College is not just meant to further your professional education, but to gather a social education as well. Those who have the privilege to attend college will learn new things, meet new people and, along the way, probably make a few mistakes. We learn from these experiences and apply that knowledge to future situations.

One North Carolina State student is facing criminal charges after being arrested for possession of a controlled substance. Few details were released about the arrest, but the drugs were found in a dish at the student's home. The criminal charge is a Schedule I offense according to the school drug policy, meaning that a minimum penalty of suspension of enrollment for a period of at least one semester or its equivalent awaits the accused student.

When campus police arrest a student, the student's punishment is determined based on what kind of criminal charges are made - misdemeanor or felony. Those two types of charges are determined on a few elements, including what type of substance was found, the amount of the substance and in what way the substance is packaged.

In this case, the student possessed psilocybin mushrooms. Possession of that drug is considered a felony in North Carolina, regardless of packaging or the amount of the substance found.

A couple of questions arise in this case, the first regarding the circumstances of the arrest. How did the police go about getting these drugs from the student's home? If they unlawfully searched the student's home, the case against him could be thrown out.

Another question is in regards to the application of the school's drug policy. If the student is suspended (or worse) the punishment could permanently derail his college education. This is where an experienced defense attorney can greatly help anyone facing criminal charges. You have the right to an attorney and to due process, which assures that you are not wrongfully persecuted.

Source: The Technician, "University student arrested for drug possession," Jessie Halpern, Jan. 8, 2012