The Education Department declared that four states that had been under court order to desegregate their public colleges were now in compliance with federal civil rights laws and that six others were expected to fulfill their obligations easily. Civil rights lawyers said none of the states had met the requirements. (MLW)

Federal judge Pratt rejected a request to temporarily keep in effect a court order he dismissed last year, saying that the NAACP failed to prove they were likely to win their appeal, or that Black students would suffer "irreparable harm" because of the dismissal. (MLW)

New federal Department of Education guidelines put responsibility for monitoring campus racial climate on individual colleges. The policy statement contains some elements pleasing to minority students and others attractive to civil libertarians. However, its broad definition of harassment is criticized by some. (MSE)

A federal court ruled that the Justice Department had failed to prove that Alabama's public colleges and universities were segregated. The Justice Department had argued that the entire state system was segregated, instead of offering evidence that specific programs receiving federal money had violated the anti-bias laws. (MLW)

A three-judge panel of the U. S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled unanimously that civil rights groups could not sue the federal government to force it to take steps against states or colleges that may be breaking the law. (MLW)

A suit filed by Steven E. Wynne, who has dyslexia, against the Tufts School of Medicine charged that the school discriminated against him when it refused to provide a test that did not use multiple-choice questions. Tufts filed an appeal saying the decision is an encroachment on academic freedom. (MLW)

The Education Department's expected announcement of its assessment of court-ordered desegregation plans in 10 states is reported. Most state leaders characterize their efforts as successful. Federal involvement, Black colleges, Education Department's Office for Civil Rights role, etc., are discussed. (MLW)

The Education Department's Office for Civil Rights will develop new policies to prevent sexual harassment of college students and age discrimination in admissions to graduate and professional schools. It will also complete projects to help colleges deal with incidents of racial harassment and to prevent sex discrimination in athletics. (MSE)