Federal judge dismisses YSU from SGA lawsuit

Staff report

AKRON

A federal judge ruled that a former candidate for president of Youngstown State University’s Student Government Association cannot bring a lawsuit against the university, but she will be allowed to seek an injunction against the faculty adviser of the SGA’s elections board.

Sydney Vegoda and her running mate, Dylan Edwards, who has since dropped out of the lawsuit, filed a suit in U.S. District Court in April against YSU and the members of the SGA’s elections board. They argued that their First and 14th amendment rights were violated when they were not provided with due process after someone had filed a grievance against their campaign that they believed sought to limit their speech.

Judge Sara Lioi ruled that because YSU is an arm of the state and not a “person,” it is immune under the 11th Amendment from the section of the U.S. code Vegoda accused it of violating.

Judge Lioi further ruled that Karen Becker, adviser of the SGA’s elections board, is protected from a suit for damages because she was acting in her official capacity, but Vegoda still can ask the court to prohibit Becker from violating constitutional rights in the form of an injunction.

YSU also raised complaints about the manner in which Vegoda served the lawsuit.

Judge Lioi ruled that Vegoda has 30 days to provide copies of the complaint to the remaining defendants or else the lawsuit will be dismissed.