Study abroad programs have proven beneficial for both the international student as well as the domestic community and school population interacting with the student. In an effort to promote cultural awareness, intercultural communications as well as opportunities for future study abroad program success, universities must take care to provide…

Reviews the steps Catholic colleges and universities will have to implement, and the related legal difficulties, if Catholic bishops adopt the draft norms of "Ex Corde Ecclesiae," the Papal constitution on higher education. The unwillingness of Catholic institutions, as corporate entities, to do so is seen as a potential barrier to…

The practices of the Overlap Group, a group of colleges that pools information to arrive at common financial-aid packages for applicants, are examined and a Justice Department inquiry is discussed. An antitrust analysis and some possible conclusions by the Justice Department or reviewing court are offered. (MSE)

A model student code is provided for use by college and university counsel in creating their own written student disciplinary codes. Commentary on each section of the model code offers practical reasons for inclusion and some suggestions on how college counsel might approach certain disciplinary issues. (Author/MSE)

Discussion of highly publicized regulatory problems and legal settlements involving colleges and universities leads to a proposed five-step process for improving an institutional compliance structure. Steps include selecting the compliance officer, determining appropriate reporting relationships, setting up the committee/council structure,…

Functions as advisor-counsellor, educator-mediator, manager-administrator, draftsman, litigator, and spokesman are discussed by the University of Michigan general counsel. An illustrative list of subjects handled by institutional counsel is presented. (MSE)

The problem that presidents and trustees face with their attorneys centers on education leaders' unfamiliarity with legal matters. Presidents and trustees must rely on lawyers for legal advice but should not delegate to attorneys the authority to make administrative and management decisions. (MLW)

Basic principles of insurance law are reviewed, an overview of liability insurance is given, and currently significant issues concerning liability insurance coverage with special relevance to higher education institutions are examined. Focus is on professional and director-and-officer insurance, but other applications are possible. (Author/MSE)

A circuit court ruling involving sex-discrimination and college faculty tenure is examined, focusing on differences between this case's substantive analysis and the procedural focus of earlier decisions. It is concluded that the case sets a standard for judicial intervention in an area formerly considered beyond the reach of law. (MSE)

Two decades of affirmative action have not substantially altered the percentage of women and minorities in higher education faculty and professional ranks. Although continued attention to affirmative action is important, institutions should not let their guidelines channel and truncate the screening process so as to overlook stronger candidates.…

Colleges and universities that provide computer services have become vulnerable to potential lawsuits associated with contraction and spread of computer viruses. Bookstore, library, and computer classroom or laboratory are most susceptible. In addition to protection against legal liability, schools should take specific steps to prevent problems.…

The relationship statements that many colleges have developed to define relationships with Greek-letter student organizations often impose demanding regulatory schemes on those organizations. From analysis of the statements and student legal rights, it is concluded that institutions have no right to single out the organizations for burdensome…

Analysis of tax treatment of tuition prepayment plans suggests that they expose parents and institutions to serious risks and cannot be expected to provide a useful form of insurance. The only two published rulings subject investors to harsh tax treatment and address only one controversial form of prepayment plan. (MSE)

Differentiates between the legal functions that college- and university-sponsored research officers are required to perform and the quasi-legal functions in research administration. Introduces and discusses legal concepts integral to research administration, and offers practical pointers in carrying out both legal and quasi-legal functions.…

Colleges and universities are generally subject to new penalty excise taxes under the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) code on charitable and educational organizations. The law and proposed regulations are explained, with specific attention to how the rules apply to colleges and universities and how these institutions can best protect themselves…