Title IX law is in constant flux, with new rules and legal challenges continuing to shape how schools, colleges, and other institutions handle sex-based misconduct and discrimination.  Our firm closely monitors these developments and is committed to providing the most current information available. Click here to learn about the current state of Title IX and how we can help if you are facing accusations or other Title IX issues.

No student ever wants to hear they’ve been charged with disciplinary misconduct. Even if you are entirely innocent, you can never be certain how an investigation and hearing will play out. Colleges and universities take all policy violations seriously. They are often quick to initiate investigations and quick to convict, and the sanctions, even for minor offenses, get more severe every year. Harvard can be particularly strict. After all, it has a global reputation to protect.

You have more to lose than the average student, though. You’re a premed student at Harvard, one step away from medical school. You’ve studied and sacrificed to get to this point. You’ve kept your GPA up. Maybe you’ve even taken the MCAT already. If you’re found Responsible for an offense, even a minor offense, it could wind up derailing all your plans.

You have to take every challenge to your future seriously. You simply can’t afford to try and handle a misconduct allegation on your own. You need the very best help you can find. You need someone from LLF National Law Firm.

LLF National Law Firm’s Student Defense Team is committed to protecting student rights. We’ve defended hundreds of students from all types of charges. We know the law, we know how Harvard’s judicial system operates, and we’re ready to put what we know to work for you. To find out more, call 888-535-3686 or take a few minutes right now and use our online form to tell us more about your case.

Misconduct at Harvard

Premed students don’t get special treatment at Harvard. You’re subject to the same kinds of rules and restrictions as any other undergraduate.

  • Academic Misconduct: First, you are subject to Harvard’s Honor Code. That Code mentions specific offenses like cheating and plagiarism, but more broadly, you can be charged for any act that could potentially give you an unfair advantage in the classroom.
  • Disciplinary Misconduct: Your conduct outside of the classroom is under just as much scrutiny as your conduct in it. In addition to the Honor Code, the Undergraduate Bulletin contains a long list of “General Regulations” (49) covering everything from underage drinking to physical violence.
  • Sexual Misconduct: These offenses don’t just violate school policy. They violate federal law. Title IX bars sexual discrimination and harassment on all college and university campuses.

Some offenses at Harvard are considered more “minor” than others. Any finding of Responsibility can affect your med school applications, though. Nor does the severity of the sanction matter in particular. If your record reflects that you’ve cheated on an exam, it won’t matter that you only received a warning. You can expect schools where you’re applying to raise questions.

Misconduct Procedures

Of course, Harvard can’t simply accuse you of misconduct and issue you a sanction. You are entitled to due process. That means some form of investigation and the opportunity to formally defend yourself at a hearing. You have other important rights as well, such as the right to a presumption of Not Responsible (innocence) and the right to review all evidence in your case. Cases can differ depending on the nature of the charges, but in general, they follow a basic structure.

  • Most cases begin with a complaint lodged against you with either the Honor Council (academic misconduct), the Administrative Board (disciplinary misconduct), or the Title IX Coordinator (sexual misconduct).
  • You are entitled to Notification of the Charges. This document should provide you with details of the allegation as well as a complete list of your due process rights.
  • You can expect Harvard to undertake some type of investigation into your case. Even a charge of plagiarism requires that your instructor provide clear evidence of your guilt. In most instances, you’re offered an opportunity to give your side of the story as part of the investigation. Investigators may also talk to witnesses, and they’ll collect any physical evidence.
  • The results of the investigation become the central element of the hearing that follows. You may offer opening and closing statements. Depending on the type of hearing, you may be able to submit evidence and call witnesses to testify. In all cases, you should have the chance to raise questions about the evidence against you.
  • All Harvard cases are decided using a legal standard known as “preponderance of the evidence.” According to this standard, decision-makers must find you Responsible if they are more than fifty percent convinced of your guilt.
  • If you’ve been sanctioned with dismissal, you can appeal a hearing decision. If the sanction is less than dismissal, you can ask for a reconsideration of the case. In order to do either, though, you must have “grounds.” Harvard allows for only two grounds: either a procedural error or the discovery of new evidence.
  • Finally, if you’re found Responsible, decision-makers will also determine an appropriate sanction. Sanctions can vary from warnings to expulsion, but again, the specific level of the sanction may not matter. Any finding of “Responsible” can interfere with your med school applications, even if all you suffer is a warning.

You may or may not have the right to bring your LLF National Law Firm attorney with you to investigative meetings and hearings. Title IX procedures allow this, for instance, but Harvard prohibits it in all other types of cases. Even if your attorney can’t accompany you, though, they can play a vital role in your defense. You can expect your attorney to help you develop your overall strategy, to work with you to gather and organize evidence, to draft any documents on your behalf, to coach you in responding to questions, and to provide you with advice on your presentation itself. More important than anything else, your LLF National Law Firm attorney will keep track of everything that happens in your case and ensure your rights are protected.

Fighting for Your Future

Fighting a misconduct charge is never an easy proposition. Beyond the complexities of the Harvard judicial system, you have to worry about whether sanctions are recorded in your record. You have to worry about who might find out about the allegations and whether that might interfere with recommendation letters. You have to keep a close watch on social media and make sure your reputation doesn’t suffer online. It’s an enormous amount of work to have to deal with on your own.

That’s why the minute you suspect you might be in trouble, it’s vital that you contact LLF National Law Firm’s Student Defense Team. We can negotiate with faculty and administrators if that’s what’s called for, but we can also be fierce in defending our clients.

Let us help you fight for your academic future. To find out more, contact the firm today at 888-535-3686. Or, fill out our online questionnaire.

Pre-Medical Student Issues

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