Xap sued by competitor for selling student information...

One company that provides online services for colleges and college applicants, CollegeNET, has sued another such company for agreeing to sell students' information to student lenders without obtaining permission from the students. Xap Corporation, the defendant in the case counters that they do receive consent from students prior to the release of the students' contact information. Xap gives the students an option to opt in to receiving information about student loans or financial aid. If the student clicks yes, Xap policy permits the information to be passed along to outside loan agencies. CollegeNet alleges in this case that Xap has agreed to sell contact information for such students to the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority at "$10 a head."

This isn't CollegeNet's first time to sue Xap. The company also has a patent-infringement case currently pending against Xap.

CollegeNet's press release on the suit

Chronicle of Higher Education (subscription required)

cyber security partnership issues report on information security governance...

The National Cyber Security Partnership has issued a report encouraging corporations, nonprofit organizations and higher education institutions to integrate better information-security governance programs into their organizational governance. Educause vice president Mark Luker: "A successful security program will require that the boards and executive leaders of our colleges and universities assume appropriate, active roles in information security governance."

oregon journalism dean apologizes for "fear" workshop...

Timothy Gleason, dean of Oregon's journalism school issued an apology this week for assignments given during an advertising workshop taught by Dan Wieden (remember Nike's "Just do It" campaign?). Students were given assignments regarding "facing fears." One student was to streak across a golf course, another was to object to the marriage during a wedding ceremony. Gleason explained that the assignments were not intended to be taken literally but were to spark students' creative energy. "We take full responsibility for the fact that there was a major communications breakdown on our end."Chronicle of Higher Ed (subscription required)
katu.com

new "financial aid" scheme ill-advised...

A bank clerk is expected to plead guilty to embezzling $83,844 and using more than $16,000 of it to pay her daughter's college tuition at Penn State. In her plea agreement with federal prosecutors, the mom acknowledged making 17 fraudulent wire transfers and writing more than a dozen checks from the accounts of two elderly women. Naples News-Press

catholic rejects application from NAACP for campus chapter...

The Washington Post reports that Catholic University has rejected a student's bid to get an NAACP chapter approved at the school. The administration says that the primary reason the request was denied was that the university already has two organizations that represent African American students and that a third organization would cause "redundancy and overlap." The NAACP's support of abortion rights demonstration in Washington last April may have also been considered by the university. More in the Chronicle (subscription required).

$385K fine sought against university for clery act violations...

The Department of Education has recommended that a substantial fine be imposed on Salem International University for violations of the Clery Act's campus crime reporting requirements. The DOE became aware of the violations after receiving a report from the chief of police for the city of Salem, West Virginia. Associated Press

plagiarizing student to sue university...

University of Kent student Michael Gunn "never dreamt" plagiarizing was a problem. Although the student admits improperly using internet material over three years, he's upset with the university for telling him on the day before his final exams that he would get no marks for his course work. "If they had pulled me up with my first essay at the beginning and warned me of the problems and consequences, it would be fair enough. But all my essays were handed back with good marks and no one spotted it."

The university responds that all students are given clear instruction and support as to what constitutes plagiarism.

BBC NEWS

anti-piracy bills considered by Congress...

Two bills are before Congress right now which would impact the federal government's role in assisting the recording (and movie) industries in protecting their copyrights. The first, the Pirate Act ("the Protecting Intellectual Rights Against Theft and Expropriation Act"), would provide that the Justice Department could bring civil charges against and seek fines from suspected copyright violators. The other is the Piracy Deterrence and Education Act and would increase the criminal penalties associated with copyright violation.

Opponents of the Pirate Act are disturbed by the quick and quiet manner by which it has proceeded to the Senate. Philip Corwin, lobbyist for Kazaa explains, "This was an attempt to move it in a stealthy manner. I can't imagine that (Hollywood lobbyist) Jack Valenti or (RIAA chairman) Mitch Bainwol really wants to come before Congress and give testimony saying, 'We can't afford to bring these lawsuits. That's why we want the taxpayer to pay for them.' I can't believe they want to do that in public."

ZD Net
Chronicle of Higher Education (subscription required)

University of Georgia trademark dispute...

This story is getting even stranger. Apparently the University of Georgia's private foundation trademarked the term "University of Georgia" last year, after the University had allowed it to expire in 1997. Accordingly, at the very least, it doesn't look very promising that the University will be able to prevent the Foundation from using that term. "In theory, the foundation could try to force the University of Georgia, founded in 1785, to stop calling itself the University of Georgia." AJC (free registration required).

More on Georgia's private foundation...

If you are interested in this, the AJC has a thorough article here. (free registration required). It sounds like the foundation is considering putting up a fight.