University of Tennessee Pharmacy Student Sues School Over Discipline for Social Media Posts

Kimberly Diel, a University of Tennessee pharmacy student, recently filed a first amendment lawsuit against the school, alleging the university expelled her because she posted on her private, personal social accounts the school deemed too sexual.  The pharmacy school complained that this was “unprofessional.”  It is all too common that…
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What Legal Consequences Will Universities Face if They Don’t Reopen in the Fall?

The nation’s colleges and universities were already struggling financially even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Now, with a sudden shift to online schooling and students no longer on campus, a difficult situation has become dire. According to Christina Paxson, President of Brown University, “A lot of [colleges] were teetering on…
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With Universities Moving to Online-Only Classes, Plagiarism Concerns Evolve

An increasing number of universities have been offering online classes in recent years, but now due to the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual classrooms are the only classrooms.  This has become the sudden necessary reality for every university in the country. With entire student bodies now taking classes and completing tests remotely,…
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Deliberate Indifference: When Universities Don’t Listen and Victims Sue, Who Is Winning and Who Is Losing?

Title IX is a federal law that prohibits sex discrimination.Courts have consistently found that student-on-student sexual harassment is sex-based discrimination and that the university can be held responsible for it if the university remains “deliberately indifferent.” This means paying students damages if they are victimized on campus, but the University…
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What Happens if You’re a Faculty Member Accused of Misconduct? Can Title VII Protect You?

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 forbids employers from discriminating based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, and overlaps with Title IX (sex discrimination) and Title VI (race, color, religion or national origin). Forms of discrimination include creating a hostile work environment, disparate treatment, disparate…
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Title IX, Codes of Conduct May Conflict With First Amendment On Campus

Colleges and universities often walk a fine line when it comes to free speech. Institutes of higher education promote themselves as places where students go to debate and refine ideas and opinions. Ideally, this creates an enriching experience for all involved. But many schools place limits on acceptable discourse in…
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What Parents Should Know About Title IX Violations and School Conduct Codes Before School Starts

Campus judiciaries and campus codes of conduct intervene as never before in the private life of students. Therefore, parents should take the time to review how a school’s policies dictate the handling of misconduct cases. Universities and colleges today operate very differently from how they were run a few decades…
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