The University System of Maryland and University of Maryland, College Park declined to release a law-firm investigation into allegations that President Darryll Pines committed academic misconduct, citing personnel confidentiality. The probe, led by Ropes & Gray, billed $199,999 during an initial inquiry phase and carried a contract ceiling that could bring total costs near $600,000, documents show. System officials said a committee found no evidence of scholarly misconduct but did identify reused introductory passages and an authorship discrepancy; the investigative report remains confidential. The dispute has prompted criticism from transparency advocates and raised questions about how public institutions handle academic-misconduct probes involving senior leaders.