Can a drug conviction lead to academic discipline at UNC?

Recently, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill made national and international headlines when the Drug Enforcement Agency broke up a drug ring. While you may never intend to distribute controlled substances, any drug conviction may be disastrous to your educational goals.

According to the University of North Carolina, students must comply with the laws of the Tar Heel State. Specifically, they must not possess or distribute controlled substances. If you have a conviction for a drug-related offense, you may face discipline from UNC officials.

Disciplinary action

Officials at UNC have the authority to investigate drug-related conduct of students both on and off-campus. Your risk depends on the nature of your conduct.

For a serious offense, such as selling amphetamines, cocaine, oxycodone or psilocybin, UNC officials are likely to expel you from school. While it may be possible to seek readmission to UNC, you are likely to face an uphill battle. Therefore, you may have to complete your schooling at another university.

For a less-serious offense, like possessing marijuana or steroids, you may have to complete academic probation. During your probation, you may have to attend rehabilitation or a drug education course. Students on drug-related probation at UNC often also have to undergo random drug screenings.

Your defense

If you worry about losing your ability to attend UNC, it may be wise to mount an aggressive defense to any drug charges you are facing. After all, if you can beat your drug charges, you may avoid academic discipline altogether. Alternatively, you may be able to negotiate a plea deal that either eliminates or minimizes your academic consequences.

Ultimately, because drug charges never go away on their own, it is critical for you to explore all your options as soon as possible after your arrest.