My University Is Threatening To Rescind My Degree Two Years After Graduation Over An Academic Integrity Dispute I Was Never Notified About.

Location: Texas

I graduated in May 2023. I have been working in my field for almost two years now, currently hold a professional license that required my degree as proof of qualification.

Three weeks ago I received a certified letter from my former university stating that an academic integrity investigation was opened in the fall of 2022 regarding a paper I submitted in a senior seminar course. The letter says the investigation concluded that I had committed plagiarism and that the faculty committee voted to recommend rescinding my degree. This is the first communication I have ever received about any of this. No email, no notice during enrollment, nothing.

I have no memory of being contacted, summoned, or given any opportunity to respond. I was never told an investigation existed. I graduated normally, walked at commencement, received my diploma in the mail.

I pulled every email from that period. There is nothing from the university's academic integrity office. My student portal was deactivated after graduation so I cannot check if something was sent there, and they are now telling me that portal records from that period are no longer accessible.

The letter gives me 21 days to submit a written response before a final decision is made by the dean.

My concern is not just the degree itself. If they rescind it, my professional license almost certainly gets revoked too because the licensing board requires a valid degree. I would effectively lose my career.

Is there any legal basis to challenge this on procedural due process grounds? The lack of notice during enrollment seems like it shoud be the central issue here. And should I be looking at this as a contract law problem as well, given that I fulfilled all requirements and was awarded the degree?