Posting emails and grievance materials from a university to my blog

[freedom-meme]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Indiana

Background:

This is in the state of Indiana
I was hoping someone could give me guidance on an email/fair use/copyright question as it regards emails used as evidence in a grievance against a faculty member at a public University. The grievance was ignored after it was filed (I did not hear back for more than 1.5 years until I asked again to make sure it was filed) and I never found out a date for when it was really filed. I was not allowed of keep a copy of a “failed “ test for review and no one ever got back with me on taking the course elsewhere to avoid teacher bias, they just dropped the matter. A lot of the events are a he said she said sort of situation, I was not allowed a witness nor time to prepare a response as the University policy says I should have the right to (the dean and head of the program wiggled out of this by saying the meeting was not official and informal so they did not have to follow the rules). In the end, all I have is emails to and from the professor, dean, program head and vice chancellor of academic affairs as evidence. I was planning to post these online to allow other prospective students to know about problems with the program and avoid it.
I guess my core questions are:

Questions:

1. Is there any legal reason I can't post the emails I was sent by the professor and administrators to my website to explain a grievance situation that was never resolved? I understand that the emails they sent me may be copyrighted, but do I have a fair use/implied license? I might even be able to request them via FOIA. I plan to post comments in-between quoting the emails to point out issues with their reactions.
2. The grievance and response would be posted as well, and the core documents are over two years old. I wonder if this put it past the statute of limitations in Indiana for defamation? One of these side documents is the list of allegations they made against me (they would not provide me an electronic copy so I OCRed it) and added my responses.
3. I wonder what my chances of receiving a SLAPP lawsuit are?

While everything is either a statement of fact, or an opinion, I still have worries of a SLAPP defamation suit. Do I have a legal right to post the emails?

Thanks for your time.

 

[Humusluvr]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Indiana

Background:

This is in the state of Indiana
I was hoping someone could give me guidance on an email/fair use/copyright question as it regards emails used as evidence in a grievance against a faculty member at a public University. The grievance was ignored after it was filed (I did not hear back for more than 1.5 years until I asked again to make sure it was filed) and I never found out a date for when it was really filed. I was not allowed of keep a copy of a “failed “ test for review and no one ever got back with me on taking the course elsewhere to avoid teacher bias, they just dropped the matter. A lot of the events are a he said she said sort of situation, I was not allowed a witness nor time to prepare a response as the University policy says I should have the right to (the dean and head of the program wiggled out of this by saying the meeting was not official and informal so they did not have to follow the rules). In the end, all I have is emails to and from the professor, dean, program head and vice chancellor of academic affairs as evidence. I was planning to post these online to allow other prospective students to know about problems with the program and avoid it.
I guess my core questions are:

Questions:

1. Is there any legal reason I can't post the emails I was sent by the professor and administrators to my website to explain a grievance situation that was never resolved? I understand that the emails they sent me may be copyrighted, but do I have a fair use/implied license? I might even be able to request them via FOIA. I plan to post comments in-between quoting the emails to point out issues with their reactions.
2. The grievance and response would be posted as well, and the core documents are over two years old. I wonder if this put it past the statute of limitations in Indiana for defamation? One of these side documents is the list of allegations they made against me (they would not provide me an electronic copy so I OCRed it) and added my responses.
3. I wonder what my chances of receiving a SLAPP lawsuit are?

While everything is either a statement of fact, or an opinion, I still have worries of a SLAPP defamation suit. Do I have a legal right to post the emails?

Thanks for your time.

You could absolutely do this - names redacted and university redacted. I would NOT suggest it with names, or they MAY sue you, and hold you up in court and cost you a TON of money.

No one has a crystal ball, but remember, you are one person, and they are a HUGE corporation, with a lot of money and man-power. They can make you HURT, even if they follow the law.

So, redact names. Use pseudonymous.

 

[freedom-meme]

But if I redact the University name it serves no point in warning others away. If I redact the names of the people who wrote the emails then I'm not crediting it and that opens bigger copyright issues and may not allow for it to be considered fair use for the sake of criticism/public interest.

 

[Humusluvr]

But if I redact the University name it serves no point in warning others away. If I redact the names of the people who wrote the emails then I'm not crediting it and that opens bigger copyright issues and may not allow for it to be considered fair use for the sake of criticism/public interest.

Then I would suggest you go to message boards and talk about your experiences. Don't tie it all to a blog with names and the university name and YOUR NAME. They can make you "pay" even if you are "right."

I think I remember you. Didn't you do this a while ago?