Case in Point

Apr 25: Ransomware: For nearly two weeks, Western New Mexico University’s website and digital systems have been held hostage by what officials in internal emails have called the efforts of a "foreign hacking group." The university has not publicly addressed the severity of the attack, but documentation obtained by Searchlight New Mexico indicates that an infamous Russian-speaking hacking group is behind the attack and claims to have access to employee payroll data, Social Security numbers and driver’s licenses. Since April 13, the WNMU website has been inaccessible to the public. (link)

Apr 25: Data Breach: Yale New Haven Health System, or YNHHS, is facing at least eight federal lawsuits following a March 8 cybersecurity breach. The breach, which allowed an unauthorized third party to access sensitive patient information, has led to class action filings from law firms across the country. Plaintiffs allege that the health system failed to protect personally identifiable and health information, such as Social Security numbers and medical record numbers, and that it waited too long to clearly notify affected patients. While YNHHS has acknowledged the breach and begun mailing notification letters, its statement avoided specifics on how the attack occurred or how many patients were affected. (link)

Apr 16: Data Breach: The University of Kansas Hospital Authority and Health System -- along with Lawrence Memorial Hospital and Epic Systems Corp. -- are facing a class action lawsuit. Two undisclosed patients filed a lawsuit April 15 after a Lawrence physical therapist breached more than 400 people's medical data to target women who'd had breast augmentation surgery and other plastic surgery, according to documents filed in the U.S. District Court of Kansas. The undisclosed patients are suing through a class action on behalf of themselves and the other women targeted. The lawsuit claims the unnamed physical therapist had been breaching patient private medical data using his KU Health credentials for more than two years before he was caught. (link)

Apr 10: Data Breach: Attorneys have sent a preservation notice to Radford University leaders to preserve all relevant evidence regarding a possible data breach involving former students. [A] former Michigan assistant football coach has been federally indicted after prosecutors accused him of hacking into private accounts of student-athletes to access potentially compromising images. "When it initially came out, we thought it was a local Michigan issue, and it is very quickly evolving into a national issue that will likely hit every state," said Lisa Esser-Weidenfeller, an attorney involved in the case. According to the indictment, [the coach] hacked into the accounts of over 150,000 students. This week, Radford University was pulled into the legal fallout. (link)

Apr 03: Data Breach: A class action lawsuit filed in federal court in Chattanooga says Lee University in Cleveland waited too long to notify those affected about a data breach that affected their personal information. That suit, filed by Michael Harris against the university and representing "others similarly situated," says the university waited almost a full year to notify those affected, when Tennessee law requires a notification within 45 days of the breach. It also says Lee University failed failure to implement adequate and reasonable cybersecurity procedures and protocols necessary to protect victims’ PII (Personal Identification Information), in a way that the lawsuit describes as a 'reckless manner.' (link)

Apr 01 : Data Breach: NYU is facing 10 class action lawsuits alleging that it mishandled applicants’ personal information and failed to meet national cybersecurity standards after a hacker leaked files with more than 3 million names, hometowns and GPAs on the university’s website last week. The lawsuits, each filed by an individual applicant, claim that NYU’s cybersecurity practices do not follow guidelines set by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Center for Internet Security, leaving those who applied to the school at risk of identity theft. Cybersecurity experts Zack Ganot and Arnaud de Saint Méloir, who help run databreach.com, told WSN that the amount of information included in the files - which were publicly downloadable on NYU’s main website for over two hours - could have sold for tens of thousands of dollars on the dark web. "Almost for sure, NYU will settle and people will receive compensation - it was a real breach," Ganot told WSN. "Without putting it too bluntly, it was NYU’s fault. They did not secure the data as they should have, and it’s kind of hard to get around." (link)

Apr 25: Foreign Ties: The Trump administration launched an investigation into the University of California, Berkeley, on Friday centered on foreign funding, making it the latest university to be targeted by the federal government. The investigation revives criticism from several years ago about the university’s partnership with China’s Tsinghua University. It comes after President Donald Trump earlier this week signed a series of executive orders focused on universities that he views as liberal adversaries to his political agenda. One order called for harder enforcement of Section 117, a federal law requiring colleges to disclose foreign gifts and contracts valued at $250,000 or more. (link)

