When it comes to college athletes and sexual misconduct under Title IX, colleges and universities have learned to tread lightly. Presidents of institutions (and their public relations teams) are mindful that the mismanagement of one case is all it takes to tarnish a reputation they've worked hard to build. In an era where immediate punishment and disclosure are smiled upon, colleges find themselves struggling to find the line between fair treatment and overzealous measures.
In fear of backlash, many institutions today rather be safe than sorry. They publicly announce the incident to the masses and impose a swift suspension in the name of being transparent, all while leaving student-athletes in a tailspin.
If you are a student-athlete who's been accused of sexual misconduct, the process you're about to undergo won't be easy. You will be judged by your classmates, friends, family, and the general public far before you get the chance to clear your name. If the claims are false or exaggerated, it may feel like nobody believes you. But the worst part of this whole debacle is the fact that your athletic career is in jeopardy.
Regardless of the situation, all students deserve due process and the preservation of their rights. The only way to affirm you get what you are promised is with the representation of an experienced student defense attorney. If you still aren't convinced, here are a few reasons why you should consider letting a lawyer help you:
The Odds Are Against You
You may be surprised to hear that merely being a student-athlete significantly increases your chance of being accused of sexual misconduct. In fact, according to a study conducted by ESPN's “Outside the Lines,” college athletes are actually three times more likely than other students to be in this predicament.
The data in the analysis provided that about 6.3% of complaints against students involved an athlete as a person accused of wrongdoing. Whether or not the student-athletes were actually found “responsible” for these accusations were not included in the study.
You Might Be Suspended Pending the Investigation
One thing is for certain these days, schools aren't hesitant to bring down the hammer when their athletes acquire criminal charges. Take the incident involving University of Texas linebacker, Demarco Boyd. He was arrested and charged with misdemeanor assault early this year and was immediately suspended thereafter.
The decision to suspend athletes is often made by coaches and athletic directors. In a perfect world, you'd trust that these figures would make a life-altering decision in your best interest, right? Wrong. Many athletes have learned the hard way that their ineligibility to play may or may not be rooted in the desire to keep their athletic program scandal-free.
You Could Lose Your Scholarship
In the past, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) was continually under fire for going too easy on college athletes with a history of sexual violence. But the NCAA's response to allegations and determinations are slowly changing, as the association has started cracking down on student-athletes in this predicament by stripping scholarships. With so much at stake, it's in your best interest to get the help of a legal representative.
Are You a Student-Athlete Who's Been Accused of Sexual Misconduct at a Texas College or University? Contact the Lento Law Firm
The only way to make sure your voice is heard and that your rights are protected in a Title IX investigation in Texas is to retain a student defense attorney. The assistance of an attorney-advisor is invaluable in the Title IX process, especially for respondents who are student-athletes. Attorney Joseph D. Lento has the skill and expertise to help you effectively navigate the process. For a case evaluation or for more information about his representation, contact him online or give him a call at 888-535-3686 today.
Texas colleges and universities where Joseph D. Lento can help as your or your student athlete's Title IX advisor during investigations, hearings, and appeals include, but are not limited to, the following schools:
- Abilene Christian University
- Alvin Community College
- Amarillo College
- American InterContinental University Houston
- Angelina College
- Angelo State University
- Argosy University Dallas
- Arlington Baptist College
- Austin College
- Austin Community College District
- Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary
- Baptist University of the Americas
- Baylor University
- Blinn College
- Brazosport College
- Brookhaven College
- Brown Mackie College San Antonio
- Career Point College
- Cedar Valley College
- Central Texas College
- Chamberlain College of Nursing Texas
- Cisco College
- Clarendon College
- Coastal Bend College
- College of Biblical Studies Houston
- College of the Mainland
- Collin County Community College District
- Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service
- Concordia University Texas
- Court Reporting Institute Wheeler Institute of Texas
- Culinary Institute Inc.
