Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/boundvolumes/529bv.pdf
Page Number: 678

529US3

Unit: $U54

[10-04-01 09:35:39] PAGES PGT: OPIN

Cite as: 529 U. S. 598 (2000)

603

Opinion of the Court

antidepressant medication. Shortly after the rape Brzon-
kala stopped attending classes and withdrew from the
university.

In early 1995, Brzonkala ﬁled a complaint against respond-
ents under Virginia Tech’s Sexual Assault Policy. During
the school-conducted hearing on her complaint, Morrison
admitted having sexual contact with her despite the fact
that she had twice told him “no.” After the hearing, Vir-
ginia Tech’s Judicial Committee found insufﬁcient evidence
to punish Crawford, but found Morrison guilty of sexual
assault and sentenced him to immediate suspension for two
semesters.

Virginia Tech’s dean of students upheld the judicial com-
mittee’s sentence. However, in July 1995, Virginia Tech in-
formed Brzonkala that Morrison intended to initiate a court
challenge to his conviction under the Sexual Assault Policy.
University ofﬁcials told her that a second hearing would be
necessary to remedy the school’s error in prosecuting her
complaint under that policy, which had not been widely cir-
culated to students. The university therefore conducted a
second hearing under its Abusive Conduct Policy, which was
in force prior to the dissemination of the Sexual Assault
Policy. Following this second hearing the Judicial Commit-
tee again found Morrison guilty and sentenced him to an
identical 2-semester suspension. This time, however, the
description of Morrison’s offense was, without explanation,
changed from “sexual assault” to “using abusive language.”
Morrison appealed his second conviction through the
university’s administrative system. On August 21, 1995,
Virginia Tech’s senior vice president and provost set aside
Morrison’s punishment. She concluded that it was “ ‘ex-
cessive when compared with other cases where there has
been a ﬁnding of violation of the Abusive Conduct Policy,’ ”
Brzonkala v. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State
Univ., 132 F. 3d 950, 955 (CA4 1997). Virginia Tech did not
inform Brzonkala of this decision. After learning from a