Former Hokies rover C.J. Reavis released a heartfelt statement on Twitter Wednesday night to address his dismal from Virginia Tech and transfer to East Mississippi Community College.
Virginia Tech defensive back CJ Reavis will transfer to East Mississippi Community College, according to his high school coach.— Eric Kolenich (@EricKolenichRTD) August 5, 2015
Proverbs 16:9 pic.twitter.com/kDMVL05JyD— Cj Reavis (@Veintiuno_Era) August 6, 2015
Reavis was dismissed from Tech on July 9 after a student conduct hearing. His appeal was denied on July 28. The exact reason as to why Reavis was originally dismissed is still unknown. However, in an interview with the Daily Press' Norm Wood, Reavis' lawyer Jimmy Turk was adamant C.J. got the short end of the stick.
"I just think it's terribly, terribly tragic, aside from being just wrong. It's just 100 percent wrong what they've done to him."
Turk added Reavis presented new evidence to the committee during the appeal, but based on the brief, half-page statement by the committee after the appeal, Turk wasn't sure the evidence was seriously considered. All student conduct hearings are confidential unless released with the permission of the student involved or by court order, according to state laws.
"I can tell you with 100 percent certainty that a Commonwealth's Attorney here in Montgomery County would not even give these facts the time of day," Turk said. "What Virginia Tech based their decision on, the Commonwealth's Attorney in a reasonable application and a reasonable view of these circumstances would not give it the time of day. I feel very confident stating that. This is very unfair and very hurtful and harmful. It's a very, very sad day for C.J."
Reavis was expected to be the Hokies' starter at rover this fall. Tech is now left to plug a hole at that position before its Labor Day night matchup against No. 1 Ohio State.
Comments
Got to feel bad for the kid, and I know that we will be missing him come kickoff on Labor Day. The Student Conduct Committee has always been a no exceptions sort of department though, so I would have never expected an appeal to go through.
I'd feel bad for him if it was something real minor
By all means lets hear it
So, you want him to reveal what he was accused and convicted of by the student conduct committee. What does he possibly stand to gain from that, especially if he didn't do it? Right now he's just a kid that got possibly railroaded by the system. If he tells us what he was accused of, at least some people will believe he is guilty. It doesn't help him get back on the team. CJ gains nothing, while the fans have their curiosity satisfied. I don't blame him at all for not going public with the details.
It sure doesn't sound so bad. Tech's Lawyer has said everything short of what it was, but, how what it was was nothing.
SPECULATION ALERT:
I wonder if "someone else" means he received money from outside sources somehow. Idk just throwing darts at a barn door for kicks here.
I think you're digging a little. By someone else, I'm sure he means leaving it up to Student Conduct.
This makes too much sense and is probably true
No. Think more one on one, private situation, where there's no proof and only he-said she-said.
I don't need to know what happened. It is sufficient for me to know that he made a mistake & he was dismissed. And because I do not know the details, I cannot judge the severity of his mistake nor know if the Student Conduct group treated him fairly. I just know that we have lost a very talented young adult student athlete. I wish him well & hope he eventually gets to play for a good football team.
CJ: life is a humbling teacher. Learn whatever lesson is needed and go kick ass.
And don't forget your phone charger.
Once a Hokie, always a Hokie.
I will continue to root for CJ until evidence, not speculation, comes forth to make me reconsider.
I question that statement.
So glad he's already found a place to go. Having no info makes it difficult to judge what the punishment should be but i will say that I disagree 100% that a student peer group should have the power to permanently dismiss another student. Any case like this should be reviewed and given final judgement by someone in a real position with the university.
If anyone is interested here is the page from VT about the committee:
http://www.studentconduct.vt.edu/volunteers/student_conduct_committee/in...
The appeal process should at least be through school admin. My high school was a military high school and the honor court, of which I was the captain in charge of, could recommend explusion but the appeal went to a board of headmaster and admin officials.
It is exactly that though
In 2 parts
1.
The president of Virginia Tech is ultimately responsible for the discipline of all students at the university. Administrative authority and responsibility for Student Conduct policies and procedures is delegated to the vice president for student affairs
2.
interim director for Student Conduct. In this capacity adjudicates cases of student and student organization misconduct and issues sanctions ranging from a formal warning through dismissal from the university. Additionally, he provides daily supervision for office operations. Holds a master's degree in education from Virginia Tech and a bachelor's degree in psychology from Other College.
