A Manhattan judge ruled yesterday that officials at Columbia's Teachers College acted within their authority when they fired Madonna Constantine amid charges of plagiarism.

The college says Constantine copied the work of her co-workers and students, but she denies plagiarizing.

Her lawyer says she will continue with her $200 million defamation suit and a federal discrimination case.

In October 2007, a noose was found hanging on Constantine's office door – sparking outrage on campus.
Authorities never determined who to put it there.

Constantine was fired in 2008.