Apr 09 : Ethics: [The] Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College President was told to vacate her offices by the West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education at an emergency meeting Monday morning held virtually. She and the Southern WVCTC Board of Governors have been at odds for several months and the Council stepped in on March 19 to take over at the college. Treadway, at the March 19 meeting, brought up past concerns regarding [the] president. Concerns included but were not limited to a violation of the state’s Ethics Act, an attempt to buy a luxury vehicle with taxpayer dollars, accepted payments that shouldn’t have happened, a refusal to provide requested information to the BOG, sent complaints against the BOG to the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) as well as appointing her ex-husband to a leadership position. (link)

Apr 28: Title IX: Today, the U.S. Department of Education’s (ED) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced its finding that the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) violated Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. OCR notified UPenn President J. Larry Jameson that the University’s policies and practices violated Title IX by denying women equal opportunities by permitting males to compete in women’s intercollegiate athletics and to occupy women-only intimate facilities. OCR issued a proposed Resolution Agreement to UPenn to resolve the Title IX violations detailed in the noncompliance finding. UPenn has 10 days to voluntarily resolve these violations or risk a referral to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for enforcement proceedings. (link)

Apr 23: Research Compliance: The National Institutes of Health will require colleges and other grant recipients to certify they don’t have diversity, equity or inclusion programs "in violation of Federal anti-discrimination laws" and that they aren’t boycotting Israel to receive new awards, according to a policy announced Monday. The policy applies to recipients of "new, renewal, supplement, or continuation awards" issued April 21 or afterward. NIH will terminate awards and claw back grant funding from organizations that violate the new terms, it said. The National Science Foundation likewise said Friday it would terminate awards focused on DEI as federal agencies carry out the Trump administration’s crusade against diversity initiatives. (link)

Apr 22: Employee Conduct: When New College of Florida hired [a] communications director in December, he had already been charged three times with indecent exposure -- a criminal history that the school’s background check failed to uncover, records obtained by Suncoast Searchlight and WUSF show. The background check, run on Jan. 8 through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Criminal History Services, came back clean, stating there were "no relevant criminal records." But public records show that [the man] had been charged three separate times with first-degree misdemeanors for "exposure of sexual organs." (link)

Apr 17: Employee Conduct: A now-former instructor at Washington State University (WSU) is facing assault charges after he allegedly attacked a student wearing a pro-Trump "Take America Back" hat. According to a Pullman Police report, a WSU student reported that he was attacked by [a] WSU instructor and graduate student in late February. The university confirmed that [the instructor] was relieved of his teaching duties indefinitely, but remains a graduate student at WSU. His codefendant was an hourly employee at WSU and the university says he was terminated following the school and police investigations. (link)

Apr 16: Lawsuit: A judge has ordered Sonoma State University to halt -- for now -- its plan to suspend more than 20 academic programs and departments at the end of the year to cure a massive budget deficit. The temporary restraining order issued Tuesday in Sonoma County Superior Court forces university leaders to pause the effort after student-athletes filed a petition alleging that its rollout violated campus policy. The order does not extend to athletics, despite the students’ related request to halt the elimination of the university’s entire NCAA Division II program. The order will be in place until May 1, when the case is scheduled for another hearing. (link)

Apr 15: State Law: The University of Utah is asking faculty to comply with the new state law banning the public display of pride flags on campus -- or expect the Legislature to crack down even more. "They have a lot of power over us," said Robert Payne, deputy general counsel at the school. Payne spoke during a faculty meeting Monday, giving direction to faculty and staff about how the controversial law, HB77, now applies to them and what it means for their office spaces and the university at-large. His message was largely a warning. The bill was specifically drafted by Rep. Trevor Lee, R-Layton, to ban flags celebrating the LGBTQ community in schools. It was later expanded to apply on all government property in the state. Public higher education is included. (link)

Apr 14: Compliance: Newly released video appears to show an administrator in the Florida university system bragging about the ways her school is skirting a state law prohibiting the practice of DEI. The video, obtained by conservative watchdog Accuracy in Media (AIM) and posted online, shows [a] University of South Florida St. Petersburg administrator explaining to an undercover investigator how the school had attempted to skirt Florida law banning public funds from promoting DEI by using a "loophole." (link)