Previously served as the assistant director for Student Conduct and assistant director for Residence Life at Virginia Tech. Served as the assistant director for Student Organizations and Leadership Development at Other University. Was awarded the Advisor of the Year from the South Atlantic Affiliate of Colleges and University Residence Halls (SAACURH) and the Lynne M. Sponaugle-Crosby Award. Also the advisor for the VT chapter of a Frat.
(Name removed to prevent witch hunting)
I've seen noting that says they looked at the appeal. Just that the board reviewed it.
The information in the conduct referral will be reviewed by a professional staff member in Student Conduct. If there is the potential that a policy was violated during the incident, students will receive an email notice. At that meeting, you will be able to describe what happened during the incident in question. You can resolve your case immediately through an agreed resolution or schedule a formal hearing.
At the formal hearing, You can expect to "be heard." The meeting or hearing is not an opportunity to "defend yourself." Nor, are you "presumed guilty". The C.R. represents only a portion of what took place in the incident, you are being asked to attend to describe your involvement (if you choose). The hearing officer or committee will ask questions regarding the incident and discuss with you how the conduct affects you and the community. Once all information has been shared, the hearing officer or committee will make a decision regarding the policies and if appropriate, issue sanctions.
Appeals must be based only on the following grounds: (1) denial of procedural guarantees, (2) significant and relevant new evidence that was not available at the time of the hearing, and/or (3) sanctions/findings that are unduly harsh or arbitrary. Appeal requests will be denied in cases not having sufficient grounds in one or more of these areas.
At a formal hearing, the student or organizational representative may challenge the objectivity of any committee member or administrator, given reasonable cause to believe that the member may be biased or have a conflict of interest. (In the case of a committee formal hearing, the committee advisor will make a final ruling on any such challenge.)
The outcome of the formal hearing will be determined solely on the basis of evidence presented. A determination of responsibility is made when the preponderance of evidence supports the charge(s).
I like how that description transitions from "At the formal hearing you can expect to "be heard." The meeting or hearing is not an opportunity to "defend yourself"" to near the end of the description "the outcome of the formal hearing will be determined solely on the basis of evidence presented"
To me this structure is quite flawed and on top of that, the way it is presented sets accused students up to be unprepared for the type of questioning and accusations they'll be targeted with at the hearing, and thus mount a poor defense.
"Any case like this should be reviewed and given final judgement by someone in a real position with the university" . It is my understanding his appeal was heard by a dean of student affairs . Is this not correct?
Having never gone through the process, I have no clue. It would make perfect sense for that to be the case, but everything keeps mentioning the SCC and nothing else, so that is what everyone is going off of.
And I just found this.
Just wow...so college kids are young, and sometimes need time to mature. That is unless they are certain kids, and in that case given benefit of the doubt, are fully mature, and have authority to kick other kids out of school without further oversight.
An administrative authority typically has many, many more years of experience to draw upon, having seen lots of screw ups in varying degrees. Things may well have ended up in the same place, but I will say this has opened my eyes. Damn me for never reading the fine print.
Hold up. Let's not get the pitchforks out just yet. I do believe this is the same group that found Shai had not violated any student conduct rules. So I don't think they are willy nilly about dropping the banhammer. I just don't think that they should be given that power in the first place, especially as it seems that it stems from case overload. Instead if they come to the conclusion that dismissal seems like the only recourse I believe that it should be automatically reverted to an administrator who hears it fresh and gets Reavis' take first hand before making final decision, AND THEN have the appeal process after that.
I agree with that. I think with something as severe as dismissal it would have to go to a higher official to be reviewed and approved. All other judgements they can do, whatever they are.....but kicking a kid out of school should be reviewed and approved at a higher level.
There are no pitchforks regarding this situation; we are saying the same thing. My comment was / is solely regarding the process. The outcome is irrelevant, which is why I said we may well have ended in the same place. I agree with the power of this committee no more in the case of Shai than with C.J.
The fact remains that an administrator likely has more experience to draw upon and should be involved.
Would it be great to have him on the team right now? Yes; however, I have no idea what he did, so I can't draw conclusion as to whether he should be in school or the student committee got it right or wrong.
