The Chronicle of Higher Education this week (Sept. 13) reports the case of a Nova Southeastern student who claims he was wrongfully expelled from their osteopathic school one course away from graduation. He is suing for $1.3 million: the amount he would have made if he had become a doctor and practiced until age 65. The Florida Supreme Court is allowing the suit to go onward, an "unprecedented" move, that may encourage other students to sue their schools for lost wages. Let's see. My committee chair died when I was a year from completing my Ph.D., and there was no one else available to take me on. I went off to work for three years, then returned to Michigan State to finish. In other words, I could have finished my Ph.D. three years sooner if Paul Deutschmann hadn't died, or if he'd been replaced sooner. I figure that's three years of doctoral level wages the university owes me.
Dr. Bear Agree! Time has change, I am pretty sure they will pass the bill to the students by raising the tuition. I would love to have all the details of the story.
He failed his last class -- a rural rotation -- for "improper medical techniques." A quick Google gives this: Sharick v. Southeastern. From there you can find much more. Here is the plaintiff's brief and the defendant's brief. You can also find various amicus briefs online.
Thanks for the info. NSU gave back tuition money with interest to the student, Is this admiting wrong doing? Perhaps!
The court ordered NSU to reimburse him some of the tuition fees he paid to the school. The guy flunked his last exam. Period. Ph.D. (ABD) NSU
The clinical doctor had pretty strong words that he didn't want this student ever to see any patients in his facility regardless of the action NSU took. I wonder what really happened in order for this to occur? You would think that the university would be within its rights if they found the student, even late in the game, to be unsuitable as a physician. What I didn't find in the two briefs were (I admit I skimmed so it is possible I may have missed it): 1.) Did the student follow the university grade appeal process? 2.) When the student accepted the tuition reimbursement award from the lower court why didn't the university have him sign something to the effect that this would settle all of his claims, past, present, and future, against NSU. Just taking this to the next level -- imagine all of the undergraduate seniors who will never have to worry about failing the final course in their degree program because the university is now depriving them of future earnings. John
According to the description I read, he filed the suit "after unsuccessfully exhausting administrative channels."
Yep, I saw that but it seemed a bit vague. They specifically discuss him meeting with the VP and Dean but I did not see any specific mention of an appeals committee, hearing, etc. John
John, Three years of doctoral wages? Be careful- they may send you the bill Russ (already had to replace all orginal committee members because of changes in faculty) B.
