Qwynten Richards, Appellant v. University of Alaska, Appellee

Summary

The Alaska Supreme Court affirmed the superior court’s decision upholding the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ dismissal of Richards from its Ph.D. program. It held that the dismissal was academic rather than disciplinary, that the university substantially complied with its governing procedures, and that Richards received constitutionally adequate process through notice and careful deliberation. The court also upheld the award of 10% of the university’s claimed attorney’s fees.