Texas is now home to over 140 institutions of postsecondary education. The leaders at today's colleges and universities are highly committed to maintaining a high level of academic integrity. Students alleged to have violated the rules, such as through acts of academic dishonesty, can expect to potentially face difficult penalties and sanctions. The disciplinary process typically involves some fact-finding and culminates with a hearing where the accused has an opportunity to defend the allegations. Often students involved in these proceedings are unsuccessful in their defense. The Lento Law Firm has been a resource for students who are facing harsh sanctions to successfully appeal these rulings acting as an Academic Appeal Advisor.
Understanding Academic Misconduct
Academic misconduct can be demonstrated in various ways. Students may be accused of plagiarism for using someone else's work or ideas without referencing the source. Others may face allegations that they have participated in cheating on an assignment or on an examination.
Sanctions Commonly Imposed
- The student may receive an “F” for the exam, assignment, or for the entire course
- The student may be removed from a particular honors, professional or graduate program
- A disciplinary probation period may be required
- A suspension from the school may be imposed
- Expulsion from the school may be imposed
The Process of Appeal
If a student is found to be in violation, most institutions have a specific procedure for appeal which must be carefully followed. At Texas State University, for example, a student has merely five business days to file an appeal with the Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs. Appeals of rulings of academic misconduct are heard by the Provost or another designated party. An appeal may be appropriate when it is alleged that the disciplinary process somehow deviated from a proper written procedure. An appeal may also be justified if a student's rights were infringed upon based on federal law, state law, or under the Constitution. A ruling on the appeal will be made in a timely manner and all parties will be notified.
Damaging Records of Disciplinary Actions
An appeal may be the best option for those students who are facing severe sanctions or who feel that a record of disciplinary actions will hinder them in the long run. Many campus disciplinary actions are documented as records of conduct and are also added to transcripts. These records may be retained indefinitely. A release authorization is generally required for those seeking access. Some schools will grant a student clemency and remove records of expulsion from their transcripts at some point.
Should You Consider Using a Lawyer as Your Appeal Advisor?
Far too many of those who initially face allegations of academic misconduct fail to recognize the potentially damaging results that may occur. Looking back, these students often recognize that they should have sought legal counsel. Retaining an experienced attorney for your appeal will be the first step. Your attorney will compose a document that effectively challenges the ruling. When your attorney objectively reviews the facts and process that led to the decision they may find evidence suggesting your rights were not appropriately considered. The attorney may conduct negotiations that could resolve the matter in a way that is mutually acceptable to all parties.
Attorney Represents Students in Texas as an Academic Appeal Advisor
Attorney Joseph D. Lento will aggressively defend students at colleges and universities who are facing sanctions for misconduct in Texas. You may have a limited time to appeal a disciplinary action, so contact the office today at (888) 535-3686.
- Abilene Christian University
- Alvin Community College
- Amarillo College
- American InterContinental University Houston
- Angelina College
- Angelo State University
- Argosy University Dallas
- Arlington Baptist College
- Austin College
- Austin Community College District
- Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary
- Baptist University of the Americas
- Baylor University
- Blinn College
- Brazosport College
- Brookhaven College
- Brown Mackie College San Antonio
- Career Point College
- Cedar Valley College
- Central Texas College
- Chamberlain College of Nursing Texas
- Cisco College
- Clarendon College
- Coastal Bend College
- College of Biblical Studies Houston
- College of the Mainland
- Collin County Community College District
- Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service
- Concordia University Texas
- Court Reporting Institute Wheeler Institute of Texas
- Culinary Institute Inc.
