The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "private universities" ...
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Campus Security
ChicagoTalks reporters found only a handful of the 63 colleges and universities in Cook County are following an Illinois law -- the Campus Security Enhancement Act of 2008 (SB 2691) -- aimed to make campuses safe. Under the law, colleges and universities are required to create all-hazard emergency and violence prevention plans, along with threat assessment teams and violence prevention committees. The schools are also required to hold annual security trainings. ChicagoTalks reporters contacted, often repeatedly, every public and private, two and four-year college and university in Cook County, and determined that 11 schools appear to be violating the law, while 45 schools provided conflicting or incomplete information -- or no information at all. Reporters found just seven schools in compliance.
Tags: campus security; Cook County; violence prevention; colleges; universities
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"Drinking at Duke"
In this two-part series, Sanette Tanaka examines the alcohol policy and drinking culture at Duke University. The reporter reveals differences in drinking policies between private and public universities, as well as examines the effectiveness of the "new associate dean," who has implemented an "education-based harm-reduction model" in an effort to curb "binge drinking among students."
Tags: alcohol; binge drinking; Tom Szigethy; Stanford; Harvard; Center for Adolescent Substance Abuse Research; UNC; Wake Forest; National College Health Assessment
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Investor's Club
The story shows that the University of California had invested $2 billion into private equity funds and companies with policy making Regents that held substantial conflicts of interest. The Regents include California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, his personal investment adviser, and the husband of Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA).
Tags: Regents; conflict of interest; University of California; investment; Arnold Schwarzenegger
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Investor's Club
The eight-month investigation found that the University of California invested $2 billion in private equity funds and companies in which several Regents held significant financial interests. The Regents include Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, his personal investment adviser, Paul Wachter, and Richard C. Blum, a Wall Street professional married to Senate Dianne Feinstein (D-CA).
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Divided Loyalties
The stories look at the conflicts of interest that arise when private colleges do business with trustee-affiliated companies.
Tags: trustee-affiliated companies; conflicts of interest; contracts; hedge funds; universities
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Secrecy 101
"Universities hide information about their athletics departments behind a student-privacy law designed to keep grades private." Further, it hides athletes, who have done a number of unethical and some illegal activities. Also, coaches are using the law to hide their own bad behavior. All this information stunned the senator who created the law and he believes the "institutions are putting their own meaning into the law."
Tags: education; college; Senator James L. Buckley; NCAA; Ohio State; FOIA; Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA); federal; sports; public records; censor; academics
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The high price of Rutgers sports
For a decade, Rutgers Univeristy pushed hard to become a college football powerhouse. But a six-month investigation of Rutgers athletics -- including a new review of public records the university fought to keep confidential -- found big-time college football came at a greater price than the school disclosed and still refuses to fully document. The investigation found that Rutgers has hiked tuition, canceled classes and eliminated six other varsity sports while doubling its football spending budget; hid millions of sports expenses, including salaries and charter flights, from public view; rushed into a $102 million expansion of Rutgers Stadium to retain coach Greg Schiano and refused to reveal several other financial and fundraising efforts.
Tags: Rutgers University; college football; financial records; private universities; expense reports; stadiums
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The Secret University
Lu Hardin, popular president of the University of Central Arkansas , received a $3000,000 bonus, approved in secret by the college's board of trustees - a violation of Arkansas' Freedom of Information Act. Trustees told the reporter that the bonus came from private funds, but she discovered that the board had used public funds in violations of rules capping the amount of public funds that can be used for college presidents' salaries.
Tags: university fraud; sweetheart deals; improper use of funds; Lu Hardin; University of Central Arkansas; bonus; salaries;
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University of Montana Space Programs
The University of Montana was granted $3 million in federal earmarks from NASA between 2004 and 2005 to develop space research and create space-related jobs. UM used the money to create a for profit group called Inland Northwest Space Alliance, and a campus group called the Northern Rockies Center for Space Privatization. The majority of the money went to paying six figure salaries to university officials, former Sen. Conrad Burn's staffers, as well as their spouses and lovers.
Tags: NASA; for profit; salaries; Senator; Conrad Burns; University of Montana; INSA; federal earmarks; space programs; FBI; OIG
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Public Schools, Private Money
Reporters exposed problems with the management and transparency of nonprofit foundations associated with the North Carolina State University system, and excessive fees charged by Bank of America to run the North Carolina School of the Arts Foundation's endowment.
Tags: education; university; higher education; nonprofits; North Carolina State University; North Carolina School of the Arts Foundation; schools; colleges; mismanagement; Bank of America