The African American victim of alleged hate crimes at San Jose State University has filed a $5 million claim against the school, saying that a dorm advisor overlooked clear signs of abuse.

In 2011, a sociology professor released a study on campus climate at San Jose State University that noted problems with minorities feeling singled-out, isolated and discriminated against—sometimes even by faculty. The report’s author, Susan Murray, offered three recommendations: require diversity training for all staff and teachers, establish an office of campus diversity and incorporate diversity research into the tenure process.

A report issued earlier this week cleared San Jose State University of any wrongdoing in the way it reacted to reports of an alleged hate crime against an African American student on campus last semester. But a closer look at the evidence shows that there were red flags the school failed to notice, according to some members of a task force assigned to review the report.

It took more than a month after the incident was reported to campus police for the president of San Jose State University to learn of alleged racial harassment that resulted in the arrest of four students on hate crime and battery charges.This afternoon, the university released a fact-finding review of racist hate crimes reported from a campus apartment last semester. The 52-page audit set out to determine at what point the school became aware of the abuse, what steps it took to fix the situation and whether campus policies allowed the bullying to go unnoticed.

In the wake of high-profile hate crime allegations on campus, San Jose State University has enlisted a retired judge to conduct an independent review of what happened. LaDoris Cordell, San Jose’s independent police auditor, will oversee the investigation, which will look at how the university failed to prevent four white students from racially terrorizing a black roommate.

I applaud Congressman Michael Honda’s recent convening of the STEM Advisory Council, which I attended last Friday at Applied Materials with 60-plus engineers, educators, policy makers and non-profit leaders. We must act now, as more and more firms in the U.S., like Applied Materials, require science, technology, engineering or math degrees to satisfy their employment mandates.

San Jose State University no longer employs a lecturer accused of sexual battery by a student, according to SJSU President Mohammad Qayoumi.

One of the most generous gifts in San Jose State University’s history will push the school’s journalism and communications department closer to the forefront of the digital age. Bob Rucker, head of SJSU’s School of Journalism and Mass Communications, announced Wednesday that a Jack and Emma Anderson, a couple who owned the press where the Spartan Daily student newspaper was printed for 20 years, left $8.7 million in their will to help the school advance its digital marketing, new media and social media storytelling.

Hard to believe that California’s Republicans selected Carly Fiorina over Tom Campbell to run against Barbara Boxer in the Fall.  Campbell had polled much better than Fiorina in a theoretical contest with Boxer.  Campbell was/is one of the very few California Republican politicians who has appeal among Democrats and Independents.  Tens of thousands of Democrats and Independents would likely have voted for Tom Campbell.  How many Democrats are going to vote for Carly Fiorina…twelve?

Mitchell Colbert lifted a copy of his student transcripts above his head. With his free hand, he raised a lighter. “During the Vietnam War, soldiers would burn their draft cards to protest the war,” the senior San Jose State University political science major shouted into the microphone. “Well, I have for you today a copy of my transcript.”