Free speech is among the most contentious issues in society, generally right now, and especially on college campuses. All sides of the political spectrum seem to feel that what they have to say should be protected while what others say should be condemned and, in some instances, even punished.
In fact, students at a school like UT-Dallas have to worry not just about what the school has to say but about what the public, the media, and the government have to say. That can create a confusing landscape of rules and regulations and make it virtually impossible to stay out of trouble.
Don’t try to defend yourself alone. If you’re concerned about a free speech issue on the UT-Dallas campus or you’ve been accused of disciplinary misconduct over something you’ve said, you’re going to need the best help you can get. These issues aren’t simple. The LLF National Law Firm’s Student Defense Team was founded to protect students. We know your rights under the law. Just as importantly, we know how UT-Dallas operates. You can count on us to use every resource at our disposal to get you the best possible resolution to your case.
What can we do for you? Find out by calling 888-535-3686 today, or take a few minutes right now and fill out one of our online forms.
Free Speech Tug of War
The UT-Dallas Speech, Expression, and Assembly Policy starts off pretty well. The very first sentence proclaims the university’s support of free speech:
“The freedoms of speech, expression, and assembly are fundamental rights of all persons and are central to the mission of the University.”
Unfortunately, that sentence comes before pages of rules and regulations governing your right to free expression. There are policies on tables, and policies on banners, and policies on “amplification.” Saying the wrong thing about the wrong person can get you into serious trouble.
Meanwhile, the Texas state legislature has passed a law, dubbed the “Campus Protection Act,” which requires student groups get permission from university officials before inviting guest speakers to campus. That includes voter registrars from local counties who, in the past, have shown up to register students to vote.
In an atmosphere like this, you’ll also run into plenty of faculty and other students who may take offense at any classroom comment they dislike or a slogan they find tasteless, no matter which side of the political spectrum those comments and slogans support.
When you do, don’t try to take the system on alone. Trying to fight a war of words almost never ends well. We can help you with the real fight–the one you’re facing with the disciplinary misconduct system. We’re always in your corner, no matter what. When your university won’t support you, the LLF National Law Firm will, and we can be fierce when it comes to defending our clients.
The Offenses
If you’re going to protect yourself, you need to know the rules. When it comes to free speech, that’s a little complicated. For all of the speech policies’ rules, it doesn’t actually forbid speech or expression. Make no mistake, though: UT-Dallas will find a Code of Conduct violation to charge you with if it decides it doesn’t like what you have to say. Here are the most common.
- Conduct Dangerous to Others: All communities have the right to protect their members from physical assault. UT-Dallas doesn’t define “dangerous” in physical terms, though. You can also be charged for “verbal abuse, threats, intimidation, harassment, and coercion.” That leaves this particular Code policy open to abuse.
- Harassment: Here again, no one should have to suffer serious harassment. In fact, the federal government protects numerous personal characteristics from harassment. However, it can sometimes be difficult to define “harassment,” and when stretched, a Code policy like this can be used to stifle any criticism of any person, group, or institution.
- Disruptive Behavior: If push comes to shove, UT-Dallas can always charge you with one of its several “disorderly conduct” offenses. In addition to “disruption,” you can be charged with “failure to comply with the instructions of a university official,” “violation of general rules and regulations,” “obstruction,” and “interference.”
Universities can get creative in how they charge students. The LLF National Law Firm has dealt with every conceivable type of allegation, though, and whatever it is UT-Dallas has decided to charge you with, we can handle it.
Navigating the Disciplinary Process
You actually have several due process rights designed to protect you when you’re charged with an offense. For example, the university must treat you as “not responsible” (innocent) until proven “responsible.” That’s a huge advantage when you’re facing a judicial system. It’s not always easy to know how to use all of these rights effectively, though. That’s where we come in.
Here’s a rough outline of what you can expect from the process.
- The Dean of Students has primary responsibility for dealing with all complaints of disciplinary misconduct. Once this official receives a complaint, they must conduct a preliminary investigation to determine if the allegations are credible and actionable.
- The Dean cannot investigate you in secret. They must provide you with notice of any charges against you. This notice must include a description of the allegations and a list of your due process rights.
- In addition, you should be offered the opportunity to give your side of the story and to offer any evidence you may have. You should also be allowed to review any evidence the Dean’s Office uncovers in your case.
- If evidence substantiates the charges, the Dean will refer the case to a hearing before either a Hearing Officer or a Hearing Panel.
- No matter what type of hearing you’re facing, you can offer any argument in defense of your innocence as long as you can support it with physical evidence and/or witness testimony. In addition, you have the right to raise questions about any evidence being used against you.
- The standard of responsibility (guilt) at UT-Dallas is “preponderance of the evidence.” According to this standard, you are responsible if it seems “more likely than not” that you committed the offense.
- The Code also gives you the right to appeal the hearing outcome if you can show you were denied any of your other due process rights.
UT-Dallas doesn’t allow students legal representation in misconduct cases. That is, you must represent yourself. However, the LLF National Law Firm’s Student Defense Team can prepare you to do that. We know what makes for the best evidence. We can help you draft a hearing presentation. And from start to finish, we’ll be paying close attention to your case to ensure the university respects all of your due process rights.
The LLF National Law Firm is Always on Your Side
If you’ve been accused of some type of disciplinary misconduct over something you’ve said, you don’t want to try to handle the situation on your own. Your educational and professional futures are at stake.
The LLF National Law Firm’s Student Defense Team is committed to your future and to ensuring you get justice. We are skilled negotiators, but make no mistake: we’re ready to fight for you any time you need us.
To find out more about how we can help, contact the LLF National Law Firm today at 888-535-3686, or fill out our online questionnaire.