As college and university financial officers pursue business partnerships to boost institutional revenue, they must consider how these agreements affect the tax exempt status of their financing arrangement, continually monitoring use of facilities financed with tax-exempt debt. Issues to be addressed include the provisions of service contracts,…

Presents arguments against adopting virtue ethics as a guiding concept in developing counseling guidelines: (1) virtue ethics is irrelevant in the resolution of most ethics cases; (2) virtue and principle ethics overlap; (3) principle ethics are more suited to acting and deciding; (4) the emphasis on virtue ethics increases the possibility of…

Although major cases involving religion in public schools were decided decades ago, disputes still arise over interpreting the First Amendment's establishment clause. Formally inviting clergy to pray at high school graduation ceremonies is clearly not permissible, but the law is unsettled regarding student-initiated and student-led nonsectarian…

States that a yearbook has the potential of doing good in its school and community, but can also violate good taste and do damage to individuals. Advises the use of "common sense" when writing captions and thoughtfulness and informed action when dealing with what could be legal complications. (PA)

In schools' efforts to maximize technology's benefits, ethical considerations have often taken a back seat. Computer misuse is growing exponentially and assuming many forms: unauthorized data access, hacking, piracy, information theft, fraud, virus creation, harassment, defamation, and discrimination. Integrated-learning activities will help…

Discusses the implications of the "GI Forum v. Texas Education Agency" (2000) decision supporting the use of the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills for other state assessment programs. Notes that the legal success of the state test in Texas was not due merely to good fortune, but to the test's adherence to legally defensible principles.…

Discusses the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act and its impact on institutions' efforts to balance the rights of students with disabilities with those of the resources and obligations of postsecondary institutions. Highlights issues central to the discussion by considering court cases and letters of finding issued by the U.S.…

Presents a contextual analysis of policies seeking to exclude illegal immigrant youth from public education and the related legal standards, focusing on social justice and the equality issues that are raised by the exclusion of any group of children from educational opportunity. Advances the thesis that every individual's interest in meaningful…

Reviews employment discrimination cases in higher education in 2000, which included an overwhelming number of retaliation and denial of promotion to tenure claims; case law also included age discrimination, religious discrimination, and sexual harassment issues, and a handful of wage discrimination cases. Courts also continued to explore the…

Explores different treatment of pregnant minors under adoption and abortion law. Asserts rules governing autonomy of minor decision-making in adoption and abortion are not predicated on any unified theory of child development, protection of pregnant teenagers, or nature and long-term effects of decisions, but rather are motivated by the state's…

Reviews major legal decisions on the constitutionality of race-conscious admissions in higher education and addresses non-race-conscious methods of increasing minority enrollment. Concludes with a discussion of how policy makers who choose to implement race-conscious admissions can maximize the likelihood of the admissions system passing…

Administrators risk serious legal challenges when failing to recognize and respond to gang activity; enhance staff knowledge of gang identification/management techniques; establish policies and procedures; report suspected activities to police; pursue conflict mediation; include gang issues in class discussions; follow up on threats; or develop a…

Requests to write letters of reference for former teachers can be legally problematic. Principals should know relevant state laws; have employees sign a release from liability; provide only factual information; maintain fair personnel files; avoid telephone recommendations; disclose information on a need-to-know basis; and avoid performance…

Conducted in-depth interviews with street children and child protection workers in Guatemala City to better understand the process by which street children decide to initiate a legal case to seek justice for abuses suffered. Argues that the decision to take legal action is based on beliefs in basic human rights principles and perceived…

You probably think instant messaging (IM) as something teenagers do to chat up friends online, whether across the street or across the world. But IM has some buttoned-down business benefits, as well as some risks you may not be aware of. Unlike e-mail, in which you fire off messages to recipients who read them when they next check their in-box,…