The Department of Education has ruled that a federal privacy-protection law gives college students the right to see their admissions files, based on a Harvard University graduate's request. The ruling could help shed light on how institutions select students and on the validity of racial discrimination charges in other institutions. (MSE)

A highly divided federal appeals court has ordered that South Carolina allow a woman to enter the Citadel, an all-male military college, unless it establishes a comparable program for women or allows the Citadel to become a private institution. Litigation arose over the Citadel's rejection of a woman applicant. (MSE)

An Ohio court has overturned a previous ruling that a blind woman be admitted to medical school at Case Western Reserve University, arguing that the accommodations required to graduate her would be unfairly burdensome and would keep her from having the medical experience required of other students. (MSE)

The University of California's decision to end some racial preferences used in admissions and hiring is seen by some as an admission of long-term violations of federal court rulings, and as an effort to stem a voter revolt against affirmative action. The regents' vote on the policy is expected to be close. (MSE)

A new survey by the Virginia Council of Higher Education found that five states have imposed a ceiling on the number of out-of-state students who can attend their public institutions. Many people fear that their own state students are being denied admission because of nonresident applicants. (MLW)

In a University of Texas-Austin case in which four white applicants to the law school were rejected, a federal judge has upheld the college's right to consider race and ethnicity as admissions factors, but also outlined strict limits on use of affirmative action in assessing applicants, which could pose legal problems for some colleges. (MSE)

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)

A federal court ruling to desegregate Louisiana state colleges and universities would require substantial changes, including creation of a single governing board and system, designation of Louisiana State University as a selective flagship institution, creation of a community college system, reduction of program duplication, and affirmative…