MIDDLEBURY — A young man who was expelled from Middlebury College last summer after being accused of sexual misconduct but was allowed to attend classes while his appeal made its way through federal court, will not return to Middlebury next semester.
The former student, who was identified in court paperwork only as John Doe, dropped his lawsuit against the college on Monday.
Bill Burger, Middlebury College’s vice president for Communications and Marketing, shed no light on what brought about the resolution.
“The lawsuit has been resolved by the parties and they have agreed that the Plaintiff will complete his education elsewhere,” Burger said in a statement. “Middlebury will make no further statements about the case.”
John Doe’s Boston-based lawyer declined to discuss any aspect of the case.
The Middlebury College student was accused of sexually assaulting a non-Middlebury student while both were attending a non-Middlebury study abroad program run by the School for International Training in the fall of 2014. After SIT investigated the case, the non-Middlebury student said she was dissatisfied with SIT’s findings, and Middlebury in January initiated an investigation of the student based on documents, physical evidence and other information it received from the student who made the report. Concerns were also raised about the study abroad program’s investigation and adjudication process.
Middlebury College found the student responsible and, on July 24, expelled him.
He sued the college for “breach of contract” and a federal judge in September ordered Middlebury College to re-enroll John Doe while his lawsuit was pending. According to court paperwork, John Doe was due to graduate next spring and was offered a job, contingent upon his graduation from Middlebury, with an $85,000 per year salary, a $10,000 signing bonus and a $5,000 relocation stipend.