Court rulings

Courts continue to zig-zag on warrantless searches of college dormitory rooms -- with the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts on Wednesday rejecting the use of drug evidence found in 2007 in the room of two students at Boston College.

The ruling by the highest court in Massachusetts reverses an appeals court ruling last year that upheld the use of the evidence.

Colorado appeals court rejects arguments from controversial fired professor -- and from those who see faculty rights in general endangered by his previous legal defeat.

Supreme Court ruling backs Treasury Department against hospital and U. of Minnesota, saying doctors-in-training are subject to payroll taxes.

Federal appeals court rules that use of "10% plan" doesn't mean U. of Texas can't consider race in admissions.

Major higher education groups urge Supreme Court to consider appeal of ruling they fear could force public colleges to financially support worship and other practices of religion.

U.S. Supreme Court rejects appeal by U. of Wisconsin of ruling that could greatly expand the kinds of sectarian activities eligible for support at public colleges.

U.S. court says federal student privacy law does not forbid University of Illinois from releasing records about applicants.

Federal judge rejects lawsuit by Turkish group against U. of Minnesota for one of its research centers having declared the organization's material "unreliable."

U.S. appeals court rejects idea -- adopted by several lower courts -- that a 2006 Supreme Court ruling limited the rights of public higher ed faculty.

A new book, The Constitution Goes to College: Five Constitutional Ideas That Have Shaped the American University (New York University Press), argues that key values in American higher education can be traced to the U.S. Constitution. Some of the traditions in academe that the book traces to the Constitution include the divide between public and private spheres, the distinction between rights and privileges and ideas of equality.