No idea about the appeal process. I never dealt with the Student Committee myself. I would hope so, but then again I would hope that the power of permanent dismissal would not be a power they can have in the first place.
Agreed. At the very least, there needs to be some transparency. It's kind of a weird dynamic--the conduct committee isn't held to the same standard of evidence and lacks the transparency of a court, but in a lot of instances the punishments they dole out are a lot more severe. I think I would rather spend a few weeks in jail than be permanently dismissed from school. The long-term consequences of that are awfully weighty for a group of students to decide behind close doors. I don't like it at all, but like you said, it'd difficult judge the decision without any facts.
I don't like that him and his lawyer continue to publicly claim how poorly they were treated by the student conduct comittee, yet have not actually given a statement on why he was kicked out. If you are going to bitch and moan about something in a public forum, you have to give some background as to why you were wronged.
I also don't like the whole secret student conduct meeting stuff. As a student I'd like to know what actions apparently can result in expulsion.
Great points. As a hokie alum, I can honestly say I did not know the student conduct committee had that much authority.
If Reavis ends up going to the NFL in a couple years we'll probably find out. Teams will want to know why he got booted and that kind of thing always ends up leaking out.
Could this mean with permission of the accusing student as well? If so, he wouldn't be able to give any background.
To be fair, it's private for a reason. They hold hearings way more than we know. (some in here didn't even know it existed...) And Reavis owes us nothing. Honestly, it's refreshing and assuring knowing that we don't provide preferential treatment to our student athletes.
Well, as a student, you should know this. Ignorance of it isn't an excuse. Evidently, what occurred was deemed to be against policy. Again, we are owed nothing nor an explanation. But as a student, you know that whatever he was accused of could result in such decisions.
I don't think most people did not think it existed, only that not many (including myself) knew the upper limit of what the SCC were capable of passing down punishment-wise. I certainly knew about the SCC and that they could hand out punishment, just not to what extent they could punish.
Because everyone treats the Hokie Handbook like the iTunes User Agreement. "Yada, yada, yada...where do I sign?" It's all posted online; it may not specifically say "we can expel you," but the implication is pretty clear with "severe consequences for first-time offenses" in some instances.
Like I said, I knew they could pass down "severe consequences", but the upper limit being expulsion from a group of same aged collegiates doesn't jump out of that statement. If there is a process where the SCC hears the case, judiciate the case, and it is then passed on to a VT official, I can understand that. But, nowhere in anything I have read, does it once mention that. I do not feel fellow students should be able to hold someone's collegiate career in their respective hands. That is all I am trying to get across.
I've been pretty critical of the process, too. I think there needs to be better oversight and transparency, as well, especially given that VT is a public university. I just think that everyone (students especially) should be more aware of what expectations are (because, as has been said, most aren't) and should assume that the worst is possible.
This i wholeheartedly agree with.
I wouldn't call it same aged, the Judge in the System has a Master degree from Tech in Psychology. And the associate Judge holds 2 Master's Degrees from Tech
But as I was alluding to earlier, before this information was released, all statements from Reavis have only mentioned the student council committee and nothing of an overseeing judge and assoc. judge. So I was working under the assumption that only the SCC heard his case and not the two judges. Not saying I should assume anything, because I certainly know what that usually makes me, but that is how I interpreted the information.
interim director for Student Conduct. In this capacity adjudicates cases of student and student organization misconduct and issues sanctions ranging from a formal warning through dismissal from the university.
The judge may not be involved in the case but the decision was reviewed by the judge and agreed to
Gotcha
Those user agreements will get after ya.
I wonder if that includes Virginia Tech...not that I could blame him either if he wants to not return to the school whose Student Council kicked him out.
We still don't know what happened, and it's honestly none of my business. I think we all wish him nothing but the best.
I don't want to beat a dead horse, but now seems like a good time to remind everyone that you should think long and hard before tweeting a recruit, player, or former player. Sometimes I post things on TKP trying to be funny, witty, or even sincere..., but I just end up sounding like an ass. Twitter can make you sound like an ass in less than 140 characters.
I will always support C.J. Reavis in his team. He sounds ready to put the nightmare behind him and move on with his young career. I would love for Reavis to re-join Hokienation but I'll understand if he doesn't.
I agree regarding the support, but I don't think it's his option.
