You came to Troy University to earn a degree, and that’s where you put all of your focus. You’re in class every day, taking notes. You spend all your extra time studying. You actually start papers the day they’re assigned. Great. Except that one disciplinary misconduct allegation could potentially derail all of that hard work.

Every now and then, you need to think about how your conduct can affect your chances of getting a degree. What does the Troy code of conduct have to say? What do you do if you find yourself accused of an offense?

The first thing you do is contact the LLF National Law Firm. Our Student Defense Team was founded to protect student rights, and we know exactly how to handle every type of disciplinary situation. We’re familiar with Troy processes and procedures, and we can show you how to use those processes and procedures to your benefit.

How can we help with your case? Find out by calling 888-535-3686. Or take a few minutes right now and fill out one of our online forms.

The Rules and Regulations at Troy University

The key to staying out of trouble at Troy? Know the rules. This is also important if you’ve already been charged. You can’t adequately defend yourself unless you have a grasp of what it is you’re supposed to have done.

Troy’s “Standards of Conduct” document is lengthy, too long to deal with in its entirety here. As a starting point, though, here are the five most serious offenses, the ones that tend to carry the most serious consequences 

  • Assault: As you would expect, Troy prohibits all forms of intentional violence. The university has a responsibility to protect everyone on campus. Note that the ban on assault also bars any “intentional physical contact of an insulting or provoking nature.” Just touching another person can be grounds for an assault charge.

  • Weapons Possession: Alabama state law affords students the right to keep firearms, bows, and ammunition in their vehicles, provided the devices are out of sight. Otherwise, Troy bars all use and possession of firearms and other “potentially dangerous items.”

  • Hazing: All initiation activities that threaten a person’s physical, mental, or emotional well-being are explicitly forbidden under Troy’s anti-hazing policy.

  • Sexual Misconduct: Troy is required by federal law (Title IX) to investigate all credible complaints of sexual misconduct, from simple verbal harassment to stalking, dating violence, and rape. In addition, the government encourages schools to impose harsh penalties on anyone found responsible for (guilty of) such an offense.

  • Illegal Drugs: Troy doesn’t just prohibit the use and possession of illegal drugs, but also manufacture, cultivation, distribution, and sale. You can also be charged for misuse of legal drugs and for possession of any drug-related paraphernalia.

“Serious consequences” generally mean suspension or dismissal. Both can end your career at Troy. Technically, you can return from a suspension, but in most cases, you’ll have to do so without financial aid. Plus, both of these sanctions come with a transcript notation about the nature of the offense. A notation like this can cost you job opportunities.

Don’t risk these outcomes. Make sure you have the best possible help on your side at the first sign of trouble. The LLF National Law Firm works extensively in the field of student defense, and no one gives you a better chance of successfully protecting your academic and professional futures.

Navigating the Disciplinary Misconduct System

The “Standards of Conduct” doesn’t just provide a list of offenses and sanctions. It also outlines the disciplinary misconduct process. As part of that process, you have some important rights, designed to protect you from unfair treatment and to ensure justice is done in your case. For example,

  • Anyone can accuse you of a disciplinary misconduct offense. However, the university cannot issue formal charges against you unless it believes the allegations are both credible and actionable.

  • Any time you’ve been charged with an offense, the university assigns a Student Conduct Officer to your case. This Officer’s first job is to provide you with notice of the charges. This notice must include a description of the allegation and a complete list of all your due process rights.

  • The university must also conduct a full investigation. You are presumed innocent (“not responsible”), and it takes concrete evidence to overcome that presumption.

  • As part of the investigation, you should be invited to give your side of the story.

  • You also have the right to review any evidence the university uncovers in your case.

  • Once the investigation is complete, the case moves into its hearing phase. As part of this hearing, you are entitled to present physical evidence and to call witnesses to testify. You further have the right to raise questions about any evidence being presented against you.

  • All case decisions must be based on the legal standard “preponderance of the evidence.” According to this standard, decision-makers must believe it is “more likely than not” that you committed the offense before finding you responsible for that offense.

  • You also have the right to appeal the hearing outcome if you can demonstrate that you were in any way denied a fair opportunity to present your defense. This typically means a new piece of evidence has been uncovered, the university committed some type of procedural error, or you’ve been assigned a clearly disproportionate sanction.

It’s easy to forget that Troy University is your adversary when you’ve been accused of committing some type of misconduct. The university handles most of your problems most of the time. In fact, administrators may even tell you the school takes a neutral stance towards disciplinary offenses. Don’t believe it. The university is investigating you. The university is responsible for judging you guilty or innocent. You need someone in your corner. The LLF National Law Firm is always on your side and ready to fight to make sure you’re treated fairly.

Trust Your Case to the LLF National Law Firm

Handling your own disciplinary misconduct case puts your entire future at risk. Make sure you have a professional on your side, someone who not only knows how to construct a strong defense but who has experience helping student clients defend themselves from university charges. The LLF National Law Firm’s Student Defense Team will make sure you’re fully prepared to defend yourself. They’ll protect your rights. They’ll help you get the very best possible resolution to your case.

Sometimes, you have to fight for your educational future. We can help. To find out more, contact the LLF National Law Firm today at 888-535-3686. Or, fill out our online questionnaire.

Alabama

Tell About Your Case

Zero-Tolerance Discipline Policies Can Undermine Students’ Due Process Rights

Colleges and universities have broad authority to maintain campus safety and enforce student conduct policies. However, students accused of misconduct don’t lose their due process rights simply because allegations are serious. At the higher education level, courts have repeatedly recognized that suspension and expulsion can have life-changing academic and professional consequences. As […]

Stopping Expulsions in California: Secondary Findings a Potent Defense

It’s the phone call that every parent dreads: your child has allegedly committed a serious offense at school and is facing the possibility of expulsion. Expulsion is a serious and lasting mark on a student’s record. However, California law requires that schools meet a very high standard before expelling students […]

Can Your Search History Bring You Down? How Schools Can Use Search Histories as Evidence of Misconduct

Students at Princeton University are drawing attention to the school’s policies and access related to students’ search histories on their devices. An article in the Daily Princetonian points out the ways that the university can use students’ search histories as evidence of cheating or other misconduct. Students are worried that […]

When the School Becomes the Problem: What UNC’s Botched Investigation Teaches Every Student

A University of North Carolina (UNC) student lost his scholarship and was permanently expelled from the entire UNC system after the school found him responsible for sexual misconduct. Years of federal litigation followed. And then, quietly, UNC settled. The former student, identified in court records as Jacob Doe, argued that […]