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Articles by Amy Sanders
Penn State’s lack of transparency costs commonwealth more than money | Opinion
Students walk by Old Main on the first day of the Penn State fall semester on Monday, Aug. 24. 2026. Around the country, residents have been using public records laws to discover law enforcement officers have been misusing Flock cameras to engage in illegal surveillance. Yet here in State College, residents like undergraduate student Garin Roelofs have no way to monitor how university police are making use of the 28 Flock cameras spread across Penn State’s University Park campus.
Penn State’s lack of transparency costs commonwealth more than money | Opinion
Around the country, residents have been to discover law enforcement officers have been misusing Flock cameras to engage in illegal surveillance. Yet here in State College, residents like undergraduate student have no way to monitor how university police are making use of the spread across Penn State’s University Park campus. That’s because a Pennsylvania court recently ruled that university police are not fully subject to the state’s Right-to-Know Law.
Penn State’s lack of transparency costs commonwealth more than money | Opinion
Around the country, residents have been using public records laws to discover law enforcement officers have been misusing Flock cameras to engage in illegal surveillance. Yet here in State College, residents like undergraduate student Garin Roelofs have no way to monitor how university police are making use of the 28 Flock cameras spread across Penn State's University Park campus.
When the doctor becomes the patient: a breast cancer journey
At 62, I unwittingly became a cliché: the physician who makes a poor patient. The hard lump in my right breast, directly inferior to the nipple at the 6 o’clock position, shocked and shook me in the middle of a long August night when it first poked me as I tossed and turned my way through a bout of insomnia.
Viewpoint: Why the Pentagon's press access policy is a threat to freedom everywhere
Throughout modern American history, reporters who cover the Pentagon have played an invaluable role, shining a light on military actions when the government has not been forthright with the public. For instance, reporters covering the Biden administration’s decision to withdraw from Afghanistan in 2021 revealed the chaos that ensued and repudiated official statements claiming the pullout was smooth.
Democracy, threats to democracy, Pentagon press coverage, freedom of the press
DEMOCRACY WATCHNew Pentagon Policy Is an Unprecedented Attempt to Undermine Press Freedom Published 18 October 2025 Recent changes in a Pentagon policy threaten journalists’ ability to cover the Department of Defense, because it could curb their rights to report information not authorized by the government for release.
Democracy, threats to democracy, Pentagon press coverage, freedom of the press
DEMOCRACY WATCHNew Pentagon Policy Is an Unprecedented Attempt to Undermine Press Freedom Published 17 October 2025 Recent changes in a Pentagon policy threaten journalists’ ability to cover the Department of Defense, because it could curb their rights to report information not authorized by the government for release.
New Pentagon policy is an unprecedented attempt to undermine press freedom
But free press advocates warn that recent changes in a Pentagon policy threaten journalists’ ability to cover the Department of Defense. That’s because it could curb their rights to report information not authorized by the government for release. As a First Amendment expert, I believe the Pentagon policy change represents an unprecedented development in the Trump administration’s offensive against the press and a historic departure from previous administrations’ policies.
New Pentagon policy is an unprecedented attempt to undermine press freedom
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New Pentagon policy is an unprecedented attempt to undermine press freedom
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New Pentagon policy is an unprecedented attempt to undermine press freedom
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SupplierGateway Launches Global Enhanced Digital Certification (EDC) for Suppliers
The Future of Global Supplier Onboarding SupplierGateway today announced the expansion of their Enhanced Digital Certification (EDC), a global verification standard. Our aim is simple: lift barriers for capable suppliers everywhere.
Don’t get SLAPPed: Minimizing the risk of vexatious libel lawsuits
Plaintiffs are increasingly using legal tactics to shut down criticism Amy Kristin Sanders is the John and Ann Curley Chair in First Amendment at Penn State. She is a former journalist and licensed attorney. It’s old news that threats against freedom of the press are on the rise. The headlines increasingly tell the story of journalism under attack.
HB2988 threatens Texas' right to free speech
By AMY KRISTEN SANDERS/Contributing writer Imagine being the target of a vexatious lawsuit completely without merit in which you ultimately prevail - only to find out that you not only have to pay your attorney's fees but also the other side's. That's the likely outcome if the Texas Legislature passes HB 2988 this session. Amy Kristin Sanders is the John and Ann Curley Chair in First Amendment at Penn State as well as a licensed attorney and former journalist.
