Former University student Maurice Guillaume Goodreau III has filed a $1.75 million lawsuit against the Board of Visitors, University President John T. Casteen III and three former chairs of the Honor Committee, claiming he was stripped of his degree unlawfully last year - eight years after his graduation.
According to the lawsuit, Goodreau wants the defendants' acts to be declared unlawful and for his graduate status to be restored. The lawsuit alleges that rescinding Goodreau's degree was unconstitutional.
Six months after Goodreau's graduation in 1990, the Honor Committee alleged that Goodreau "had improperly used some of the [Karate] Club's funds for his own personal expenses" when he was a University student - a misdemeanor larceny offence that he pleaded guilty to in court shortly after his graduation, the lawsuit states.
Goodreau was informed by a Committee member that it would be considered an admission of guilt if he did not either "leave the University" or request a trial. But since Goodreau already had left the University, he did not request a trial, according to the lawsuit. Goodreau also claims in the lawsuit that no mention was made that his degree potentially could be rescinded. Four months after graduation, Goodreau was found guilty of the honor violation and the Committee told him he was banned from returning to the University as a student.
The lawsuit states that in 1993 Goodreau discovered a notation on his transcript stating that his enrollment had been discontinued. Goodreau contacted the Committee in 1996 to submit a "grievance" to remove the notation.
After the case was reopened at the recommendation of the 1997 Honor Committee, it was determined that further action would be taken against Goodreau. In May 1998 he received a letter from Casteen stating the General Faculty had voted to revoke his degree, according to the lawsuit.
Committee Chairman Hunter Ferguson said after a former student is found guilty of an honor violation, the General Faculty votes as to whether the student's degree should be rescinded and the student is informed about the proceedings. According to the lawsuit, the Committee's constitution only gives the Committee jurisdiction to expel University students, but according to Ferguson, the honor system "applies to all actions that occur while a student is enrolled" at the University.
There is a two-year statute of limitations between the time an honor violation occurs and action is taken, regardless of whether a student graduated, Ferguson said.
"The philosophy of degree revocation is that if someone violates the honor code, they do not deserve to be a University graduate," he said.
Casteen, University Rector John P. Ackerly III, Goodreau's attorney Dan H. Butswinkas and University General Counsel Paul Forch declined to comment.
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