BLOOMINGTON, Ind. | Dave Adams, an Indiana University journalism professor and supervisor of the Indiana Daily Student newspaper, drowned over the weekend at his home, officials said. He was 59.

Officers on Saturday night found Adams lying face down in a small pond outside the Bloomington home he shared with his longtime partner, Chunming Chou, police said.

An autopsy report from the Monroe County coroner on Monday listed the cause of death as an accidental drowning.

Both men were drinking alcohol before Chou went into the house for about 20 minutes and returned to find Adams in the pond, said Bloomington Police Sgt. Faron Lake.

Trevor Brown, who will be editor-in-chief of the student newspaper this fall, praised Adams' work.

"There will be a big hole that will be hard to replace," Brown said. "Adams played such a huge part in college media and allowing the students at the paper to grow."

Adams, who was inducted into the College Media Advisors hall of fame in 1997, served as director of student media at IU's School of Journalism since 1989. The Indiana Daily Student was selected as "best all-around daily student newspaper" by the Society of Professional Journalists in 2005 and 2006.

He also supervised the college yearbook, the Arbutus, which was chosen as "best large yearbook" by the College Media Advisors in March.

Adams was serving as board president of the Student Press Law Center in Washington, D.C., after being elected to the post in 2003.

"He was clearly a national leader in student press freedom," said Brad Hamm, dean of the IU School of Journalism. "He traveled widely and was well respected in that area."

Dave Adams is survived by his son, John Adams; brother, Charlie Adams; and stepmother, Betty Adams. Funeral arrangements at the Allen Funeral Home in Bloomington were pending.