- Dallas Baptist University
- Dallas Christian College
- Dallas Institute of Funeral Service
- Del Mar College
- DeVry University Texas
- East Texas Baptist University
- Eastfield College
- El Centro College
- El Paso Community College
- Everest College Arlington
- Everest College Dallas
- Everest College Fort Worth
- Everest College Fort Worth South
- Frank Phillips College
- Galveston College
- Grayson County College
- Hardin Simmons University
- Hill College
- Houston Baptist University
- Houston Community College
- Howard College
- Howard Payne University
- Huston Tillotson University
- International Academy of Design and Technology San Antonio
- ITT Technical Institute Arlington
- ITT Technical Institute Austin
- ITT Technical Institute DeSoto
- ITT Technical Institute Houston North
- ITT Technical Institute Houston West
- ITT Technical Institute Richardson
- ITT Technical Institute San Antonio
- ITT Technical Institute Waco
- ITT Technical Institute Webster
- Jacksonville College Main Campus
- Jarvis Christian College
- KD Conservatory College of Film and Dramatic Arts
- Kilgore College
- Lamar Institute of Technology
- Lamar State College Orange
- Lamar State College Port Arthur
- Lamar University
- Laredo Community College
- Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Austin
- Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Dallas
- Lee College
- LeTourneau University
- Lon Morris College
- Lone Star College System
- Lubbock Christian University
- McLennan Community College
- McMurry University
- Midland College
- Midwestern State University
- Mountain View College
- National American University Austin
- Navarro College
- North American College
- North Central Texas College
- North Lake College
- Northeast Texas Community College
- Northwest Vista College
- Northwood University Texas
- Odessa College
- Our Lady of the Lake University San Antonio
- Palo Alto College
- Panola College
- Paris Junior College
- Paul Quinn College
- Prairie View A & M University
- Ranger College
- Remington College Dallas Campus
- Remington College Fort Worth Campus
- Remington College Houston Campus
- Remington College Houston Southeast Campus
- Remington College North Houston Campus
- Rice University
- Richland College
- Saint Edward's University
- Sam Houston State University
- San Antonio College
- San Jacinto Community College
- Sanford Brown College Dallas
- Sanford Brown College Houston
- Sanford Brown College Houston North Loop
- Sanford Brown College San Antonio
- Schreiner University
- South Plains College
- South Texas College
- South University The Art Institute of Dallas
- South University The Art Institute of Fort Worth
- Southern Methodist University
- Southwest Career College
- Southwest Collegiate Institute for the Deaf
- Southwest Texas Junior College
- Southwestern Adventist University
- Southwestern Assemblies of God University
- Southwestern Christian College
- Southwestern University
- St Philip's College
- St. Mary's University
- Stephen F Austin State University
- Sul Ross State University
- Tarleton State University
- Tarrant County College District
- Temple College
- Texarkana College
- Texas A & M International University
- Texas A & M University College Station
- Texas A & M University Commerce
- Texas A & M University Corpus Christi
- Texas A & M University Galveston
- Texas A & M University Kingsville
- Texas A & M University Texarkana
- Texas Christian University
- Texas College
- Texas Lutheran University
- Texas Southern University
- Texas State Technical College Harlingen
- Texas State Technical College Waco
- Texas State Technical College Marshall
- Texas State Technical College West Texas
- Texas State University
- Texas Tech University
- Texas Wesleyan University
- Texas Woman's University
- The Art Institute of Austin
- The Art Institute of Houston
- The Art Institute of San Antonio
- The College of Saint Thomas More
- The University of Texas at Arlington
- The University of Texas at Austin
- The University of Texas at Brownsville
- The University of Texas at Dallas
- The University of Texas at El Paso
- The University of Texas at San Antonio
- The University of Texas at Tyler
- The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
- The University of Texas of the Permian Basin
- The University of Texas Pan American
- Trinity University
- Trinity Valley Community College
- Tyler Junior College
- University of Dallas
- University of Houston
- University of Houston Downtown
- University of Houston Victoria
- University of Mary Hardin Baylor
- University of North Texas
- University of Phoenix Austin Campus
- University of Phoenix Dallas Campus
- University of Phoenix Houston Campus
- University of Phoenix San Antonio Campus
- University of St Thomas
- University of the Incarnate Word
- Vernon College
- Vet Tech Institute of Houston
- Victoria College
- Virginia College Austin
- Wade College
- Wayland Baptist University
- Weatherford College
- West Texas A & M University
- Western Texas College
- Wharton County Junior College
- Wiley College
All students must be extremely mindful when accused of sexual misconduct at their college or university; student athletes in particular, however, can have even more concerns at all stage of Title IX proceedings because the stakes are higher yet – When first contacted by their school's Title IX office, when a sexual misconduct investigation begins, when facing a hearing or an appeal, or when seeking further recourse by filing a Title IX complaint with the Department of Education Office of Civil Rights when necessary. For student athletes in Texas who are facing a Title IX case and their families, it is critical to take the necessary precautions as soon as possible, including having an experienced attorney advisor, when accused of sexual misconduct. Unfortunately, many student athletes and their families, not being as familiar what is at stake and also their rights in the process, will mistakenly believe that if they "just explain what happened," everything will work out. Title IX cases can be won, but student athletes and their families must recognize, however, that achieving a favorable in a Title IX case requires a dedicated and intensive approach best handled by a professional who has a track record of successes in the Title IX disciplinary arena.
Fighting passionately for the future of student athletes at colleges and universities throughout the nation for over a decade, Joseph D. Lento knows how important it is to mount the strongest defense because he understands that a student athlete's academic and professional future, in addition to a post-college athletic career, is on the line. He does not settle for the easiest outcome, and instead prioritizes his clients' needs and well-being. Joseph Lento is a licensed attorney in New Jersey and New York, is admitted as an attorney pro hac vice in state and federal court if needed when representing clients nationwide, and serves as a Title IX advisor to student athletes facing sexual misconduct investigations and disciplinary cases in Texas and throughout the nation. Make certain your or your student's interests are protected - Contact National Title IX attorney Joseph D. Lento today.
