The penalties if somebody is found responsible for sexual assault allegations in a sexual misconduct case at college can vary. Sexual assault would be considered a more egregious offense. Now, the nature of the sexual assault will also dictate potential consequences if somebody is found responsible. When schools are covering themselves as is their first and foremost consideration, they would let an accused party know that if they're found responsible that they could be subject to anything from a warning through probation to a suspension, up to an including, say, expulsion.
They're covering themselves because if a person is found responsible, if any of those sanctions are imposed, the school would have provided notice. Certain kinds of acts are more likely to result in certain kinds of consequences for non-consensual sex even if there's, say, no allegations of violence or undue force. If it's just say it just comes down to lack of consent, for example, 97 out of 100 times, it will result in an expulsion.
If it's any kind of non-consensual penetration, say, digital penetration, at a minimum, it would result in a suspension in most instances. If there's aggravating circumstances, it could result in an expulsion. People, unfortunately, may have a mistaken understanding as to what potential consequences may be. A baseline is a suspension at most schools if somebody is found responsible and it can get worse. It'd have to be extremely unique circumstances for it to be a lesser sanction if somebody is found responsible for sexual assault. An experienced attorney advisor can help you best understand as to what's at stake and how to best navigate such a difficult process.
