Ball State University president Geoffrey Mearns reached a settlement in a First Amendment lawsuit brought by a former employee fired for a Facebook post reacting to the assassination of activist Charlie Kirk. Suzanne Swierc, a former student affairs staffer, was dismissed after a screenshot of her post was shared and the university said the post caused “significant disruption.” The ACLU sued on Swierc’s behalf, arguing the termination violated constitutional free speech protections. Mearns agreed to settle April 7, and Ball State said it would fully resolve the case once procedural steps are completed, declining to detail monetary terms. ACLU of Indiana has since filed additional lawsuits targeting other university rules involving student protest distance from buildings and a directive compliance policy, keeping the campus climate and employment standards under legal pressure.