News reports suggest that Secretary of Defense James Mattis, upon the recommendation of Secretary of the Army Mark Esper, could shut down the U.S. Army War College’s Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute (PKSOI), a unique American asset that has enjoyed wide support for decades. For minuscule savings—the cost of two or three Tomahawk missiles—this would […]
In years past, the general counsel, director of athletics, and compliance officer at a college or university could manage legal risks by focusing all efforts on avoiding NCAA violations and the costly investigations and potential penalties that accompany them. That has now changed. As recent headlines attest, the risks are now multi-faceted and the regulatory […]
For Gonzaga University, like many organizations, the move to the cloud was born out of need. One of this small institution's claims to fame is its stellar men's basketball team. As the 2017 NCAA Tournament approached, Information Technology Services staff at the Washington university knew on-premise web servers couldn't handle the upcoming traffic load, says Darren […]
When we think of the students served by institutions of higher education, we usually think of young adults the age of undergraduate and graduate students. But colleges and universities often offer programs to children and adolescents under the age of eighteen and as young as pre-kindergarten. These children and adolescents are more vulnerable than older […]
Academic fraud accusations create a myriad of challenges for colleges and universities. Many questions arise. What violations of a rule, regulation or statute occurred? Who was involved? Did anyone turn a blind eye? Unfortunately, most universities are not skilled at answering these questions in a fair and timely manner. Conducting such investigations is difficult and […]
As this issue was going to press, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos announced intentions to reverse Obama-era guidelines on handling sexual assault cases at colleges and universities. Until such time as the guidelines are clarified, institutions should continue following established practices. A recent decision by U.S. District Court Judge Philip Simon granted a preliminary injunction in […]
Renowned research chemist Karen Wetterhahn was working with dimethyl mercury in her lab at Dartmouth College, when she spilled a drop of the toxic compound on her glove. She had taken every precaution possible while working with the volatile substance, from using a hood to prevent her from inhaling fumes, to wearing a face shield […]
The first clue that something was wrong at Tidewater Community College in Virginia emerged in March 2016 when at least 15 employees discovered they could not file their tax returns. After the IRS informed the employees that their returns had already been submitted, college officials realized someone had breached the computer system. The attack began […]
Imagine this: You have been charged with sexual misconduct and suspended without warning. You are given no opportunity to make a statement in your own defense. You are given wrong information on policies and procedures in advance of what you believe will be an initial hearing on the charges. When you arrive at your first […]
On April 16, 2007, a senior at Virginia Tech shot and killed 32 people and wounded 17 others in two separate attacks, two hours apart, in a residence hall and then an academic building. It had been 41 years since a University of Texas at Austin student killed 17 people and wounded 31 from atop […]
