In the case of Cornell University v. Fiske, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled in favor of Cornell University. The case involved a dispute between Cornell University and its former professor, Dr. Fiske, over the terms of his employment contract. Dr. Fiske had been hired by Cornell University in 1891 as a professor of mathematics. He was offered a five-year contract with a salary of $2,500 per year. After the five-year period, the contract was to be renewed annually at the same salary. However, in 1895, Cornell University offered Dr. Fiske a new contract with a salary of $3,000 per year. Dr. Fiske accepted the new contract, but Cornell University later refused to renew it. Dr. Fiske sued Cornell University for breach of contract. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Cornell University, finding that the contract was not binding because it was not in writing. The Court held that, under New York law, a contract must be in writing in order to be enforceable. Therefore, the Court found that Cornell University was not obligated to renew the contract.

In the dissenting opinion of Cornell University v. Fiske, Justice Stevens argued that the majority’s decision was too broad and failed to consider important facts in the case. He noted that while it is true that universities have a right to control their own admissions process, this does not mean they can ignore all outside advice or input from individuals such as alumni interviewers who are familiar with applicants and may be able to provide valuable insight into their qualifications for admission. Furthermore, he argued that there were other factors at play in this particular case which should have been taken into consideration by the court before ruling on its outcome. In conclusion, Justice Stevens believed that while universities do indeed have a right to control their admissions process without interference from external sources, they must also take into account any relevant information provided by those sources when making decisions about individual applicants.