- Dallas Baptist University
- Dallas Christian College
- Dallas Institute of Funeral Service
- Del Mar College
- DeVry University Texas
- East Texas Baptist University
- Eastfield College
- El Centro College
- El Paso Community College
- Everest College Arlington
- Everest College Dallas
- Everest College Fort Worth
- Everest College Fort Worth South
- Frank Phillips College
- Galveston College
- Grayson County College
- Hardin Simmons University
- Hill College
- Houston Baptist University
- Houston Community College
- Howard College
- Howard Payne University
- Huston Tillotson University
- International Academy of Design and Technology San Antonio
- ITT Technical Institute Arlington
- ITT Technical Institute Austin
- ITT Technical Institute DeSoto
- ITT Technical Institute Houston North
- ITT Technical Institute Houston West
- ITT Technical Institute Richardson
- ITT Technical Institute San Antonio
- ITT Technical Institute Waco
- ITT Technical Institute Webster
- Jacksonville College Main Campus
- Jarvis Christian College
- KD Conservatory College of Film and Dramatic Arts
- Kilgore College
- Lamar Institute of Technology
- Lamar State College Orange
- Lamar State College Port Arthur
- Lamar University
- Laredo Community College
- Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Austin
- Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Dallas
- Lee College
- LeTourneau University
- Lon Morris College
- Lone Star College System
- Lubbock Christian University
- McLennan Community College
- McMurry University
- Midland College
- Midwestern State University
- Mountain View College
- National American University Austin
- Navarro College
- North American College
- North Central Texas College
- North Lake College
- Northeast Texas Community College
- Northwest Vista College
- Northwood University Texas
- Odessa College
- Our Lady of the Lake University San Antonio
- Palo Alto College
- Panola College
- Paris Junior College
- Paul Quinn College
- Prairie View A & M University
- Ranger College
- Remington College Dallas Campus
- Remington College Fort Worth Campus
- Remington College Houston Campus
- Remington College Houston Southeast Campus
- Remington College North Houston Campus
- Rice University
- Richland College
- Saint Edward's University
- Sam Houston State University
- San Antonio College
- San Jacinto Community College
- Sanford Brown College Dallas
- Sanford Brown College Houston
- Sanford Brown College Houston North Loop
- Sanford Brown College San Antonio
- Schreiner University
- South Plains College
- South Texas College
- South University The Art Institute of Dallas
- South University The Art Institute of Fort Worth
- Southern Methodist University
- Southwest Career College
- Southwest Collegiate Institute for the Deaf
- Southwest Texas Junior College
- Southwestern Adventist University
- Southwestern Assemblies of God University
- Southwestern Christian College
- Southwestern University
- St Philip's College
- St. Mary's University
- Stephen F Austin State University
- Sul Ross State University
- Tarleton State University
- Tarrant County College District
- Temple College
- Texarkana College
- Texas A & M International University
- Texas A & M University College Station
- Texas A & M University Commerce
- Texas A & M University Corpus Christi
- Texas A & M University Galveston
- Texas A & M University Kingsville
- Texas A & M University Texarkana
- Texas Christian University
- Texas College
- Texas Lutheran University
- Texas Southern University
- Texas State Technical College Harlingen
- Texas State Technical College Waco
- Texas State Technical College Marshall
- Texas State Technical College West Texas
- Texas State University
- Texas Tech University
- Texas Wesleyan University
- Texas Woman's University
- The Art Institute of Austin
- The Art Institute of Houston
- The Art Institute of San Antonio
- The College of Saint Thomas More
- The University of Texas at Arlington
- The University of Texas at Austin
- The University of Texas at Brownsville
- The University of Texas at Dallas
- The University of Texas at El Paso
- The University of Texas at San Antonio
- The University of Texas at Tyler
- The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
- The University of Texas of the Permian Basin
- The University of Texas Pan American
- Trinity University
- Trinity Valley Community College
- Tyler Junior College
- University of Dallas
- University of Houston
- University of Houston Downtown
- University of Houston Victoria
- University of Mary Hardin Baylor
- University of North Texas
- University of Phoenix Austin Campus
- University of Phoenix Dallas Campus
- University of Phoenix Houston Campus
- University of Phoenix San Antonio Campus
- University of St Thomas
- University of the Incarnate Word
- Vernon College
- Vet Tech Institute of Houston
- Victoria College
- Virginia College Austin
- Wade College
- Wayland Baptist University
- Weatherford College
- West Texas A & M University
- Western Texas College
- Wharton County Junior College
- Wiley College
Regrettably, an academic misconduct finding of responsibility can derail an accused student's academic and professional goals and some students and parents do not recognize this concern until it may be too late. If a student is found responsible for academic misconduct charges, in addition to the short-term consequences such academic and disciplinary sanctions, there will be long-term consequences. Internships, graduate school opportunities, and employment opportunities can all be adversely impacted by a finding of responsibility.
For these reasons and more, it is critical to properly address such concerns as early as possible in the disciplinary process. There are times, however, that it necessary to appeal an adverse outcome, and Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm have unparalleled experience passionately fighting for the futures of his clients at universities and colleges in Texas and throughout the nation. He does not settle for the easiest outcome, and instead prioritizes his clients' needs and well-being. Joseph Lento is a licensed attorney in New Jersey and New York, is admitted as an attorney pro hac vice in state and federal court if needed when representing clients nationwide, and serves as an academic misconduct advisor to students facing disciplinary cases in Texas and throughout the nation. Make certain your or your student's interests are protected at all stages of the academic misconduct disciplinary process, including the appeal stage - Contact National Academic Misconduct Advisor Joseph D. Lento today at 888-535-3686.
