The Department of Education's announcement of new policy concerning the evaluation of college desegregation efforts could affect the monitoring of compliance in several states in which court-ordered desegregation plans have expired. The higher standards are based on the 1992 Supreme Court ruling, United States v. Fordice. (MSE)

The U.S. Justice Department is renewing its charge, overturned last year, that Alabama's public colleges are racially segregated, focusing on discrimination in individual programs receiving federal funds. (MSE)

the National Advisory Committee on Accreditation and Institutional Eligibility is criticized by various groups for doing and saying too much or too little. Current controversial issues on its agenda include loan defaults, shoddy trade schools, and treatment of minority students and faculty. The committee's role in some areas is also unclear. (MSE)

In a major victory for civil rights groups, a federal appeals court has revived the lawsuit that forced the Education Department to monitor the desegregation of public colleges in 18 southern and border states, claiming the groups bringing the suit still had the legal standing to pursue it. (MSE)

A decision in the case involving the "Silver Spring Monkeys" and National Institutes of Health research left open the possibility of suing the federal agency in state courts, possibly making it easier for animal-rights groups to block some animal research. However, the ruling addresses only a narrow jurisdictional question. (MSE)

While increased attention is being paid by federal policy-makers to improved science education, many academics feel the approaches and funding is too limited and far-reaching change is necessary, including coordination of programs, reduced anti-education bias in research programs, and federal adoption of responsibility for science education. (MSE)

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)

The Department of Education has suffered legal defeats in Missouri and Arkansas in its campaign to prevent colleges from publicly releasing names of students arrested by campus security. Controversy involves interpretation of a 1974 privacy-protection law, the Buckley Amendment. College officials are unsure about how to deal with the issue. (MSE)

The Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools' policy allowing reviewers to consider a college's efforts to recruit and retain minority students and faculty members is being studied, with the controversial recommendation made that the Education Department delay recognition of the accrediting agency. (MSE)

Department of Education issuance of reports on the status of 10 states' court-ordered college desegregation without any evaluation of the states' efforts has disappointed civil-rights activists. The unexpected release of the reports was due in part to the threat of Congressional subpoena of the information. (MSE)

The Department of Education, criticized by colleges for its guidelines on investigating racial harassment and hate-speech charges, will issue a new policy on First Amendment implications of such inquiries. A major issue is school responsibility for racial harassment by diverse populations over whom colleges may have little control. (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)