Woburn resident expands charges filed against Tufts students in WMFO lawsuit

Daily Editorial Board, Daily Editorial Board

Published: Thursday, August 31, 2000

Updated: Sunday, August 17, 2008 16:08

Woburn resident Joe Viglione has filed disciplinary charges with the Dean of Students office against two Tufts students for "defamation of character" and "infliction of emotional distress," the latest development in an ongoing legal battle following an incident at the WMFO radio station this summer. The two seniors, Music Director Levi Novey and Program Director David Dougan, are both members of the station's executive board.
Viglione, who is also suing Dougan for $2,000 in damages in Woburn small claims court, was a volunteer DJ on the station until he was fired on July 1 by Dougan , Novey, and WMFO General Manager Michael Dupuy.
"I'm charging them with every single aspect of what they've done wrong, from being unprofessional to throwing me off the property," Viglione said yesterday. In an Oct. 16 letter to Dean of Students Bruce Reitman and Dean of Judicial Affairs Veronica Carter, Viglione accused the two students of numerous offenses, including holding double standards and failing to follow due process.
"It was malicious, it was done with premeditation, and it is a total abuse of power," said Viglione of a July 2 e-mail from Dougan that notified him of his dismissal.
According to Reitman, both students have been informed of the charges being pressed against them, and the University will attempt to resolve the conflict within its own judicial system. "We will provide all of the due process we can," he said. "It's not clear to me whether there is wrong doing here or not. That is not my role. My role is to facilitate the process that will make the determination as to whether there is validity to [Viglione's] argument."
Dupuy called the charges "ridiculous" and stood by the board's original decision to dismiss Viglione for "impeding the operations of the station" after the incident, which occurred in the WMFO studio last June.
"No one is at fault here," he said. "We went as closely as we possibly could as to the policies laid out in our constitution. In that sense, I don't think we did anything wrong."
While Reitman declined to comment on the specifics of the legal proceedings, he acknowledged that his office "is involved in the adjudication of the case," and added that Tufts provides legal counsel for all students who are charged with non-criminal offenses all relate to their capacities as leaders in campus groups.
Viglione has accused the University of "dragging its feet" on the issue, misleading him on his options, and withholding his police report for an unreasonable period of time. In a letter last week to Nathan Gantcher, chairman of the University Board of Trustees, he called for the WMFO executive board to be abolished and for Tufts to turn over items which he plans to use as evidence in court.
It is unclear exactly what procedure Tufts' disciplinary system will follow in the adjudication of the case, though it will most likely be heard by some sort of student-administrative judiciary committee.
According to a report filed by the Tufts University Police Department (TUPD), the dispute erupted on June 22 while Viglione was preparing music for his show, Joe Vig's Pop Explosion. Both Viglione and June Weintraub, another WMFO community DJ, wished to use the same recording studio, which Viglione claims to have reserved according to procedure. Alleging that the quarrel made her feel uncomfortable, Weintraub phoned the TUPD and accused Viglione of "verbally assaulting" her.
"She said I needed to leave immediately because she needed to use not only my studio, but another studio as well," Viglione said. "Finally, when she realized that I wasn't going to relinquish the room, and that she had not signed into the room, she phoned the Tufts police."
According to the police report, Weintraub "did not respond to the officer's suggestion [that she use a different studio], and then left the area without further incident." The TUPD left Viglione in possession of the room. Weintraub was contacted yesterday, but declined to comment.
As a result of the conflict, Dupuy, Novey, and Dougan decided to suspend both DJs from their shows for the rest the summer. While Viglione is still denied access to the station, Dupuy acknowledged that Weintraub is still a member of WMFO, although she does not currently host a show.
The case has attracted the attention of national media outlets, and Viglione received a letter from the television program Judge Judy requesting that he and Dougan attempt to mediate the problem on television. CourtTV has also expressed interest in the case.
The radio station, which is owned by Tufts, integrates both Tufts students and community members into their programming. Dupuy, who serves as the station's general manager, values this combination of talents.
"They are a huge asset in terms of programming," he said of the community DJs, who are usually older than the students and have worked at WMFO for a much longer period of time. These DJs also help to provide continuity and to smooth the rough transitions caused by the rapid turnover of student employees.

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Anonymous

Sat Feb 13 2010 16:04

Tufts University must be so proud of the students publishing libel with impunity. What a sad statement on a college that wants to be in the same league as Harvard and M.I.T.

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Chris R.

Sun Apr 12 2009 23:39

What a loser you are Joe ! The guys on this board is Chris...is Chris.. you moron. You cheated me and many others!

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Merideth Johnson

Mon Mar 23 2009 16:40

Did Zappelli bring his friend from WRKO that was involved with the 14 year old to the TV station? Isn't Gary Zappelli the guy who put "Free Sex" on a sign by a sitting City Councilor? Isn't Zappelli in hiding right now? Gary Zappelli is currently posting garbage about a LOT of people in Medford. Didn't he call a Mayoral appointee "fat ass" on TV, spill alcohol into the console and let Medford residents pay for it, and didn't Zappelli and his boss seriously damage a beautiful board donated by a major TV station, destroying equipment the city co-owns? Zappelli has been harassing people for years and this garbage is more of the same. City Hall reprimanded Zappelli at TV 3 for harassing a woman. City Hall hasn't called anyone else out at TV 3 ...yet - only the fellow calling himself "Chris" on this board. TV 3 Medford is being audited and evaluated by the Issuing Authority. Millions of dollars of PUBLIC MONIES have not been accounted for...yet. Where are they "Chris", "Dave" or whatever you are calling yourself this week.

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