If you’re a student at Columbia University and you’re accused of misconduct, you should not speak to the school or others without taking the necessary precautions. Too much is at stake. Columbia University will have specific policies as to how your case will be addressed and adjudicated. The policies that would apply would impart depending on the specific offense alleged. Is it a case that involves Title IX: Sexual misconduct? Is it an academic integrity or an academic misconduct issue or is it a general disciplinary issue? Understanding and successfully navigating the policy is important key to success. You also have to understand that Columbia University as with all schools, unfortunately can be in a rush to judgment and does not have an accused student’s rights and interests in mind. That’s why an experienced attorney advisor can help navigate the process, can help protect and accuse student’s rights and interests, and can potentially help allow for the most favorable outcome.

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When the SRO (School Resource Officer) is Involved: Why “Educational Discipline” Just Became “Legal Defense”

In the name of student safety, schools are installing School Resource Officers (SROs) on campus. But SROs’ involvement in campus problems also means that incidents at school can now turn directly into criminal investigations. What parents need to know is this: If your child faces discipline because of an incident […]

Can Schools Punish Students for Social Media Posts? The Mahanoy Standard

A frustrated high school cheerleader walks into a convenience store on a Saturday afternoon. She snaps a photo with a friend, raises her middle finger, and posts a profanity-filled message to Snapchat complaining about school and cheerleading. By Monday, she’s suspended from the cheer squad. Most students would assume that’s […]

State > District > School: How Inconsistent Policies Become a Defense in Student Misconduct

The state is greater than the district, while the district is greater than the school. That probably seems like a weird SAT math problem. However, it describes the legal concept of “preemption,” when a higher authority’s law prevents lower authorities from acting inconsistently with the senior law. And preemption can […]

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 […]