The U.S. District Court of Providence ordered Brown University to release fundraising records in a case regarding a student who claims he was wrongly accused of rape and forced to leave Brown, The Chronicle of Higher Education reported. The former student, William McCormick III, was charged with sexual misconduct towards another student and suspended in 2006, later leaving the university permanently, according to The Chronicle. McCormick issued a lawsuit against the university, his accuser and his accuser's father a graduate of and donor to Brown. McCromick alleges that the father used his contributions to the university to influence the handling of the claims, The Chronicle reported. Brown has objected, holding that the father should turn over financial records, according to The Chronicle.
Princeton University developed a new system to file Title IX complaints against the university, The Daily Princetonian reported. Vice Provost Michele Minter provided students with codified procedures for filing both informal and formal complaints of gender discrimination in an email to all students on Monday, according to The Princetonian. Under the revised protocols, informal complaints are to be discussed with the Title IX coordinator directly, who will investigate the case and proceed appropriately. Formal complaints must be reported on an official Title IX grievance form and will be resolved in at most 45 days if the case is deemed not to be "frivolous," according to The Princetonian. In response to a complaint issued by Wendy Murphy, professor at New England Law School, regarding Princeton's violations of sexual assault reporting procedures, the new list of procedures includes information about the university's response to allegations of sexual harassment and assault, The Princetonian reported.
Florida Republicans are pushing for increased emphasis on science, technology, engineering and mathematics at the expense of social science programs in universities, Inside Higher Education reported. Gov. Rick Scott, R-Fl., singled out anthropology as an unnecessary major, claiming that it is not a field of vital interest to the state, according to Inside Higher Ed. The American Anthropological Association issued a response detailing the role of anthropology in areas such as genetics, public health and legal history. Scott has also shown support for a plan by Gov. Rick Perry, R-Texas, to investigate academic programs' ability to acquire grants which often favor the sciences over humanities and social sciences according to Inside Higher Ed.