Sunshine Week calls attention to darkening skies over college campuses
University employees engaged in sexual misconduct. Administrators misappropriating public funds. Scientists paid by industry groups to obtain desirable research outcomes. Wealthy donors influencing the admissions process. Open records laws have helped journalists and watchdog groups uncover these types of wrongdoing at universities around the country — but those very laws are under threat. Already, two states — Pennsylvania and Delaware […]
Op-ed: Sunshine Week calls attention to darkening skies over Pa. universities
University employees engaged in sexual misconduct. Administrators misappropriating public funds. Scientists paid by industry groups to obtain desirable research outcomes. Open records laws have helped journalists and watchdog groups uncover wrongdoing at universities around the country. Yet Pennsylvania largely exempts four of our state universities — Penn State, Pitt, Temple and Lincoln — from complying with the state’s Right To Know law.
Sunshine Week calls attention to darkening skies over Pa. universities
University employees engaged in sexual misconduct. Administrators misappropriating public funds. Scientists paid by industry groups to obtain desirable research outcomes. Open records laws have helped journalists and watchdog groups uncover wrongdoing at universities around the country. Yet Pennsylvania largely exempts four of our state universities — Penn State, Pitt, Temple and Lincoln — from complying with the state’s Right To Know law.
Sunshine Week calls attention to darkening skies over Pa. universities
University employees engaged in sexual misconduct. Administrators misappropriating public funds. Scientists paid by industry groups to obtain desirable research outcomes. Open records laws have helped journalists and watchdog groups uncover wrongdoing at universities around the country. Yet Pennsylvania largely exempts four of our state universities—Penn State, Pitt, Temple and Lincoln— from complying with the state’s Right To Know law.
Darkening skies over US college campuses
University employees engaged in sexual misconduct. Administrators misappropriating public funds. Scientists paid by industry groups to obtain desirable research outcomes. Wealthy donors influencing the admissions process. Open records laws have helped journalists and watchdog groups uncover these types of wrongdoing at universities around the country -- but those very laws are under threat.
Column: HB2988 threatens Texans’ right to free speech
Imagine being the target of a vexatious lawsuit completely without merit in which you ultimately prevail — only to find out that you not only have to pay your attorney’s fees but also the other side’s. That’s the likely outcome if the Texas Legislature passes HB 2988 this session. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Mano DeAyala, R-Houston, would gut the Texas Citizens Participation Act, leaving it basically toothless.
Adult Mental Health First Aid - TEXAS RESIDENTS ONLY - Hosted by NTBHA
and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use. disorders. About this Event This course is offered FREE through a grant to Texas residents. You must be 18 years or older to attend. This training offers 7.5 CEs & TCOLE Credit . Registration open to 25 participants. If you, or a loved one, has experienced trauma or loss to suicide it is advisable to attend MHFA at a later date. Here are the steps to receive your certification: 1. Pre-work: Self-paced online learning - approximately 2 hours 2.
Texas bill threatens to gut free speech protections
(Texas Press Association) – Imagine being the target of a vexatious lawsuit completely without merit in which you ultimately prevail – only to find out that you not only have to pay your attorney’s fees but also the other side’s. That’s the likely outcome if the Texas Legislature passes HB 2988 this session. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Mano DeAyala, R-Houston, would gut the Texas Citizens Participation Act, leaving it basically toothless.
HB2988 threatens Texans’ right to free speech
Time to read 2 minutes
HB2988 threatens Texans’ right to free speech
Time to read 2 minutes Imagine being the target of a vexatious lawsuit completely without merit in which you ultimately prevail— only to find out that you not only have to pay your attorney’s fees but also the other side’s. That’s the likely outcome if the Texas Legislature passes HB 2988 this session. The bill,… For the rest of the story, login to your account or purchase a subscription today.
HB2988 threatens Texans’ right to free speech
Imagine being the target of a vexatious lawsuit completely without merit in which you ultimately prevail—only to find out that you not only have to pay your attorney’s fees but also the other side’s. That’s the likely outcome if the Texas Legislature passes HB 2988 this session. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Mano DeAyala, R-Houston, would gut the Texas Citizens Participation Act, leaving it basically toothless.
Op-Ed: The threat to the Texas Citizens Participation Act - also known as our anti-SLAPP law
By AMY KRISTIN SANDERS Imagine being the target of a vexatious lawsuit completely without merit in which you ultimately prevail—only to find out that you not only have to pay your attorney’s fees but also the other side’s. That’s the likely outcome if the Texas Legislature passes HB 2988 this session. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Mano DeAyala, R-Houston, would gut the Texas Citizens Participation Act, leaving it basically toothless.
