Court Decision May Signal More Legal Liability for Colleges Over Violent Crimes

Scott Schneider is quoted in the Chronicle of Higher Education article “Court Decision May Signal More Legal Liability for Colleges Over Violent Crimes.” This article discusses the recent ruling in California that requires public colleges to “protect students from foreseeable violence during curricular activities.” The California Supreme Court’s unanimous ruling deals with the case of a University of California at Los Angeles student who was stabbed, nearly nine years ago, in the neck and chest by another student who was known to college officials as having experienced delusions and threatened violence against other students.

While the decision in the case limits the university’s responsibility for safety to the classroom, it takes away a standard line of legal defense for colleges, said Scott. And it raises the possibility that future cases will test what other areas of the campus experience should fall under that realm of responsibility, such as residence halls.

To read the full article, please visit Chronicle of Higher Education.