Last month, the Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Education (ED) announced the creation of a joint Special Investigations Team (SIT) to streamline Title IX investigations....more
5/2/2025
/ Department of Education ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Enforcement Priorities ,
Executive Orders ,
Gender Identity ,
Government Investigations ,
Investigations ,
Risk Management ,
Students ,
Title IX ,
Transgender ,
Trump Administration ,
Universities
In a recent and far-reaching decision, a federal court struck down the Biden administration’s 2024 final rule, which sought to implement significant changes to Title IX’s regulations (the 2024 Final Rule). ...more
As President-elect Donald Trump prepares for his second stint in the White House beginning January 2025, higher education leaders are bracing for potential shifts in policy that could reshape the landscape of institutions of...more
12/23/2024
/ College Athletes ,
Colleges ,
Department of Education ,
Diversity and Inclusion Standards (D&I) ,
Educational Institutions ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Presidential Nominations ,
Public Schools ,
Student Athletes ,
Title IX ,
Transgender ,
Trump Administration ,
Universities
Not long ago we wrote about the significant changes to Title IX's regulations in the Department of Education's final rule set to go into effect this year (the Final Rule). Primary and secondary schools and institutions of...more
9/13/2024
/ Colleges ,
Department of Education ,
Educational Institutions ,
Final Rules ,
Harassment ,
Jurisdiction ,
Pending Litigation ,
Public Schools ,
SCOTUS ,
Sex Discrimination ,
Sexual Harassment ,
Students ,
Title IX ,
Universities
It is no secret that institutions of higher education (IHEs) are currently busy addressing their policies to reflect recent major changes in the law (read: Title IX!), but it is also important to give some time and attention...more
The Biden administration's Department of Education has finally released the much-anticipated final rule (the "Final Rule") amending the regulations for Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination and harassment in education...more
5/10/2024
/ Anti-Discrimination Policies ,
Biden Administration ,
Colleges ,
Compliance ,
Department of Education ,
Educational Institutions ,
Final Rules ,
LGBTQ ,
Pregnancy ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Sex Discrimination ,
Sexual Harassment ,
Title IX ,
Universities
Institutions of higher education (IHEs) and prospective applicants continue to grapple with the shifted landscape of admissions practices after the United States Supreme Court's Students for Fair Admissions decision...more
Institutions of higher education (IHEs) are often focal points of community activity, and inevitably attract all members of the public to various events and programs that take place on campus, including the youngest—and most...more
On July 24, 2023, less than a month after the Supreme Court's landmark decision striking down affirmative action practices in college admissions, the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has launched an...more
8/10/2023
/ Affirmative Action ,
Civil Rights Act ,
College Admissions ,
Colleges ,
Department of Education ,
Diversity ,
Donors ,
Educational Institutions ,
Investigations ,
OCR ,
Race Discrimination ,
SCOTUS ,
Students for Fair Admissions v Harvard College ,
Title VI ,
Title VII ,
Universities
On June 29, 2023, in a 6-3 decision along ideological lines, the Supreme Court drastically altered college admissions by ruling that affirmative action admissions practices violated the Equal Protection Clause of the...more
7/10/2023
/ Affirmative Action ,
Civil Rights Act ,
College Admissions ,
Colleges ,
Diversity ,
Educational Institutions ,
Equal Protection ,
Fourteenth Amendment ,
Race Discrimination ,
SCOTUS ,
Students for Fair Admissions v Harvard College ,
Students for Fair Admissions v University of North Carolina ,
Title VI ,
Universities
Debates concerning the pros and cons of social media usage are not new, but have recently resurfaced with more fervor, gaining attention at the national level. The renewed focus on social media usage may serve as a reminder...more
The Supreme Court heard arguments on February 28, 2023 in two cases that will decide the future of President Biden's student loan forgiveness plan. The cases, Biden v. Nebraska and U.S. Department of Education v. Brown,...more
3/10/2023
/ Biden Administration ,
CBO Report ,
Colleges ,
Department of Education ,
Financial Aid ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Loan Forgiveness ,
Popular ,
SCOTUS ,
Standing ,
Student Loans ,
Students ,
Universities
Often, the focus on Title IX compliance and crafting institutional procedures for institutions of higher education (IHEs) is dominated by more commonly arising issues like sexual misconduct allegations. However, recently, the...more
Publicly available artificial intelligence (AI) programs and applications (apps), and the tasks they can perform, have been gaining much more attention lately. The average internet user can access websites and apps that use...more
With the holiday season fast approaching, employers must plan and prepare for the general revelry that accompanies this time of year. Holiday parties, which often involve the consumption of alcohol and frequently occur...more
Fall has arrived and the academic year has kicked off for a majority of institutions of higher education (IHEs). In addition to the normal considerations for onboarding new students and faculty, IHEs will likely...more
For administrators and staff of institutions of higher education (IHEs), "summer break" may not be the vacation they want it to be - while the summer months may seem slower when most students are away, this time still...more
Severance agreements outline the rights and responsibilities of both the employer and employee at the point that an employee separates from their job. These contracts summarize the benefits the employee will receive upon...more
6/2/2022
/ Colleges ,
Confidential Information ,
Confidentiality Policies ,
Contract Drafting ,
Contract Terms ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Non-Disparagement Provisions ,
Severance Agreements ,
Student Privacy ,
Universities
Colleges and universities are grappling with the proliferation of mental health issues among their student populations in the wake of COVID-19 as they deal with the effects of burnout, limited support resources, and social...more
It is no stretch to suggest that the upcoming midterm elections will be a hotbed of political activity across all spectrums. Each election cycle presents exciting opportunities for institutions of higher education (IHEs) and...more
4/1/2022
/ Colleges ,
Educational Institutions ,
Employment Policies ,
General Elections ,
IRS ,
NLRA ,
Political Campaigns ,
Political Candidates ,
Political Speech ,
Protected Concerted Activity ,
State Elections ,
Universities ,
Voter Registration
For institutions of higher education (IHEs), diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is a top priority. DEI is achieved through a culture and policies that recognize the value of the unique abilities and perspectives of every...more
On Monday, January 24, 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States (the Supreme Court) announced it will hear a challenge to the use of affirmative action in admissions for institutions of higher education (IHE). The two...more
2/3/2022
/ Affirmative Action ,
Certiorari ,
Civil Rights Act ,
College Admissions ,
Colleges ,
Diversity ,
Educational Institutions ,
Race Discrimination ,
SCOTUS ,
Title VI ,
Universities