Stanford is no joke. You want to succeed here, and you have to work hard. Every course is tough; every professor is demanding. Can't keep your GPA up? You can quickly find yourself on academic probation, suspended, and even dismissed.
Given that kind of pressure, it's no wonder that some students forget entirely about Stanford's equally demanding Fundamental Standard and all the other policies and community standards that govern life on campus. Or maybe meeting grade point standards have actually driven you to commit some form of misconduct. It happens.
If you find yourself on the wrong side of a disciplinary misconduct charge, though, you don't have to handle it alone. The Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team is on your side. It doesn't matter whether you're entirely innocent, the victim of some sort of misunderstanding, or you did actually make a mistake. We're here to protect your rights, to defend you from all allegations, and to get you the very best possible resolution to your case.
What can we do for you? Contact the Lento Law Firm today to find out. Call 888-535-3686, or take a few minutes right now and fill out one of our online forms.
Stanford's Standards of Conduct
Part of the difficulty of staying out of trouble at Stanford is the sheer number of rules and regulations. There's a computer usage policy, a sexual assault policy (over and above government Title IX regulations), a controlled substances and alcohol abuse policy, a policy on dangerous weapons, a policy on hazing, and a general campus disruption policy.
The real trick, though, when it comes to staying out of trouble at Stanford is abiding by the university's Fundamental Standard. That's not a list of offenses but rather a simple, two-sentence statement:
“Students at Stanford are expected to show both within and without the University such respect for order, morality, personal honor, and the rights of others as is demanded of good citizens. Failure to do this will be sufficient cause for removal from the University.
These are noble values, noble goals to which we should aspire. The problem is that they're also fairly vague. What exactly does the Standard mean by "morality," for example, or "personal honor"? You have to act morally, even when you're off campus? When values and, by extension, disciplinary offenses are poorly defined, colleges and universities have free reign to level allegations against students and assign sanctions as they see fit.
It's relatively easy to guess some of the offenses that can get you into trouble at Stanford. No school is comfortable with violence. Theft, vandalism, and disorderly conduct are likely frowned upon. Can you be prosecuted for an inappropriate joke, though? Are curse words a violation of "morality" and "personal honor"?
No matter how closely you adhere to the Standard, you are always going to be vulnerable to making mistakes simply out of ignorance. That doesn't even take into account the fact that innocent students regularly find themselves accused of offenses as a result of misunderstandings and even outright false accusations.
When you do, you can't afford to try and handle the case yourself. There's far too much at stake. Even if you're subject to a minor penalty, such as a warning or probation, if it should show up on your official transcript, it can cost you scholarships, graduate school acceptance, and even job opportunities.
Defending yourself requires an ability to parse rules, a facility for coming up with compelling arguments, and an understanding of campus judicial procedures. You're smart, no question. You're not an attorney, though, and a campus misconduct defense requires an attorney's background and experience. You need someone from the Lento Law Firm in your corner, someone keeping an eye out for your best interests.
Mounting A Defense to Misconduct Accusations
If any policy at Stanford is more confusing than the misconduct policy, it's the disciplinary procedures policy -- the Student Conduct Charter. It doesn't help matters that this policy was only recently overhauled in 2023 so processes are all new. The judicial system as a whole can be enormously difficult to navigate, and complicated procedures only add to the confusion. You do have some important due process rights designed to protect you, such as the right to a presumption of innocence ("Not Responsible"), but protecting yourself and getting justice requires you to know how to use these rights properly.
- Anyone from the Stanford community can lodge a complaint against you. However, the university cannot issue formal charges unless a complaint is both credible and actionable.
- If you have been charged, you'll receive a Notice of the Charges. This document should identify your accuser, explain the allegations, and contain a complete list of your due process rights.
- Once you've been charged, the university conducts an investigation. You have the right to give your side of the story to investigators. You have the further right to offer evidence in defense of your innocence and to suggest witnesses for investigators to interview.
- Investigators are tasked with compiling evidence in the case. Once they've completed this task, they submit a written report of their findings back to the Office of Community Standards. You have the right to review this document and any other evidence against you.
- Stanford then sets a time and date for an official hearing and appoints Conduct Panelists to make up a Hearing Panel. These panelists should all have received some judicial training. They should also be free of bias in the case.
- At the hearing, you have the right to introduce evidence and to call witnesses. In addition, you may cross-examine any witnesses against you. Of course, the other side in the case has these same rights.
- The Hearing Panel doesn't have to find you guilty "beyond a reasonable doubt." However, they must be more than fifty percent convinced you committed an offense before deciding you are Responsible.
- Finally, you also have the right to appeal the hearing, though you must have grounds to do so. Grounds have to do with issues of fairness, such as the discovery of new evidence or an allegation that the university committed some procedural error in your case.
Stanford does not allow you to bring an attorney with you to meetings and hearings. That does not mean you should try to handle your case on your own. In fact, that would be a mistake.
You always have the right to consult with the Lento Law Firm attorney, and they can help you with all aspects of your case, from uncovering evidence to drafting documents. They can also keep a close eye on what happens with your case, something that's particularly important when a school denies you the right to have an attorney present. The Lento Law Firm's most crucial job is to ensure Stanford respects your due process rights.
Fighting for Your Future
Don't risk your academic future by trying to handle a disciplinary misconduct charge yourself. Processes and procedures are complex and difficult to navigate. 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 Lento 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 to 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 Lento Law Firm today at 888-535-3686. Or, fill out our online questionnaire.
