St. Thomas University: Due Process Violations

In December 2019, St. Thomas University graduate student Natalia Garceau expressed complaints about STU’s Ed.D. program. The university summarily expelled Garceau, apparently without providing her any of the due process protections it promises to its students, including notice of charges, a preliminary conference, a hearing, and an appeal process. FIRE wrote to STU in January, using federal law to ask for records of any process afforded to Garceau. STU responded that our letter “contain[ed] many misstatements of fact,” but did not provide documentation or any part of Garceau’s record to substantiate its claims. FIRE wrote to STU again, reminding the institution that under FERPA, it must provide students with access to certain records. When neither FIRE nor Garcau had received her records in March, we wrote to STU once again asking it to comply with federal law and provide Garceau’s records. STU has failed to do so.