Adult Mental Health First Aid - TEXAS RESIDENTS ONLY - Hosted by NTBHA
Mental Health First Aid teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use. disorders. About this Event This course is offered FREE through a grant to anyone who lives, works, worships, goes to school or provides service or support to anyone in Dallas, Hunt, Rockwall, Kaufman, Ellis and Navarro counties. You must be 18 years or older to attend. This training offers 7.5 CEs. Registration open to 25 participants.
How biomarkers are advancing dementia detection and care
For decades, physicians have relied on diverse biological indicators to diagnose and monitor normal development, health, and diseases. Such indicators are important from the time we are born, when APGAR scores are recorded in the labor and delivery room, throughout our childhoods, when pediatricians monitor growth curves closely, and into adulthood, when our height, weight, and vital signs initiate virtually every medical appointment.
YOUTH Mental Health First Aid - Hosted by Irving ISD/NTBHA
and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use. disorders. About this Event This course is offered FREE through a grant to anyone who lives, works, worships, goes to school or provides service or support to anyone in Dallas, Hunt, Rockwall, Kaufman, Ellis, and Navarro counties. This course is for adults that work with youth, you must be 18 years or older to attend. This training offers 6.5 CEs. Registration open to 25 participants.
YOUTH Mental Health First Aid - Free to Texas Residents - Hosted by NTBHA
and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use. disorders. About this Event This course is offered FREE through a grant to anyone who lives, works, worships, goes to school or provides service or support to anyone in Dallas, Hunt, Rockwall, Kaufman, Ellis, and Navarro counties. This course is for adults that work with youth, you must be 18 years or older to attend. This training offers 6.5 CEs. Registration open to 25 participants.
Ghosted by Government
Abstract Public records laws across the United States operate under the presumption that citizens should have access to government records, but obtaining this information is not always a simple undertaking. Although state public records laws vary, only a few establish a requirement that government entities acknowledge the existence of a request.
Remember Why the First Amendment is So Important
Oct 25, 2021 By: Amy Kristin Sanders Columns appearing on the service and this webpage represent the views of the authors, not of The University of Texas at Austin. For a country that purports to value our First Amendment right to freedom of speech, it has become clear that some of our elected officials don’t understand it.
We need to do a better job teaching citizens about the First Amendment
For a country that purports to value our First Amendment right to freedom of speech, it has become clear that some of our elected officials don’t understand it. State legislatures across the country have passed bill after bill that violate the First Amendment’s free expression protections – protections that limit the government’s ability to infringe on individuals’ speech.
We need to do a better job teaching citizens about the First Amendment
For a country that purports to value our First Amendment right to freedom of speech, it has become clear that some of our elected officials don’t understand it. State legislatures across the country have passed bill after bill that violate the First Amendment’s free expression protections – protections that limit the government’s ability to infringe on individuals’ speech.
An Easy-to-Make Custom Stamp with Great Line Quality
A lot of potters make custom texture stamps by carving into or pressing a piece of clay into an existing texture and then bisque firing it. It is a super fun way to personalize your work by making your own marks. Another cool way to make custom stamps is to attach coils to a lug of clay. In today’s video, an excerpt from her video Creative Forming with Custom Texture, Amy Sanders demonstrates this technique. – Jennifer Poellot Harnetty, editor.
Federal court records should be free and easy for the public to access. We're working on it.
Despite all the attention being paid to social justice in our communities at the moment, it remains needlessly difficult to evaluate the federal courts and how they equitably — or inequitably — engage with people who appear before them. Consider a recent Reuters analysis of more than 500 federal court decisions on “qualified immunity,” a legal doctrine that shields police officers accused of excessive force from liability.
Opinion: Texans shouldn't have to pay for court records
Since 2010, the Houston Police Department has shot more than 320 people, killing 98 of them. But despite all the attention to social justice in our communities at the moment, it is needlessly difficult to know the aftermath of those shootings. Were the officers prosecuted? Was HPD sued? Who won in court? Was justice served? There’s no easy way to find answers to these questions.
Federal court records should be free & easy to access. We're working on it.
Posted Mar 17, 2021, 1:26 pm Amy Kristin Sanders & Rachel Davis Mersey University of Texas at Austin School of Journalism and Media Despite all the attention being paid to social justice in our communities at the moment, it remains needlessly difficult to evaluate the federal courts and how they equitably — or inequitably — engage with people who appear before them.
