Colleges and universities face heightened responsibilities. They possess a large volume and variety of sensitive information on a wide range of individuals, and demands for this information are growing. The students that are educated, housed, and/or employed by colleges and universities tend to be in a vulnerable age cohort: eighteen- to…

The number Pi has a rich and colorful history. The origin of Pi dates back to when Greek mathematicians realized that the ratio of the circumference to the diameter is the same for all circles. One is most familiar with many of its applications to geometry, analysis, probability, and number theory. This paper demonstrates several examples of how…

The Fourth Amendment to the US Constitution provides protection of all citizens against unreasonable search and seizure. The US Supreme Court has affirmed that the basic purpose of the Fourth Amendment is to safeguard the privacy and security of individuals against unreasonable intrusive searches by governmental officials. Since students possess…

There's no shortage of library management books out there--but how many of them actually tackle the little details of day-to-day management, the hard-to-categorize things that slip through the cracks of a larger handbook? "Library Management Tips that Work" does exactly that, addressing dozens of such issues facing library managers, including: (1)…

The introduction of the Data Protection Act 1998 has presented significant challenges to counselling recording, through its detailed requirements for the processing of personal data. The impact of these changes on recording in Higher Education counselling services in the UK is explored, using responses from an electronic survey of universities and…

Despite intensive security measures, institutions are still suffering breaches--sometimes quite painful and costly ones. After a major breach was reported at UCLA this past November, the author spoke with "Educause" security expert Rodney Petersen, to get his perspective and advice for higher education leadership. This article presents…

The USA Patriot Act is having far-reaching effects on the kinds of data that wind up on some academics' computers in Canada. Canadian colleges, responding to provincial laws passed in reaction to the Patriot Act, are preventing professors from entering the United States with students' private data on their laptops and limiting the locations of…

This paper focuses on "technologies for voice" that are related to the self-determination of youth with developmental disabilities. The authors describe a self-determination model that values family-focused, community-referenced pedagogies employing "new media" to give voice to youth and their families. In line with the adage that a picture is…

In this article, the author conducts a preliminary review of the tragedy at Virginia Tech on April 16, 2007. He explains how and why such terrible events occur and provides some insights, principles, and strategies that may assist colleges in their quest to provide an optimally safe environment for their students and staff.

In this article, the author discusses attempts by schools to navigate stepped-up federal efforts to curb illegal immigration, protection of student privacy, and the safety of students during enforcement operations. In Albuquerque and Santa Fe, New Mexico, for example, school personnel are barred from putting information about a child's immigration…

The process of collecting student background information from parents using nationally agreed definitions of student background characteristics began in 2005. The original edition of this manual, titled "Data Implementation Manual for Enrolments for the 2005 and 2006 School Years," was prepared to assist schools and systems in modifying…

This article reports that several colleges and universities like Purdue University are mining data they have about students to try to improve retention. The institutions analyze years' worth of data on which students did well and which did poorly, and what variables--whether they be SAT scores, financial-aid status, or attendance at the dining…

This chapter describes the relationship between federal student privacy laws and state privacy laws, and identifies the changes in the federal law over the last ten years affecting disclosure to parents of college students. Recent litigation on health emergencies is outlined and the limited rights of college students not yet eighteen years of age…

This article describes a forensic DNA science laboratory exercise for advanced high school and introductory college level biology courses. Students use a commercial genotyping kit and genetic analyzer or gene sequencer to analyze DNA recovered from a fictitious crime scene. DNA profiling and STR genotyping are outlined. DNA extraction, PCR, and…

By providing the public with online computing facilities, librarians make available a world of information resources beyond their traditional print materials. Internet-connected computers in libraries greatly enhance the opportunity for patrons to enjoy the benefits of the digital age. Unfortunately, as hackers become more sophisticated and…