Apr 08: Compliance: President Trump’s administration has swiftly sought to advance major changes across higher education, such as eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts on campuses; punishing individuals and institutions over allegations of antisemitism; and laying off thousands of employees in the Education Department. The Chronicle is tracking executive orders, statements from Trump, and agency actions that affect higher education, plus legal challenges directed at those measures. The tracker focuses on four areas: civil rights, research, policy, and immigration. (link)

Apr 02: Title VI: Eight-point-seven billion. Four-hundred million. One-hundred-seventy-five million. These are just some examples of the money the federal government has withheld or is threatening to withhold from various colleges and universities, including the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University and Harvard University. That $8.7 billion figure was announced earlier this week by the Trump administration, which said that it's reviewing federal grants and contracts awarded to Harvard because Harvard has not done enough to curb antisemitism on campus. (link)

Apr 01: State Law: A New College of Florida professor was abruptly fired this month under a controversial state law that limits public universities from employing people from so-called "countries of concern," including China, Cuba, Iran, Russia and Venezuela. Kevin Wang, a Chinese academic who is seeking asylum and authorized to work in the United States, had been teaching Chinese language and culture classes at the small liberal arts college in Sarasota for nearly two years when, on March 12, the school terminated his contract, citing a university regulation based on that law, known as SB 846. His letter of dismissal, which was reviewed by Suncoast. His sudden ouster has sparked outrage among his students and raises questions about academic freedom as Florida’s crackdown on foreign influence plays out on campuses across the state. (link)

Apr 01: Employee Conduct: Indiana University fired [a] computer science professor on the same day that FBI agents executed search warrants at two homes owned by [he] and his wife, his union revealed Monday as it asked the school to revoke his termination. The Bloomington chapter of the American Association of University Professors in a letter to Indiana U. on Monday protested [the professor]’s firing, which it said occurred without the "highest level of scrutiny and process" required by university policy. The letter came as both the FBI and the university declined to reveal what led to the search of [his] home and the termination of the tenured professor after two decades at the university. (link)

Apr 25: Vandalism: The Michigan Department of Attorney General, Dana Nessel, along with the pro-Palestinian TAHRIR Coalition, has released more information regarding FBI and local law enforcement raids on five coalition members. The Michigan 45th District Court issued search warrants to investigate five individuals allegedly linked to home vandalism and property damage in Southeast Michigan. In a statement shared with WEMU, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel's office says, in Washtenaw County, the homes of University of Michigan President Santa Ono, Provost Laurie McCauley, Regent Jordan Acker, and the residence of an Ann Arbor officer were spray-painted with messages calling for divestment from Israel and free Palestine, and their windows were broken. (link)

Apr 18: Shooting: Two people were killed and at least six others were wounded when a gunman opened fire at Florida State University, and police said a 20-year-old suspect -- the son of a sheriff’s deputy -- was shot and taken into custody. The university issued an active shooter alert at midday Thursday near the university’s student union. A campus lockdown was lifted shortly after 3 p.m. when Florida State’s alert system announced that law enforcement had "neutralized the threat." Students and staff on Friday were allowed into buildings near the shooting to retrieve their belongings, which police ordered left behind in the immediate chaotic aftermath. (link)

Apr 18: Assault: Police arrested a suspect for the November attack against two Jewish students on DePaul’s campus, university officials said. A 20-year-old man from Hoffman Estates was charged with two counts of aggravated battery with great bodily harm, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office said late Wednesday. He is also being charged with two counts of hate crime. [The suspect] is not a member of the DePaul community, according to an email from President Robert Manuel and director of Public Safety Bob Wachowski sent Thursday morning. Michael Kaminsky and Max Long were attacked outside the Student Center on DePaul’s Lincoln Park Campus on Nov. 6. They claim they were confronted by two masked men and struck with a water bottle or soda can. (link)

