What do college and university sports teams with names like the Indians or the Redmen have in common with bandleader Simon Tam of “The Slants”? Both potentially run afoul of the federal Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) by refusing to abandon what the PTO calls “disparaging” trademark names. The difference is that colleges and universities have largely abandoned using ethnic stereotypes as team … [Read more...] about Is Slant-ing Trademark Protection An Example of Viewpoint Discrimination?
Collegiate Comment
OCR Lawsuits: Dear Colleague Letters Come Under Fire
The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) of the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) has been under increasing fire about the authority of its “significant guidance documents,” informally titled “Dear Colleague Letters (DCLs).” Some of the most controversial of the recent DCLs, the 2011 DCL on Sexual Violence and the 2014 Q & A on Title IX and Sexual Violence, have prompted questions about the … [Read more...] about OCR Lawsuits: Dear Colleague Letters Come Under Fire
Harvard Seeking to Eliminate Single-Sex Fraternities and Sororities?
In a move alternately praised and vilified, Harvard University has adopted a policy, effective beginning with the Fall 2017 semester, providing that any student who becomes a member of any off-campus single-sex social organization is prohibited from holding a leadership position in an officially recognized on-campus organization or athletic team. Members of these off-campus groups will also be … [Read more...] about Harvard Seeking to Eliminate Single-Sex Fraternities and Sororities?
U.S. Department of Education Releases Clery Act Handbook 2016
The U.S. Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education has released the 2016 edition of the Handbook for Campus Safety and Security Reporting to guide institutions of higher education in complying with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, better known simply as the “Clery Act.” The 265-page 2016 Handbook replaces the 2011 edition, and … [Read more...] about U.S. Department of Education Releases Clery Act Handbook 2016
High Court Approves Affirmative Action For Higher Education
On June 23, 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court, for the second time in Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin, affirmed the constitutionality of the University of Texas policy which considers the race of applicants as one factor in its admissions decisions. Justice Kennedy, writing for the majority, adopted an approach modeled on the 2003 High Court decision in Grutter v. Bollinger, which sanctioned … [Read more...] about High Court Approves Affirmative Action For Higher Education
University of Pittsburgh Settles Case With Former Transgender Student
In 2014, Seamus Johnston sued the University of Pittsburgh when it prohibited him from using sex-segregated restrooms and locker rooms designated for men on a University campus. Johnston sued the University alleging discrimination under Title IX. Last month, Johnston and the University of Pittsburgh entered into a settlement agreement. The Agreement was reached after an appeal was taken from a … [Read more...] about University of Pittsburgh Settles Case With Former Transgender Student
