A Woburn resident is suing Tufts senior David Dougan for making "harassing phone calls, defamation of character, and infliction of emotional distress" after an incident which occurred at the WMFO radio station this summer, and the University has jumped to Dougan's defense.
Joe Viglione, who filed suit for $2,000 in damages, was a community DJ on the station until he was fired on July 1 by Dougan , the WMFO program director, Music Director Levi Novi, and General Manager Michael Dupuy.
According to a report filed by the Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) last July, 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 unreachable for comment.
Dupuy, Novi, and Dougan, who make up the WMFO executive board, decided to suspend both DJs from their shows for the rest the summer.
"The executive board has elected to suspend both of you for the remainder of the summer," Dougan wrote in a July 1 e-mail to Viglione and Weintraub. "When both of you are willing to sit down and talk about this on an unconditional basis, we will determine whether or not you will be able to return to the station."
Viglione claims that the board violated the station's constitution in firing him, and has filed suit against Dougan at the Woburn District Court.
At a meeting between Viglione, WMFO leaders, and members of Tufts' administration, Dean of Students Bruce Reitman told Viglione that he was entitled to file charges against Dougan within the University's disciplinary policy. While he declined to comment on the specifics of the situation, saying only that "the office is involved in the adjudication of the case," Reitman said that Tufts unequivocally defends students who are charged with non-criminal offenses which relate to their capacities as leaders in campus groups.
Viglione is pressuring the University to take its own disciplinary measures against Dougan, and he has threatened to sue Tufts if it denies him that option.
"Dean Reitman gave me his word that he would allow me to file charges [within the University] against David Dougan. From his jurisdiction, there are only certain things that he could discipline Dougan on," Viglione said.
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.
The case has attracted the attention of national media outlets, and Viglione has received a letter from the television program Judge Judy, requesting that he and Dougan attempt to mediate the problem on television.
The radio station, which is owned by Tufts, integrates both Tufts students and community members, often Tufts graduates or other individuals who have been closely associated with the University. 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 oft-talented community members, who are usually older than the students and have worked for WMFO for much longer. These DJs also help to provide continuity and to smooth the rough transitions caused by the rapid turnover of student employees.
