Legal recourse if incorrect requirements from a college adviser prevents graduation?

[ranzzo]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Missouri

My boyfriend is currently in his final semester of school at a Private University. His advise has final approval over his schedule for each semester taken and it turns out that he now cannot graduate due to her mistakes. He is currently trying to find out what additional classes need to be taken to satisfy graduation requirements but it seems to me that there should be some legal recourse here. After all, he completed all the necessary requirements that his adviser gave him. This mistake is currently preventing him from fulfilling a few job opportunities and it's going to potential cost and extra $15,000 in student loans if he is required to attend for another year if financial aid will even cover it. Is there anything, legally, that can be done? After all, I would think the University should hold some level of responsibility here.

 

[CSO286]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Missouri

My boyfriend is currently in his final semester of school at a Private University. His advise has final approval over his schedule for each semester taken and it turns out that he now cannot graduate due to her mistakes. He is currently trying to find out what additional classes need to be taken to satisfy graduation requirements but it seems to me that there should be some legal recourse here. After all, he completed all the necessary requirements that his adviser gave him. This mistake is currently preventing him from fulfilling a few job opportunities and it's going to potential cost and extra $15,000 in student loans if he is required to attend for another year if financial aid will even cover it. Is there anything, legally, that can be done? After all, I would think the University should hold some level of responsibility here.

And, ultimately, your boyfriend is responsible for ensuring that he has satisfied all graduation requirements.

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

Honestly, an advisers job is to advise, when a student has questions. Ultimately, it is the students responsibility to make sure they comply with graduation requirements. If they are not capable of this, they should ask their parents for assistance.

 

[Hot Topic]

If he's seriously concerned, he should be doing the research himself instead of getting his girlfriend to do it for him.

 

[stealth2]

So, your very bright boyfriend at a private university couldn't keep track of his graduation requirements, and now he can't take time to figure out what to do about it? Find another boyfriend - surely there is someone brighter and more motivated that you could date.

 

[tranquility]

While I understand personal responsibility and all that, the official representative of the university who advises students on graduation and who tracked the OP(boytoy) progress through the entire time and who officially told the OP(boytoy) [Well...what was told to him.] was in error.

What do we call that outside of the education arena? You know, when a person reasonably relied on the representation of another, causing damages? Especially when the university is a private university who will happen to get more money from OP(boytoy) because most work at universities are not completely transferable, I think there is a bit of a problem.

The legal question will be:
Is it reasonable for the OP(boytoy) to rely on the advice of the official representative of the university regarding graduation requirements when those requirements are otherwise posted to all students in writing?

I don't know without a lot of research and a better explanation of all the facts. But, I do know there is a problem here. At the very least, the university needs to deal with the adviser in some way.

 

[Humusluvr]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Missouri

My boyfriend is currently in his final semester of school at a Private University. His advise has final approval over his schedule for each semester taken and it turns out that he now cannot graduate due to her mistakes. He is currently trying to find out what additional classes need to be taken to satisfy graduation requirements but it seems to me that there should be some legal recourse here. After all, he completed all the necessary requirements that his adviser gave him. This mistake is currently preventing him from fulfilling a few job opportunities and it's going to potential cost and extra $15,000 in student loans if he is required to attend for another year if financial aid will even cover it. Is there anything, legally, that can be done? After all, I would think the University should hold some level of responsibility here.

At no time in his Junior year did he say, "Am I on track to graduate?"

He never checked off his classes? I do this at the end of every semester.

Was this the same advisor each semester?

Did he change majors? Or was he declared from walking through the door?

Really, I don't think he has a case against the university. He holds some weight in missing graduation. Some students don't even graduate in 6 years, now a days.