News

GEORGIA

Controversial editorial page content in several college newspapers early this year resulted in heavy criticism and, in some cases, calls for censorship.

Security on Campus Senior Vice President Daniel Carter reported progress this spring on Clery Act investigations by the U.S.

KENTUCKY

-- Gov. Paul Patton signed legislation in April establishing a statewide college and university fire safety education fund and clarifying guidelines for reporting fires.

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The "Michael Minger/Priddy fire prevention fund," was named for Michael Minger, who died in a September 1998 arson fire at Murray State University, and Michael Priddy, whom the fire seriously injured.

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The new law clarifies guidelines in the current Minger Act on reporting fires to the state fire marshal, defining "immediately" as within two hours of the discovery of a fire or fire threat.

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The law sets a fine of $1,000 to $2,000 for each day a reporting violation occurs.

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LAW:

Ky.

TENNESSEE -- Beginning in October, convicted sex offenders must register with the state bureau of investigation under a law signed by Gov.

MICHIGAN

-- After a five-year legal battle, a state appeals court ruled in January that law enforcement officials at private colleges can be deputized by local sheriff's departments, giving them the authority to enforce the law both on and off campus.

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The decision, handed down in January by the Michigan Court of Appeals, appears to give student journalists increased access to records of arrests carried out by campus police at such schools, said Dawn Phillips Hertz, general counsel for the Michigan Press Association.

NEW JERSEY

-- Statewide, journalists are likely to rejoice in July when an antiquated and restrictive open-records law will be replaced, but after their access to campus crime logs was recently denied, student journalists at William Paterson University especially are counting down the days.

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When the Pioneer Times stepped up its coverage of campus police in mid-March, its access to crime logs at the public university in Wayne was suddenly curtailed, adviser Liz Birge said.

NEW YORK

-- A student at the State University of New York at Albany sued the university-affiliated Auxiliary Services Corp.

NEW YORK

-- A state supreme court judge in January denied an appeal by Cornell University in a freedom of information case started when a radio show host sought access to information about the university's planned agriculture and technology park in the nearby city of Geneva.

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In 2000, Jeremy Alderson, then-host of National Public Radio program "The Nobody Show," said the project would have an adverse effect on area wildlife and crops, and sued Cornell when it refused to release documents about the site.

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The park is to be used for biotech research of genetically engineered crops.

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The state court decision followed an earlier ruling that since Cornell's agricultural school is affiliated with the State University of New York system, the university is obligated to release its records under the state open-records law.

NEW JERSEY

-- A bill prohibiting school districts from administering surveys that ask students sensitive questions without written parental consent was signed into law in January by then-acting Gov.