This assignment covers the current legal issues in higher education. One is the rising cost of education balanced against the benefit of a college degree. The cost is often the most crucial factor people face in weighing the value of universities. Various institutional policies may also lead to legal cases in higher education. Schools must strike a balance between free speech and maintaining a secure and safe environment on university and college campuses. Free speech is always an essential part of college life. We should expect to see universities working hard to create safe environments for the discussion of various opinions. Lastly, the federal higher education law covers the areas of federal student financial assistance programs, including the Academic Competitiveness and National SMART Grant programs.
THE ROLE OF THE UNIVERSITY, FREE SPEECH, AND CAMPUS CIVILITY
There are numerous legal cases in higher education concerning various issued. They affect faculty members as well as the students. With universities being at the forefront of new ideas, they become easy targets for opponents of free speech. The law must tackle such issues in higher education. An example is the case of Lane v. Franks, 189 L. Ed. 2d 312 regarding citizen speech. The Supreme Court held unanimously that a public employee’s speech that may concern their job, but is not ordinarily within the scope of their duties, is subject to First Amendment protection. Therefore, there should be federal higher education law initiatives that ensure the protection of the university fraternity’s freedom of speech.
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OTHER ISSUES FACING HIGHER EDUCATION
Apart from the legal cases in higher education, there are many other issues facing students in universities. The current political climate and the potentially violent threats on university campuses put university administrators in a difficult place. Additionally, the federal higher education law should take measures to minimize the high rate of dropouts. Less than fifty percent of students complete their degree within six years. In other issues in higher education, the changes in teaching methods and curricula bring challenges. These challenges are becoming so widespread and vital that universities are granting leave time for faculty to explore and develop new teaching methods.
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