Laws and government policies are deeply intertwined with higher education institutions, shaping their practices, incentives, economics, and culture. We closely follow these interactions in different state, national, and even international contexts.
Many state legislatures are acting to influence teaching and research at public colleges and universities, but these aren’t the only public policies of deep importance. Governments also shape higher education through student loan programs; public funding; accreditation; grant programs for research; and even attempts to limit discussion across international boundaries.
Other public policies shape research and teaching more indirectly. Legal and political disputes about equal protection, civil rights, and workplace conditions have had deep and long-term impacts on campus culture – for example through admissions standards, hiring policies, and the process for those accused of misconduct.
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