I don't know the circumstances of this situation with CJ and while I liked everything about his play I do not know him as a person but he appeared to be liked by his teammates and coaches. As a father, it is very difficult to get kids to understand the concept of " don't put yourself in that situation" even when you show them examples. I have 2 high school boys that care about hokie football and I have used this to try and teach...obviously this is not the only teaching technique...
Not trying to change subject, but good to see a fellow AGR on here.
Haha yes sir. I think you might be younger but wiser. I am BHSN386
Good to see you in this great virtual community
Wiser, probably not. Good meeting you as well. BHSN575
BHSN 621. Good to see you both!
Is AGR the agricultural fraternity? I recall partying there once or twice. Those country boys could get after it!
Homecoming in August? I like it!
Sure is, things haven't changed a whole lot either
If this is the beamer who came shortly after me, i'm Ransom's little brother.
Had to talk to ole Seamus to find out who you were haha mistook his stud for yours he's 595.
No problem brother.
^true this, Poppa.
Kids live with blinders on and expect that their actions are secretive and therefore innoxious. Unfortunately experience at times is the only mechanism to widen their field of vision.
I try to show my kids examples of 'poor decision-->consequence' but trial and error was my personal schoolmarm.
"innoxious"
I'm going to go ahead and give this my vote for word of the day..."innocuous", I get, but I am humbled by this revelation. TKP posters. They'll get after ya.
As for Reavis...dammitall. I loved the guy as a recruit when he tortured UVA via twitter, then backed it all up immediately on the field. He was becoming a real favorite of mine.
I don't twitter, but I imagine he is figuratively "dying by the sword" as we speak.
Can't say one way or the other about this, as others have said, but as a player...and that is all I try to concern myself with on a football message board...he will be missed, I wish him well, and I hope he makes lots of money.
We all know that when your 18 you do not listen to anyone but yourself, parents are stupid and your ten feet tall and bulletproof. It will never happen to me should be the official teenage quote. We have all been there and know maturity happens at all different ages.
Sooo....how's our JUCO recruiting looking???
joking aside, I wish him the best and agree with everyone else's sentiments about the SCC and this whole situation. Of course without knowing what he did it's hard to gauge who to be most disappointed with.
I think now is a good time to remind everyone that Melvin Keihn immediately transferred to Maryland after this case ended...
Shai+Reavis+Keihn=A Lot of Drama on the team right now.
VT+Shai-Reavis-Keihn=a little less drama once the pads are put on and practice starts.
Well, not anymore.
#SAUCES
Keihn was given the opportunity to either snitch on Reavis or they both would be kicked out. Keihn did what's best for him and is now enrolled in Maryland.
#SAUCES
My question to Keihn is why would you throw your alleged friend under the bus if you were leaving anyway?
he wouldn't have been given a clean release if he didn't confess/snitch.. again this is all rumors but I know 100% CJ was not given a clean release and that's probably why he had to go JUCO..
Good point. Keihn still has to sit out a year for transferring, but he can do so on scholarship.
How do you not have a clean release if the school kicks you out?
The NCAA consider getting expelled by a conduct board to be "leaving a school while not in good standing" which means you're not eligible for a Division 1 scholarship the next year, nor are you eligible to participate in Division 1 athletics the next year. So Reavis could either pay his own way to attend ODU and sit out the year, or go JUCO and continue playing and build a name for himself and be recruited as JUCO transfer for the 2016 season. He would have 3 years to play 2 for whichever school he transfers to in 2016.
DBU nailed it
just what you said the school kicked him out, he didn't leave on his own.. so sadly his academic standing/portfolio or whatever VT calls is marked with that.
Most schools when an athlete is trying to transfers takes into account on how his academic/student athlete standing is.. a suspension/being kicked out of a school is a no go for a ton of schools.
Unless you're in the $EC
SEC's new transfer rules.
So technically speaking CJ could go to an SEC school, however they're loaded with incoming kids for the fall. Summer was the worst time for CJ to get kicked out as all schools have their spots filled.
It's not a conference rule, it's an NCAA rule. It's one thing to be suspended from an athletic team and transfer while still in good standing with the school overall. That's where the SEC has been pretty lenient in the past.. accepting troubled transfers who weren't sanctioned by the academic side of the house. (They recently toughened up their rules a bit though, see the other post in this thread)
Reavis being kicked out by the student conduct council puts him in the "not in good standing" category that is subject to NCAA sanction, nothing a conference can do about it.
