American Future Systems, Inc. v. Pennsylvania State University

553 F. Supp. 1268
CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Pennsylvania
DecidedFebruary 15, 1983
DocketCiv. 81-0171
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 553 F. Supp. 1268 (American Future Systems, Inc. v. Pennsylvania State University) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
American Future Systems, Inc. v. Pennsylvania State University, 553 F. Supp. 1268 (M.D. Pa. 1983).

Opinion

OPINION

MUIR, District Judge.

I. Introduction.

Plaintiffs, American Future Systems, Inc., Steven Brubaker, Richard J. Wingert, W. Bruce Del Valle, Joan D. Varsics, Dennis C. Habecker, John B. Spillar and Kevin Graves, filed this action alleging violations of their constitutional rights and of rights granted by Pennsylvania law on February 5, 1981. Also on February 5, 1981, Plaintiffs filed a motion for a preliminary injunction which was denied by this Court in American Future Systems v. Pennsylvania State University, 510 F.Supp. 983 (M.D.Pa.1981). On July 17,1981, Defendants, Pennsylvania State University, the Board of Trustees of the Pennsylvania State University, John W. Oswald and M. Lee Upcraft, filed a motion for summary judgment. By opinion and order of September 16, 1981, this Court granted the Defendants’ motion for summary judgment. American Future Systems v. Pennsylvania State University, 522 F.Supp. 544 (M.D.Pa.1981). On August 9, 1982, the Court of Appeals reversed this Court’s grant of summary judgment, American Future Systems v. Pennsylvania State University, 688 F.2d 907 (3d Cir.1982), and remanded the case to this Court for further proceedings. On September 21, 1982, the Court of Appeals issued an opinion Sur Petition for Rehearing. American Future Systems v. Pennsylvania State University, 688 F.2d 907, 916 (3d Cir.1982).

On October 18, 1982, Plaintiffs filed a motion for a preliminary injunction pursuant to Rule 65(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and a supporting brief. By order of October 21, 1982, this matter was placed on the Court’s December 1982 list for trial and by order of November 10, 1982, the Court scheduled the hearing in this case to commence on a day certain, Thursday, December 2, 1982, a most unusual event because of this Court’s normal adherence to trailing dockets.

On November 29, 1982, at the pre-trial conference, Plaintiffs filed a concurred in request to amend the complaint and consistent therewith to amend the motion for a preliminary injunction. By order of December 2, 1982, the foregoing motions were granted.

The hearing on the Plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction commenced at ,11:00 A.M. on Thursday, December 2, 1982 and concluded at approximately 7:15 P.M. on Saturday, December 4,1982. On December 9, 1982, Plaintiffs petitioned the Court for leave to present additional relevant information to the Court and for leave to file supplemental findings of fact. The petitions were opposed on December 17, 1982. The motion for leave to present additional relevant information relates to certain events which occurred subsequent to the close of the trial. First, the proposed additional relevant information relates to AFS’s activities. Since AFS does not request injunctive relief in its own behalf, such evidence is not relevant to the present matter. Second, the additional information, since it is not subject to cross examination, may not properly be considered to be “evidence” in this proceeding. The motion to present additional relevant information will be denied. The Plaintiffs’ request for leave to file supplemental findings of fact will be granted although the supplemental proposed findings should have been presented in handwritten form by the close of the hearing. Also on December 9, 1982, the Plaintiffs presented a form of proposed injunction *1270 order which grants no relief to the corporate Plaintiff, A.F.S..

Following are the Court’s findings of fact, discussion, conclusions of law, and order.

II. Findings of Fact.

1. The original Plaintiffs were American Future Systems, Inc. (“AFS”) Steven Brubaker, Richard J. Wingert, W. Bruce Del Valle, Joan D. Varsics, Dennis C. Habecker, John B. Spillar and Kevin Graves. (U)

2. Plaintiff AFS is a corporation incorporated under laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and having its principal place of business at 715 Lancaster AvenUe, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, 19019. (U)

3. Edward M. Satell is the President of AFS. (U)

4. AFS is a private enterprise engaged in the business of retail sales of table china, tableware, crystal, and cookware through the presentation of group demonstrations of its merchandise to students at colleges and universities throughout the United States.

5. Plaintiff Kevin Graves is a student enrolled at the Pennsylvania State University (“Penn State” or “University”) who resides at 12 Jordan Hall which is a dormitory room in a University residence hall.

6. Richard J. Wingert is not a student at Penn State.

7. Joan D. Varsics is not a student at Penn State.

8. Dennis C. Habecker is not a student at Penn State.

9. John B. Spillar is not a student at Penn State and is no longer a Plaintiff in this litigation.

10. W. Bruce Del Valle is not a student at Penn State.

11. Defendants are Penn State, the Board of Trustees of Penn State (“Board of Trustees”), John W. Oswald and M. Lee Upcraft. (U)

12. Defendant Penn State is an institution of higher education established in 1855 by Act of the Pennsylvania Legislature as a corporation for educational purposes and operates under a charter consisting of various legislative acts supplemented by decrees of the Court of Common Pleas of Centre County, Pennsylvania.

13. The main campus of Penn State is located at University Park, Centre County, Pennsylvania, and the University maintains 21 other campuses situated in locations throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. (U)

14. Defendant Board of Trustees is the corporate body established by the charter of Penn State with ultimate control and responsibility for the management and government of the University. (U)

15. The Board of Trustees consists of 32 members, ten of whom are public officials of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. (U)

16. Defendant John W. Oswald is an individual residing at 639 Kennard Road, State College, Pennsylvania. (U)

17. Oswald is President and Chief Administrative Officer of Defendant University and has final authority, subject to revisions and orders by Defendant, Board of Trustees, to establish and implement policy concerning student affairs. (U)

18. Defendant M. Lee Upcraft is an individual residing at 188 Le Nor Drive, State College, Pennsylvania. (U)

19. Upcraft is Director of Residential Life Programs of Defendant University and is responsible for development, effectuation, and enforcement of policy concerning the residence halls of the University. (U)

20. Penn State owns and operates over 40 residence halls containing approximately 6900 rooms at its University Park Campus for approximately 12,050 students. (U)

21. The rooms in the residence halls generally are used by two or more students for sleeping, dressing, studying and socializing.

22. The students use common facilities for lavatories, study lounges, laundry, storage and organized educational and social functions. (U)

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Bluebook (online)
553 F. Supp. 1268, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/american-future-systems-inc-v-pennsylvania-state-university-pamd-1983.