The Providence Journal has mildly more detail on the saga of the University of Rhode Island student currently watching his life destroyed because a sent a stupid and racist message to a celebrity football player, and it’s kind of chilling:

[Vice President of Student Affairs Kathy] Collins said the person in question is allowed to accept responsibility for his or her action. If not, a hearing is held, which can involve a panel of university members which will determine whether any policies were violated.

Sounds like a sort of French Revolution, verdict-before-trial process.