The University System of Maryland withheld the full report of a probe into alleged plagiarism by University of Maryland president Darryll Pines, a review that cost up to $600,000, even as officials said the committee found no misconduct. The refusal to release the investigation has provoked faculty and public records scrutiny about transparency in high‑stakes probes. Meanwhile, Austin Peay State University settled a tenure‑termination dispute by reinstating a professor and paying $500,000 after finding due process lapses in how the institution handled a social‑media‑linked personnel action. Together, the two cases emphasize growing legal, reputational and financial risks when institutions investigate high‑profile faculty or administrative misconduct without clear transparency and consistent procedures.