Maria Saunders, Author at Student Press Law Center

Meet Melissa Melewsky, SPLC’s new legal director

October 30, 2026November 1, 2026 Maria Saunders

The Student Press Law Center is excited to welcome Melissa Melewsky to the team this fall as SPLC’s first legal director. As she brings that experience to support the nation’s student journalists, we sat down to get to know her a little better.

Lawsuit: UT-Dallas disciplined student ‘for practicing journalism’

Gregorio Olivares Gutierrez, third from left, describes being fired as editor-in-chief of The Mercury at the Student Press Law Center's 50th Anniversary Celebration in October 2025. (Photo by Kyle Gustafson)

News

October 18, 2026October 18, 2026 Maria Saunders

Gregorio Olivares Gutierrez is suing administrators at the University of Texas at Dallas, alleging they violated his First Amendment rights when the university found he had discriminated against a student by editing their letter to the editor and publishing it with a disclaimer.