Review: Handbook for Student Law

Dr. James Ottavio Castagnera recently published another excellent book entitled "Handbook For Student Law For Higher Education Administrators." The Book, which is softcover and spans 255 pages is available for $35.00 from the publishers website linked above. The publisher describes the book as follows:

The Handbook for Student Law for Higher Education Administrators is a practical tool, intended for administrators dealing with students in higher education, focusing principally on four-year institutions. Addressing the ever-developing relationship between higher education and the law, the book will provide the academic administrator with the means to knowledgably and confidently navigate the many legal threats and challenges facing colleges today. Using examples from real cases and scenarios from different institutions, the handbook provides sample policies, checklists, and advice that administrators can apply to a wide variety of situations, both preventatively and proactively. Also included are relevant 2008-09 amendments to the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act, and each chapter includes a section on the impact of the Higher Education Opportunities Act of 2008. The Handbook for Student Law for Higher Education Administrators is a compendium of practical knowledge and guidance, useful for any administrator dealing with the legal minefield that is higher education.

The book is full of case law cites and real life situations that American Universities face every day. The book starts off with a summary of the history of higher education in this country (which is worth a read in and of itself) and then goes on to explore the legal mine field of higher education law. Some of the topics which are discussed include legal issues surrounding university admissions, financial aid, academic discipline, plagiarism, student on student harassment, and the privacy rights of students.

What makes the book particularly worth while is that it includes checklists and sample university policies. I am not aware of another book which comprehensively examines the subject. While the book is clearly designed for non-lawyer university administrators, lawyers and others interested in higher education could surely benefit.

We have reviewed other books by Dr. Castagnera, here and here. Like the others, this will surely not disappoint.

Mitchell H. Rubinstein