After a nearly two-month struggle with the university, Michael Powell is once again living on campus at Northern Kentucky University.

Powell, the 20-year-old student from Louisville who was cleared of rape charges April 14, moved from a friend’s house in Erlanger, Ky., where he was temporarily staying, back to his Norse Hall dorm room April 28.

Tom Goeke, Powell’s attorney, said that on April 27, he and Powell went before a panel composed of a student, an administrator and a faculty member, which was to determine if Powell could move back to his dorm.

Once the panel made their decision, Goeke said Powell was “elated, relieved and just beside himself that finally this was over.”

After being charged with rape, Powell received a letter from the Dean of Students’ office stating that he would be put on an interim suspension from university housing. The letter came after a Campbell County District Court judge said Powell could remain on campus.

Powell then filed a civil suit against the university, hoping to obtain a restraining order to allow him back in his dorm. A Campbell County Circuit Court judge denied that motion.

Since being suspended from campus, Powell had been living with a friend.

Goeke said living with a friend was “uncomfortable” for Powell. “It definitely changed around his schedule, his study habits, his eating habits and it changed his social life a lot, too,” Goeke said. “It was difficult for him, but obviously right now, since he is able to go back into the dorms, that’s over and he survived it and he can move on.”

Goeke said Powell plans to attend NKU next year and continue to live in the dorms.

“He’s very happy that this is over,” Goeke said. “The facts came out and he did nothing that violated the law; he did nothing that violated the student honor code.”