Reviews legal and practical aspects of a university's potential liability for fraud, waste, and abuse. Discusses the array of criminal, civil, and administrative sanctions that may be imposed on grantees who engage in fraudulent practices. (84 references) (MLF)

As of August 14, 1991, the Agriculture Department will require institutions to have written plans for providing exercise for laboratory dogs and for improving the psychological well-being of nonhuman primates. The plans will dictate the way universities approach animal research. However, the costs and requirements of universities are still…

A discussion of fraud in the presentation of results of scientific research cites cases looks at variations in the degree of misrepresentation, kinds and intents of fraud, attention given by public agencies (National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, Public Health Service), and differences between scientific and civil fraud. (MSE)

Discusses safety issues surrounding aging bleacher systems, highlighting the following three primary safety considerations: space between seats and footboards; guardrails; and the structural provisions of the 1997 Uniform Building Code. Tips for bleacher accident-prevention assessment and excerpts from federal and Minnesota legislation on bleacher…

Discusses a recent Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals decision that when individuals are allowed to try out for or join a team participating in a contact sport and operated for members of the other sex, then discrimination against because of their sex is prohibited by Title IX. (22 footnotes) (MLF)

Discusses a proactive approach to maintaining and improving the indoor environment through proper purchasing, maintaining, and recycling of carpeting. Considerations regarding vinyl asbestos tile removal and abatement are also discussed. (GR)

A discussion of informed consent by human subjects in experimentation presents background on the consent issue, including federal requirements; lists factors that may affect a subject's ability to understand the consent document; and offers suggestions for preparing consent forms to ensure the subject's better comprehension. (Author/MSE)

Addresses ongoing issues in research cost sharing between government and universities in the context of the current Presidential Review Directive on the Government-University Research Partnership. Issues include the procurement vs. assistance conundrum, systemic shifting of costs of research from the government to universities, and the failure of…

Discusses increasing federal regulation governing colleges and universities and notes that trustees and other campus leaders must pay attention to the increasing costs of compliance. Offers examples of regulatory difficulties experienced by Stanford University (California), Mount St. Clare College (Iowa), and the University of Phoenix (Arizona).…

Higher education institutions in Brazil are seriously behind in the use of distance education largely because of the highly centralized control by the Ministry of Education. Hybridization, or the combination of face-to-face and distance learning techniques, is not motivated by pedagogical choice, but rather the only legally permitted approach in…

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,…

Explores the after-effects on college laboratories of the anthrax mail scare; scientists say the anthrax scare justifies tougher rules on biological agents, but some fear that Congress may go too far. (EV)

This article reports the teacher-quality plans of putting a highly qualified teacher in every core class which were due to the Education Department in July 7. In the plans, states are required to describe which groups of teachers are not yet highly qualified according to the federal standard, how they would help--and prod--districts to use only…

Recognizing the potential of accountability tests to alter classroom instruction, an overview is provided of the federal government's past influence on educational assessments. The past 50 years has witnessed the function of federally engendered educational assessments shift from monitoring the use of federal funds for programs prescribed for…

In addition to the difficult task of identifying teaching methods that ensure student learning, the American educational system is facing significant challenges. Schools are struggling to maintain standards for high-quality teaching while trying to address the learning needs of students with Limited English Proficiency (LEP). The same struggle is…