GUEST COLUMN: Making public records available to the public
The recent winter storm left millions of Texans without power to heat their homes or water to drink. It has shaken our state to its core. As a result, Brazos Electric Power Cooperative, which dubs itself as Texas’ largest and oldest generation and transmission cooperative, recently filed for bankruptcy in federal court. What does this mean for the 1.5 million Texans served by the utility?
Court records should be more transparent
Sunshine Week By Amy Kristin Sanders and Rachel Davis Mersey Posted 3/15/21 The recent winter storm left millions of Texans without power to heat their homes or water to drink. It has shaken our state to its core. As a result ... Sign up to keep reading — IT'S FREE! In an effort to improve our website and enhance our local coverage, HillCountryNews.com has switched to a membership model. Fill out the form below to create a free account.
SUNSHINE WEEK: Open court records
The recent winter storm left millions of Texans without power to heat their homes or water to drink. It has shaken our state to its core. As a result, Brazos Electric Power Cooperative, which dubs itself as Texas’ largest and oldest generation and transmission cooperative, recently filed for bankruptcy in federal court. What does this mean for the 1.5 million Texans served by the utility?
Civic Information Journal Shares Insights on Information Accessibility During the Pandemic
The Brechner Center for Freedom of Information today released a special edition of The Journal of Civic Information focused on critical issues of information accessibility raised by the COVID-19 pandemic. The papers were submitted as part of a September 2020 competition organized by the National Freedom of Information Coalition (NFOIC). Both the Brechner Center and NFOIC are headquartered at the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications.
COVID-19, Death Records and the Public Interest: Now is the Time to Push for Transparency
Abstract As the U.S. has grappled with COVID-19, the government has resisted repeated requests to follow open records laws, which are essential to transparency. Current efforts to reduce access to death records and other public information amid the pandemic jeopardizes government accountability and undermines the public’s trust.
Creating Layers of Surface Detail with Texture Stenciling
When most of us think of stenciling on pottery, we probably think of laying down a stencil and painting over it with an underglaze or a glaze. But since clay is malleable, we don’t have to stop there! In this video, an excerpt from her DVD Creative Forming with Custom Texture, Amy Sanders shares her technique of texture stenciling. What a fabulous idea! – Jennifer Poellot Harnetty, editor.
A practical explanation of how to handle affairs when someone passes away
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Genius Handmade Texture Tools for Making Lines on Pottery
Amy Sanders is a fan of texture on pots and has a bunch of great ideas for handmade texture tools. I still haven’t had the opportunity to try them all out, but definitely plan to. One of my favorite handmade texture tools was what I like to call her “rolly line tools.” In today’s video, an excerpt from her technique-packed DVD, Amy demonstrates how to make and use these tools. So simple, so smart! – Jennifer Poellot Harnetty, editor.
Updated Berry Bowl
Berry bowl, 6½ in. (17 cm) in diameter, red earthenware, terra sigillata, glaze, patina, 2017. After years of enjoying washing fruit in a handmade, thrown berry bowl, I thought it would be a fun challenge to create an updated version of this form. Often, I find myself needing an extra hand in the kitchen, so designing a single-handled berry bowl seemed like a practical solution. My work is directly inspired by the patterning of textiles and fabrics, sewing, and piecing together material.
How to Make Press-Molded Trays Using a Bisque Forming Plate - Ceramic Arts Network
votes, average:out of 5)You need to be a registered member to rate this. Today’s video clip is an excerpt from Amy Sanders’s DVD Creative Forming with Custom Texture, which is 30% off the already reduced price this weekend! This project is one of my favorites from the DVD. After filming, I was so excited I went to the studio and cranked out a bunch of these bisque forming plates. Now I just need to find time to actually use them to make trays! – Jennifer Poellot Harnetty, editor. Want more?
Assessing Electronic Cigarette-Related Tweets for Sentiment and Content Using Supervised Machine Learning
As evidenced by the announcement of “vape” as the Oxford dictionary word of the year in 2014, electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are relevant and of interest to the general public [ ]. Although the topic is pervasive to the general public, there is no definitive scientific evidence on the safety or effectiveness of e-cigarettes [ ]. Furthermore, there is limited evidence on public knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to e-cigarettes [ - ].
As media dependence on citizen journalists grows, so do obligations
The transition from citizen journalist to Al Jazeera correspondent led to more than just a steady paycheck for Ammar Al Haj. It also led to his eventual capture by the Islamic State group. At the beginning of the uprising in Syria, Al Haj spent most of his time relaying information from his position on the ground to the mainstream media covering the conflict. “I found myself as an eyewitness,” he said.
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