If you’re the parent of a college student, you may worry about them getting arrested. Maybe they’ll be accused of driving under the influence or drinking underage. Maybe you’re worried that they will use study drugs or other illegal substances. Maybe you’ve just heard reports of crimes like theft or sexual assault on college campuses.
If the arrest happens, your first focus will certainly be on the legal penalties. But are there going to be educational ramifications as well? Is your college student going to get expelled just because they got arrested?
The code of conduct
The school board can decide what to do in this situation, and it’s usually based on the code of conduct they have in place. When a student faces legal penalties, they may have to go before the school board. The board can then decide to suspend or expel them if they believe that doing so is warranted.
But there is no rule written in stone, such as stating that all students who get a DUI will be expelled from the university. The board usually considers each case on an individual basis.
Additionally, some schools will wait for the legal process to play out first. The school may take no action and wait to see if the college student is convicted in court. If they are, then the school board may vote to remove the student. But the board doesn’t want to make that decision and then see the charges get dropped.
This does put you in a very complicated situation as a parent. Make sure that you are well aware of all the legal defense options your family has.