University of Wisconsin: Students' Due Process Rights

FIRE successfully persuaded the University of Wisconsin's Board of Regents to affirm due process rights for students, including the option of a hearing before a committee including student peers, attorney representation in the case of serious allegations, and both e-mail and paper notification of proceedings. The Board had proposed changes to the State Administrative Code governing infractions and judicial procedures within Wisconsin's public universities that would have limited due process rights and granted more discretion to administrators. FIRE's Adam Kissel engaged in a speaking tour of University of Wisconsin schools in opposition to these changes, even speaking before the Board of Regents in March of 2008. FIRE also wrote the Board of Regents to encourage them to increase due process protections for students and better ensure that similar cases would receive similar treatment. Although some University of Wisconsin administrators opposed these protections, the Board of Regents agreed with FIRE and made most of the changes suggested by FIRE.