In lawsuits pending in federal courts in Boston and Chicago, Americans harmed by terrorist attacks linked to the Islamic Republic of Iran are asserting claim to artifacts they believe belong to that nation, in their quest to win more than $4-billion in damages. The institutions that hold the artifacts, which include Harvard University and the…

The author reports on the ruling of a divided appellate court that held that the state law unconstitutionally made it harder for minorities to seek preferences than for other groups. The court struck down a voter-passed ban on the use of race-conscious admissions by Michigan's public colleges, holding that the measure had unconstitutionally put…

A case pending in a federal court of appeals in California may clarify a surprisingly murky question: Do faculty members at public universities enjoy a special privilege to speak freely about institutional matters, or, as far as the First Amendment is concerned, are they just another category of government hirelings? Juan Hong, a professor of…

Many college officials have criticized Blackboard Inc. for its patent on its course-management system, arguing that the patent is overly broad and seems to cover the entire concept of online learning. Critics of Blackboard and other companies that have patents on learning technology are welcoming a recent Supreme Court ruling that they hope may…

Southern Methodist University has released the terms of its agreement with the George W. Bush Presidential Library Foundation to house the president's official library and museum. To some faculty members, the most troubling element of the project is a conservative policy institute that will be affiliated with the library and museum. Unlike similar…

Since President Bush named Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. to the Supreme Court, speculation has run high as to where the new court may be headed. Citing three recent cases ("Morse v. Frederick", "Rumsfeld v. Forum for Academic and Institutional Rights, Inc." and "Garcetti v.…

The status as of October 9, 1986 of higher education-related Supreme Court litigation is outlined concerning: accreditation, affirmative action, asbestos, bar examinations, collective bargaining, creationism, racial discrimination, infectious disease, liquor sales, pensions, pregnancy benefits, revocation of degree, sexual harassment, and student…

A court decision that a pioneering New York law illegally preempted federal law by forcing publication of standardized test material protected by federal copyright could undermine greater disclosure in standardized testing, but quick changes in testing practice are not expected. (MSE)

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)

Since a team of University of Florida doctors invented Gatorade in 1965, the university has been involved in five separate court actions concerning contract disputes over the drink. The latest involves creation of a new drink by a different team of researchers that includes an original Gatorade inventor. (MSE)

Some scholars warn that a federal court ruling on copyright infringement may increase costs and delay production of anthologies of readings for college students. Others say the ruling provides needed safeguards against the pirating of intellectual property. Increased care in obtaining reproduction permission is anticipated. (MSE)

Both sides claimed victory when a deeply divided Supreme Court ruled in a case that had been expected to determine how college faculty's union fees should be allocated among national unions and local affiliates for activities related to or not related to collective bargaining. (MSE)

A Supreme Court ruling for a female high school student charging sex discrimination is seen by some as a positive step in Title IX compliance in college athletics, by others as encouraging litigation and emphasis on personal gain. It also gives protection to female staff and students outside athletics. (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)

A federal appeals court has upheld a ruling denying an attempt to force the American Physical Society to disclose the name of reviewer for its scholarly journal, in order to maintain the integrity of the review process. It was the first such case considered by a federal court. (MSE)