A federal appeals court has given the Massachusetts Institute of Technology another chance to prove in court that the Overlap Group, of which MIT was a member, did not violate antitrust laws. The group of 23 colleges set common financial-aid awards for students admitted to more than one institution. (MSE)

The Supreme Court has ruled that statistical evidence about the effects of an employer's policies can be used to prove discrimination in situations where a variety of imprecise criteria are used. The decision is applicable to faculty salary and tenure disputes. (MSE)

The Supreme Court's 1992 decision on desegregation in state higher education systems is criticized for lacking force and creating confusion. The ruling encourages states to support historically black colleges by adding academic programs. Some feel the ruling will not help most black students, who are enrolled in predominantly white institutions.…

The Department of Education's announcement of new policy concerning the evaluation of college desegregation efforts could affect the monitoring of compliance in several states in which court-ordered desegregation plans have expired. The higher standards are based on the 1992 Supreme Court ruling, United States v. Fordice. (MSE)

A federal judge has ruled that 23 prestigious colleges and universities in the Overlap Group violated federal antitrust laws for over 20 years when they met to compare financial-aid packages to be awarded to prospective students, rejecting arguments of social and educational need and nonapplicability of antitrust law. Massachusetts Institute of…

The Supreme Court will not consider an appeal of a lower-court ruling invalidating a black-only scholarship program at the University of Maryland at College Park. Reaction among colleges and universities is mixed; many are seeking ways for scholarship programs to favor minorities without excluding whites. (MSE)

Federal judge Pratt rejected a request to temporarily keep in effect a court order he dismissed last year, saying that the NAACP failed to prove they were likely to win their appeal, or that Black students would suffer "irreparable harm" because of the dismissal. (MLW)

A recent Supreme Court ruling in a lawsuit concerning sex discrimination in corporate promotion decisions had circumstances similar to those in academic discrimination litigation, and may make it easier for college faculty to bring discrimination cases against colleges and universities. (MSE)

The Supreme Court decision in Martin vs. Wilks gives employees dissatisfied with affirmative action hiring plans the right to mount legal challenges to them years after adoption, even if employees did not challenge the plans originally. Some say the plans are vulnerable to new legal challenges, while others say they are not. (MSE)

A highly divided federal appeals court has ordered that South Carolina allow a woman to enter the Citadel, an all-male military college, unless it establishes a comparable program for women or allows the Citadel to become a private institution. Litigation arose over the Citadel's rejection of a woman applicant. (MSE)

A decision in the case involving the "Silver Spring Monkeys" and National Institutes of Health research left open the possibility of suing the federal agency in state courts, possibly making it easier for animal-rights groups to block some animal research. However, the ruling addresses only a narrow jurisdictional question. (MSE)

A federal appeals court ruled that judges may not dismiss handicapped-discrimination lawsuits against universities solely on the basis of official university statements that allegedly discriminatory practices are appropriate for the academic programs involved. The decision keeps alive a case in which a dyslexic student could not take a…

Supporters of Black colleges have said that the threat of court-imposed penalities was an invaluable asset in efforts to win state funds and block proposals to close Black colleges. That leverage is gone with a recent ruling by a federal judge. (MLW)

A Supreme Court ruling found that federal programs or policies based on race must meet a legal test of strict scrutiny, requiring the program to demonstrate a compelling government interest and be narrowly tailored. Legal experts suggest that few federal affirmative action programs currently meet the standard. (MSE)

The Supreme Court has ruled public colleges may not deny funds to student groups because they engage in religious activities. The case, involving the University of Virginia, sets looser standards for separation of church and state in higher education. Some see it as providing new protections against censorship and withdrawal of funds. Text of the…