Universities are facing competing pressures: internal investigations into scholarly conduct and external litigation over protest and speech policies. The University of Maryland and its system declined to release an external investigation into allegations that the flagship’s president used unattributed text; the law firm probe reportedly cost between $200,000 and $600,000, though the committee said it found no misconduct. Separately, Cooper Union agreed to settle a lawsuit from Jewish students and revised its protest policies after claims that the college tolerated discrimination amid a pro‑Palestinian demonstration. Both cases point to growing legal and reputational exposure for institutions handling allegations of faculty misconduct and intense campus protests. Law firms, accreditor compliance teams, and state oversight bodies are increasingly involved in disputes that once were handled internally; universities are spending significant sums on investigations and settlements even when they ultimately find no wrongdoing. Why it matters: The cost, opacity, and governance implications of investigations and protest‑related litigation are forcing boards and presidents to rethink transparency, investigative scope, and public communications strategies.