UF Citizen Access Project names doctoral student as its interim director

September 18, 2008

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The University of Florida Marion Brechner Citizen Access Project has named a College of Journalism and Communications media law doctoral student as its interim director.

Mark R. Caramanica replaces the project’s founding director, Bill F. Chamberlin, who retired in June.

“We’re very fortunate to have someone of Mark’s background and ability to provide leadership within the project,” Dean John Wright said. “Mark will keep the project moving forward as we conduct a search to fill the permanent position.”

Caramanica has had a close relationship with the project since its inception in 1998, working as a legal research assistant for several years. He earned a master’s in mass communication in 2003, a juris doctorate in 2002 and a bachelor’s in economics in 1998.

Licensed to practice law before the state and federal bars of New York, Caramanica worked as a commercial litigator in Manhattan before returning to UF in 2007 as a doctoral student. His research focuses on new media and telecommunication law and policy. He has taught media law classes and served as editor-in-chief of UF’s Journal of Technology Law & Policy. He also worked in The Gainesville Sun’s sports department.

The project allows citizens and public officials to better understand the laws governing public access to government information. Most of the funding comes from Orlando-based media executive Marion Brechner, who established a $600,000 endowment. The project uses legal research to examine constitutional provisions, statutory provisions, and appellate judicial opinions bearing upon access to government meetings and records in every state and the District of Columbia.

The college is a national leader in the professional education of future journalists and other communication practitioners. It offers undergraduate programs in advertising, print and broadcast journalism, public relations, and telecommunication production and operations; and graduate programs in science/health communication, media law, political communication, international communication and documentary filmmaking.