Proposed regulations of the U.S. Department of Education would require institutions of higher education to disclose: (1) the graduation rates of full-time degree or certificate-seeking undergraduate students, and (2) statistics on crimes and arrests as well as campus security policies and procedures. Colleges are concerned that this information…

Sexual harassment incidents on college campuses, sometimes accompanied by litigation, raise complex questions about the institution's responsibilities, including counseling for victim and accused, employment status of accused faculty, aggressiveness of investigations, staff training policies, complaint procedures, and institutional liability. (MSE)

As colleges cut men's athletics to provide more opportunity for female athletes and comply with federal mandates, male athletes are feeling shock and frustration. Since 1982, over one-third of colleges sponsoring wrestling have dropped their programs and men's gymnastics teams have decreased by half. Still, one study indicates only 10% of…

Carleton College (Minnesota) no longer ignores a family's ability to pay in making admissions decisions, because in recent years, financial aid was consuming one-fifth of the college budget. The policy angers many parents and counselors. The policy has worked well for Carleton, allowing construction of new facilities. In general, faculty and…

The American Association of University Professors may sanction five institutions for policies and practices concerning faculty criticism of church doctrine (Catholic University) or the administration (Alvernia College), tenure denial (State University of New York, Stonybrook, and New York University School of Medicine), and sex discrimination…

Increasingly, doctoral programs are cutting enrollments to allow them to offer more financial support to doctoral students, often guaranteeing five-year stipends. The combination of fewer applicants and fewer places in doctoral programs has created competition for the best graduate students. Course offerings have also been reduced, making…

Reports that Harvard University Medical School is considering policy changes that would ease financial restrictions in its conflict-of-interest standards for faculty researchers. Supporters argue that such changes are necessary to attract and retain top researchers, but ethicists warn that as collaborations between industry and academic medicine…

The institutions making efforts to study and change faculty salary disparities for men and women are finding that determining what constitutes a fair salary review and adjustment is difficult. Other institutions are resisting making changes. (MSE)

Colleges and universities are finding that ways to misbehave in computer-mediated communication come along faster than institutions can create policies to deal with them. Although most schools have acceptable-use policies, technological advances change the environment quickly and require flexible policies. Most institutions have created a mix of…

The Department of Education, criticized by colleges for its guidelines on investigating racial harassment and hate-speech charges, will issue a new policy on First Amendment implications of such inquiries. A major issue is school responsibility for racial harassment by diverse populations over whom colleges may have little control. (MSE)

Princeton University (New Jersey) is planning to replace loans with grants for students with annual family incomes under $40,000, and will stop considering the value of the family's home in determining need for most families with incomes under $90,000. The move will likely give the institution a competitive advantage in attracting low- and…

While the tenure system remains in place in most colleges, and may be reviving in some cases, many institutions are rethinking policies and procedures, including more stringent requirements, a cap on tenured faculty, and more rigorous evaluation. Facing a faculty shortage, many institutions are reluctant to change too much. (MSE)

The average rate for research overhead charges at major universities has declined nearly a point to 51% in the last three years, in the wake of stricter federal rules and intense political pressure. Largest reductions are at private institutions with the highest rates. (MSE)

The Recording Industry Association of America is aggressively pursuing copyright violations on campuses concerning MP3 music recordings being exchanged on computer networks. Carnegie Mellon University (Pennsylvania), to avoid litigation, has been searching public folders of students' computers to find illegally copied MP3s. Controversy over…

Increasingly, high school students are earning college credits while still in high school, through dual enrollment or advanced placement, which enable some to earn bachelor's degrees in three years or with 12-credit semesters. The trend can reduce student costs, but has sparked debate among professors about whether students are unwisely skipping…