Apr 15: Hazing: A Washington State University fraternity has lost its recognition for five years following a hazing investigation. The university found that the Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity forced new members to consume alcohol and cannabis, punishing those who refused with cleaning duties. The fraternity was charged by the school with hazing, reckless endangerment, and physical harm. In a separate incident, another fraternity, Sigma Chi, is under investigation after allegedly chaining the fraternity house doors shut during a social event in January, violating emergency safety requirements. (link)

Apr 12: Campus Police: Several universities in Florida have signed agreements to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement amid an ongoing push by state leaders to aid the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration. The University of Florida said Friday it has signed the 287(g) agreement that allows local law enforcement to act as immigration officers. The move comes as the Trump administration continues to target foreign nationals affiliated with prestigious American universities. The agreement in Florida allows local officers to question those they suspect of being in the country illegally and "to serve and execute warrants of arrest for immigration violations," according to a statement from Gov. Ron DeSantis in February about other law enforcement agencies in the state who signed similar agreements. (link)

Apr 09: Free Speech: Despite national debates suggesting that students face suppression of their views on college campuses, the latest Lumina Foundation-Gallup study tells a different story. The Beyond the Headlines: The Reality of Free Speech on College Campuses report finds that most bachelor's degree students, regardless of political affiliation, say that their university fosters an environment where free speech is encouraged. From discussions on race, gender and religion to broader political viewpoints, students feel they can express themselves openly. While public discourse may paint a picture of restricted speech, student experiences suggest that open discussion remains a core value of higher education. (link)

Apr 08: Hazing: A group of former Northwestern football players has agreed to settle a series of lawsuits against the university that allege hazing and abusive behavior on the team, according to a school spokesperson, who said settlement documents are being finalized. Details about the settlement terms were not immediately available, but the Northwestern spokesperson said the agreement ‘‘will fully resolve the student plaintiffs’ claims’’ against the school and former football coach Pat Fitzgerald. "It will not, however, resolve Fitzgerald’s claims against Northwestern," spokesperson Jon Yates said. Fitzgerald, who led the team for 17 seasons, has sued the university, claiming he was wrongfully terminated and committed no wrongdoing. (link)

Apr 11: Free Speech: On March 11, 2025, the Associated Press reported that West Virginia University football coach Rich Rodriguez was banning his players from posting dancing videos on TikTok. "We try to have a hard edge," said Rodriguez, "and you’re in there in your tights dancing on TikTok, ain’t quite the image of our program that I want." FIRE wrote WVU on March 17 explaining why Rodriguez’s directive violates his players’ First Amendment rights and asking the university to clarify to the team that such expression cannot be prohibited. (link)

Apr 02: Campus Protests: Several Columbia University students have chained themselves to a gate to protest Mahmoud Khalil's detention by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The students began protesting outside Columbia University's St. Paul’s Chapel on Wednesday afternoon, demanding that the institution release the names of the trustees "who gave Mahmoud Khalil’s name to ICE." The Columbia Palestine Solidarity Committee wrote on X that "We will not leave until our demand is met." A spokesperson for Columbia University told Fox News Digital that the individuals chained to the gate on campus were removed by the institution's public safety officers after around two hours. (link)

Apr 01: Free Speech: University of Cincinnati police said a student was arrested Tuesday afternoon after allegedly getting in the way of a campus demonstration. Officials said the demonstration involved "preachers" who were not affiliated with the university. [A student], 21, has been charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. Court documents claim [the student] was bumping into the leader of the demonstration and was asked by officers to stop. Ultimately, there was an altercation and officers arrested the student. After his arrest, dozens of people gathered outside the Hamilton County Justice Center to protest for his release. (link)

Apr 01 : Free Speech: A straightforward expression of support for equality spawned a lengthy legal battle that has now ended with the University of Oregon acknowledging that its employee should not have blocked Professor Bruce Gilley over constitutionally protected speech. After two-and-a-half years of litigation led by the Institute for Free Speech, the parties have now reached a settlement that vindicates Professor Gilley’s rights while establishing new, better safeguards for protected speech by citizens interacting with university social media accounts. The lawsuit stemmed from a June 2022 incident in which the University of Oregon’s Division of Equity and Inclusion blocked Professor Gilley from its official X (formerly Twitter) account after he responded to a "racism interrupter" post by reposting it with the comment "all men are created equal." (link)