A principle responsibility of a board member is to understand the environment in which his or her institution operates. Today, that environment includes a host of legal risks that every institution of higher education must be prepared to assess and proactively address. Colleges and universities work to contain and manage those risks through such…

A freshman student posts on her social media account remarks that reflect intolerance and bigotry. Fellow students and faculty are upset, and disciplinary action follows. Was the student's right to free speech ignored or were the rights of others to a welcoming and inclusive environment infringed upon? This case guides the reader through some of…

Behavior management can be a key to student, teacher, and district success. When students with disabilities are served, effective behavior management is even more critical. Failure to implement proper discipline with students with disabilities can have financial consequences. For students, the emotional toll can be greater, albeit intangible.…

New York's Court of Claims found the State University of New York College at Buffalo liable for monetary damages as a result of the off-campus death of an adult student. The American Council on Education has filed an amicus curiae brief in support of SUNY, Buffalo. (MLW)

Compiled by various members of the higher educational community together with risk managers, computer center managers, and computer industry experts, this report recommends establishing policies on an institutional level to protect colleges and universities from computer viruses and the accompanying liability. Various aspects of the topic are…

The issue of academic dishonesty, including plagiarism, cheating on tests, and falsification of data by students, is examined. Legal cases are reviewed; the University of Iowa school of social work's policy on academic misconduct is presented; and other avenues of intervention and prevention are discussed. (Author/MSE)

This book serves as a sourcebook to enhance and evaluate safety programs, generate new solutions and interventions, comply with new legislation, and present practical steps and guidelines to establish best practices. It pays particular attention to the factors that may give rise to crime, considering high-risk drinking and examining the…

Moshing (intense crowd dancing) and other physical activities common at youth and rock concerts are discussed from the perspectives of safety and of the responsibility of sponsoring organizations, especially colleges and universities. Considerations in creating a safe environment at student events, planning the logistics of such an event, and…

The history of higher education's concern with student conduct is reviewed, and three specific issues in student discipline are examined: why colleges regulate student conduct; why students violate published regulations; and the appropriate institutional response to student misconduct. A need is seen for more institutional and educational research…

Proposes a model code of academic integrity for any college or university considering development or construction of an academic honor code. The code addresses current trends in student and faculty attitudes and the resulting new collegiate environment. Ten principles of academic integrity written by university professors are presented and…

Court litigation concerning the dismissal of undergraduate and graduate social work students who are academically, behaviorally, or ethically unsuitable to practice as social workers is reviewed. Substance abuse cases are included. Guidelines for educators for developing behavioral and ethical criteria for student suitability are offered.…

Educational policy makers and administrators must choose from a bewildering variety of discipline models and techniques. Legal intervention and contradictory research findings further complicate the matter. There is, therefore, no cut-and-dried solution to student behavior problems. Rather, discipline policies must be based on community values,…

This legal compendium focuses on the difficult and volatile issues of student discipline in cases of both academic and nonacademic misconduct. Part I lists non-academic codes from University of Michigan, Yale College, Vanderbilt University, University of Iowa, City University of New York, Baylor University, Columbia University, George Washington…

This book discusses many of the problems faced by higher education institutions in addressing sexual harassment on campus. It is an attempt to help institutions involved in the process of reexamining and revising their policies and procedures that deal with sexual harassment. The 19 chapters, each written by a nationally recognized scholar,…

This booklet examines the risks that college and universities face due to student alcohol use and abuse, and outlines procedures that institutions can use to develop effective alcohol policies. Although legal precedents have recognized that colleges and universities do not have a duty to supervise student conduct under principles of in loco…