Dartmouth Student’s Lawsuit Alleges He Was Unjustly Expelled

A former Dartmouth College student has sued the school, saying he was unjustly expelled over a sexual assault allegation.

New Hampshire Public Radio reports the complaint filed Monday in federal court alleges a consensual encounter between the student, identified anonymously as John Doe, and another student, identified as Sally Smith, last spring.

Doe’s lawsuit says Smith complained to Dartmouth. Doe alleges Dartmouth’s disciplinary process unfairly favored her story over his.

His lawsuit cites a recent proposal from Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to overhaul the way colleges handle sexual misconduct allegations, adding protections for students accused of assault. Doe suggests that, had the proposed new rules been in place last year, his outcome may have been different.

A Dartmouth spokeswoman said lawsuits related to its student sexual misconduct process are uncommon and deeply personal and difficult situations.

Information from: WEVO-FM