Tulane University grants degree to student under investigation for sexual assault

Tulane University in New Orleans faces scrutiny after granting a degree to Tate Weston, a student who was simultaneously under investigation for the September 2021 rape of Cameron Lewis. Despite university assurances that Weston would not graduate while the internal probe was ongoing, he managed to bypass restrictions by completing his final nine credit hours at Texas State University and transferring them to his academic file at Tulane.

By the time the internal disciplinary process concluded in April 2023 with a finding of responsibility for sexual assault and a permanent expulsion order, Weston had already received his degree. Because he had already graduated, the university determined it could not revoke his credentials. The situation reached a critical point when it was revealed that Weston had subsequently been admitted to a different university's law school, highlighting significant gaps in institutional oversight and inter-university communication regarding disciplinary proceedings.

The case has drawn widespread attention as it exposes how students can potentially manipulate academic transfer processes to evade disciplinary consequences. There is currently no indication that the institution can reverse the academic status of the student, leaving the victim’s concerns unresolved.