Legal and Policy Issues in Higher Education

Catalog description

This course is designed to familiarize students with the legal implications of situations that may arise in the university setting. Through this course students will learn to identify issues that will require legal analysis and legal guidance from counsel. The modern university is not only a place of learning, but also an employer, as well as a provider of housing, dining, and transportation. These responsibilities require knowledge of certain laws as reflected in an institution’s policies. Understanding these laws are essential to maintaining compliance and promoting positive relations with stakeholders. These laws and concepts include: Title IX, Title VI, Title VII, ADA, Section 504, ADEA, NLRA, FLSA, ERISA, FERPA, the Higher Education Act, liability, negligence, due process, academic freedom, free speech, implications of IDEA and more. As administrative decisions are made with business judgment and risk tolerance considerations, and not just legal implication, this course seeks to foster awareness and critical thinking, rather than provide single answers on issues. This course is designed for higher education practitioners, not law students.