveal who his accusers are or say what was harassing about any of it. “Independent prosecutor” and law professor Gregory Germain pooh-poohs SU’s free speech commitment, complaining about “people who have a sense of entitlement to free speech.” Germain even wants a gag order on the student. For Syracuse to be taken seriously as a place dedicated to intellectual inquiry it needs to stop this inquisition against a humor website. ….

To those of you offended by occasional links to Huff Po, my apologies. That’s the source.

Oh, and SUNY Binghamton is number 3. Most, but not all, of the schools on the list are in the Northeast. Coincidence?