We have some pretty lively discussions in my Press Law & Ethics class but none more energized than when I told students about a decision handed down in federal court. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered a man to pay $16,510.80 in court costs to the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan.
I’ve written in the past about the development of the Internet and the Web as a commercial enterprise, and how keeping it free of government regulation works best. But now comes the term “Internet Neutrality” and a court ruling that brings a queasy feeling to my stomach.
Survey results released in mid-February show that many Americans believe colleges and universities operate too much like businesses — treating students as “customers” and focusing too much on bottom-line strategies rather than on providing a quality education.
The survey — conducted by Public Agenda and the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education — indicates the percentage of respondents holding that that view increased from 52 percent to 60 percent in 2007.
