Q: What legal action can be taken if a university withholds a graduated student degree and transcripts due to their error?
The student received an email from the school student accounts and financial aid office the account was paid in full for the last semester before graduation. The student checked in with the registrar's office and student account office before graduation which confirmed the account was in good standing. After graduation, the student applied for graduate school, then learned a charge was on the account and it must be settled to receive the degree and/or transcripts. The school had performed an audit, then charged the student's account without notification and is now withholding the degree. Obviously, the school made a financial error that was caught later in an audit. Can the student be penalized for the school's financial error? If not, what legal action can be taken? We have made several phone calls to the school student account and financial aid office. All responses are " the student must pay the balance".
A:
Pay the balance. Get the transcripts. Sue the school for the money after the fact. Problem solved. Otherwise, you wrangle around in a legal pit and you still don't get the transcripts.
Or, get off the internet and retain an attorney to advocate to the school on your behalf. Sometimes a letter from a lawyer will get the ball rolling.
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