An Australian journalism exchange student at State University New York, Oswego, was threatened with suspension for asking 'offensive' interview questions to coaches of three universities last month. The issue became public this week.

Alexander Myers was attempting to write a piece on SUNY's hockey coach and in his email to the sources, he said the response 'does not have to be positive'. In addition, the university claims that he worked at SUNY Oswego's office of public affairs when he had in fact interned there, reports mUmbrella, an Australia-based publication.

The same publication also reports that he is a fourth-year sports journalism student at Charles Sturt University, a multi-campus school based in Australia. Apart from being an intern, he had enrolled in an advanced-level course at SUNY Oswego's journalism department.

According to documents published by national campus free speech group Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), Myers wrote an email to hockey coaches:

"I am currently writing a profile on Oswego State Hockey head coach Ed Gosek and was hoping to get a rival coaches view on Mr Gosek.

If you have time would you mind answering the following questions.

1. How do you find Mr Gosek to coach against?

2. Have you had any interactions with Mr Gosek off the ice? If so how did you find him?

3. What is your rivalry like between your school and Oswego State?

Be as forthcoming as you like, what you say about Mr Gosek does not have to be positive."

Cornell University coach Michael Schafer took offense in the last sentence and replied, 'saying your comments don't need to be positive is offensive.' Although Myers apologized in response, stating that he was 'simply letting you know that this piece I am writing is not a 'puff' piece,' the email, dated Oct.17, triggered a complaint to the university, which placed him on interim suspension.

Though his suspension was retracted shortly afterward, a disciplinary hearing is scheduled to be conducted soon.

Syracuse.com reports:

According to a memo sent to Myers by the Office of Judicial Affairs on Oct. 31, Myers was found guilty of dishonesty and ordered to write a letter of apology to the other coaches and to write a story for the college newspaper or his professor 'that will share what you have learned from this experience.'

Many Australian publications and education experts have condemned the action of SUNY as 'over reaction.'

Even FIRE has reacted to SUNY's sanctions saying, "...if apologies are on the table here, how about SUNY Oswego apologizing to Myers for treating him like a criminal and branding him a threat to the community when he clearly wasn't?"