So basically a schools conduct board ruined this kids NCAA career for 1 maybe even his whole career... which is crazy to even think about. This shouldn't be happening anywhere.
And yet sadly, he might be in good academic standing as this occurred over a summer session.
That's a big leap you just made
I avoid speculation generally, especially in cases like this, but it was strange to me that within 24 hr of the Reavis news, people were already welcoming Keihn to Maryland on Twitter. This was well before his release was official, so it seems that it was already set up beforehand. Transfers do not happen immediately.
More generally, I'm going to avoid what a few others are doing by speculating on what happened and what should or should not be done. Reavis and Keihn are now former VT students; I thank both of them for their time on our team and wish them both well. Life is about learning, and I suspect everyone involved has learned something about themselves or others. That's all that matters.
Best of luck young man. My wife likes to say that I know so much because I screwed up so many times when I was younger and learned from my mistakes. Take your learned lessons and move on with your life and go out and lay some JUCO wood...
All I can say is, we don't know what happened.
Good Luck CJ! Go Hokies indeed!
Except that it wasn't serious enough to interest the law and it wasn't cheating.
Ah, got it.
As my oldest goes to college my wife is constantly showing him stories of where one person is accused of harassing (either sexually or verbally) another person in a 1 on 1 situation with no witnesses. Very hard to know what really happened, not to mention prove it, but these days it always seems like the accused is often assumed guilty, even if there is known to be a beef between the parties before hand. My neighbor's son's girlfriend accused him of assault after a fight she started by hitting and scratching him, when he did not even fight back. He would likely have gone to jail if she had not had an assault record and tried this type of thing before. Stay away from the crazy ones!
Accurate. Stubby thumbnails creep me out.
my favorite saying... "Don't stick your dinger/willy/dork magic in crazy".
One of the few instances where it is good to NOT have fully dipped dork magic.
C.j did choose a good school
Home of the 2011, 2013 and 2014 NJCAA National Champions
and lots of current divison 1 talent came from there recently but the past looks good to
Denico Autry, NFL
Orlando Bobo NFL
LeGarrette Blount, NFL
Milford Brown NFL
Quinton Dial NFL
Antowain Smith NFL
Robert Sullivan 1984 Sports Illustrated article "The Toughest Coach There Ever Was".
Bo Wallace
Justin Cox NFL
From Wikipedia
The authority to dismiss a student from VaTech has existed in the hands of a student group for a long long time. In 1953 my roommate was dishonorably dismissed by the Honor Court.
I know nothing about what happened to Revis other than what has been published by the school . We will miss him greatly this year and I know he will do well in the future. He was a very good man on our team.
Someone please call Sarah Koenig.
I know it is none of my business - but I agree that it is important for the process to be transparent and fair, and I am not sure that it is right now.
I gotta feel for CJ.
You just wonder if he didn't merit the benefit of the doubt.
In case anyone was curious, per BibleGateway.com:
I love the irony of this, intentional or not
funny thing is I distinctly remember another guy posting that exact verse on facebook right after he got kicked out of Tech for corps hazing gone awry.
I think this was a classy statement by Reavis to show support and thank his coaches and teammates. Whatever happened here didn't land the man in jail so I find it hard to believe the punishment meets the crime. Getting kicked out of school is one thing, but getting kicked out of the school you picked to play ball over a lot of other great options must be extremely painful. Can you imagine being a starter and looking forward to the Ohio St game and have this happen? I wish him luck, but man it will be bittersweet knowing he could have done it in Blacksburg.
Now I could be wrong and maybe he did a terrible thing...but there are no facts to back that up.
I can't imagine anyone here thinking Reavis should have gone, given that we don't know the circumstances.
But the bright side, if there is one to be found at all, is that VT has high standards of behavior, which are enforced.
This is a cautionary tale, and right now there is nobody on the football team (or any other athletic team at Virginia Tech) who can possibly believe that they will get special treatment from the Student Council or administration at VT.
A possible benefit from this might be that an athlete in a position to do something stupid weighs it and chooses not to.
CJ is headed to Marshall next year
Hope he has a great career there.