The Hassan Case: An Analysis of the Issue of Accent Discrimination in American Higher Education

This article addresses the often-hidden accent discrimination issue in higher education. The article begins with an examination of the concept of just what an accent is. Next, the scope of Title VH's protection against discrimination due to national origin is analyzed. The rationale for equating accent and national origin discrimination under Title VH's umbrella is laid out. Then, court rulings in cases of alleged accent discrimination both within and outside of higher education are examined. This sets the stage for an analysis of the decision in Hassan v. Auburn University (1993), which offers important insights into the scope of administrative prerogative to deal with the language and accent issue in higher education. A concluding discussion of the ramifica­ tions of the Hassan court's ruling for higher education in a changing era is then offered. America's colleges and universities enjoy a competitive advantage versus the rest of the world. Around the globe, the quality of American higher education is regarded as unequaled. Higher education institutions in the United States thus stand in a unique position. They have the ability to attract the best and the brightest from countries all over the planet to come to the United States for their academic pursuits—both as students and professors. What is at the core of America's magnetism to attract the best scholars worldwide? Former Harvard University President Derek Bok answered quite clearly that the answer lay in the common currency of the English language. He wrote: