Battinto Batts to Deliver State of the First Amendment Address
Battinto L. Batts Jr., who was named journalism fund director at the Scripps Howard Foundation in January, will speak at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27, at the Kincaid Auditorium in the Gatton College of Business and Economics.
“Freedom of Speech, and then again, Maybe Not: College Students and the First Amendment — How social media and mobile phones could be leading to restrictions of Constitutional rights on campus" is the title of his address.
“We don’t usually associate the First Amendment with college students and their social media habits,” said Mike Farrell, director of the Scripps Howard First Amendment Center. “But the sad truth is this foundational principle, freedom of speech is almost constantly under attack. We look forward to having Dr. Batts on campus and listening to his explanation of why social media is limiting the free speech rights of college students."
Batts was a newspaper reporter for 18 years, including stints at the Richmond Times Dispatch, the Tampa Bay Times and The Virginian-Pilot. He earned his bachelor’s degree in mass communications at Virginia Commonwealth University, a master’s degree in media and communications at Norfolk State University and his doctoral degree in higher education management at Hampton University. He is president and CEO of the Regal Group Inc., a consulting firm.
At Hampton University, Batts served as a professor (2007-2010), as director of the William R. Harvey Leadership Institute (2010-2014) and then as assistant dean (2014-2015). During that period, he conducted research on social media and millenials, worked on curriculum redesign, taught courses in news writing, media ethics, editing, entrepreneurship and the senior capstone course.
Before Batts delivers his address, as part of the First Amendment Celebration, the winners of the university’s Constitution Day Essay Contest will be announced and recognized.
The First Amendment Celebration is open to the university and the community. There is no charge for admission.
The mission of the Scripps Howard First Amendment Center, housed in the College of Communication and Information’s School of Journalism and Media, is to promote understanding of the First Amendment among citizens of Kentucky, to advocate for First Amendment rights in the Commonwealth and nationally, and to produce internationally recognized scholarship concerning the First Amendment and its related freedoms.
The First Amendment Center was established in 1987 by then Kentucky Press Association president Judy Clabes and renamed the Scripps Howard First Amendment Center in 2006 because of the continuing support of the Scripps Howard Foundation.
Professor of Journalism Mike Farrell has been director since 2006. The director of the School of Journalism and Media is Lars Willnat.
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