College can be tough: tough courses, tough professors, tough assignments, tough exams. You knew all that coming in, but you were prepared for the challenge. After all, you're bright and capable, or you wouldn't have gotten into the University of Kansas in the first place.
What you may not have been prepared for are the personal challenges that come with going to college. You're on your own for the very first time—defining your identity and learning how to do your own laundry. You've got to worry about getting along with a roommate and how to say no to Tuesday night keg parties. In short, you're adulting now, and that can make calculus seem like child's play.
If all that adulting has begun to catch up with you, if it's starting to affect your grades, you don't have to handle the situation all on your own. The attorneys at the Lento Law Firm are here to help. That may sound like an odd fit: lawyers helping you to deal with academic issues. Trust us, it's not. You'll see why as you read on. For now, just know that we're committed to your future and to doing whatever it takes to get you there.
Academic Progression at the University of Kansas
The key to academic success is making steady progress toward your degree. You don't have to ace every test, but you want to make sure you're meeting the terms of the University of Kansas Academic Standing Policy. According to that policy, you remain in Good standing as long as you're maintaining a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0. If at any point your GPA should fall below that number, you face academic penalties or “sanctions.”
- Academic Probation: The most immediate consequence for a GPA below 2.0 is Academic Probation. Probation means that you're in danger of losing your spot in UK, but you still have a chance to improve. Your main goal while on probation should always be to raise your GPA back to that Good standing level. You can remain on probation as long as it takes to do that, provided you keep your term GPA above a certain number. If you have 45 hours or less, that number is 2.0. If you have more than 45 hours, that number is 2.5.
- Academic Dismissal: If you cannot meet term GPA requirements while on probation, you are then subject to dismissal from the university. A First Dismissal lasts for a semester. To gain readmission, you must complete 3 hours of transferable coursework at another institution. That coursework must be in one of your outstanding Core Course Goals, and you must earn at least a 2.5 for that work. Second Dismissals last for a full academic year. Third Dismissals are permanent.
Dealing With Academic Standing Decisions
What do you do if your grades have fallen and you're facing an academic sanction? That can depend on the specific nature of your situation. There are many ways to avoid a sanction, though. For instance,
- If you've been dismissed, you can petition for immediate reinstatement. However, you must be able to show evidence of academic progress and a serious commitment to improving.
- If your academic deficiencies are the result of extenuating circumstances, such as a long-term illness, you can appeal to your school or college dean for more time to improve before they issue a sanction.
- Classroom mistreatment can be grounds for grade relief. If you've suffered any mistreatment, you should report it to your instructor's department head.
- A learning disability may qualify you for certain course accommodations, like extra time to complete assignments. If you should discover you have a previously undiagnosed disability, you may be eligible to drop low course grades from your GPA and retake those courses without penalty.
- Most departments have some type of grade appeal policy that allows you to challenge your grade if you feel it's lower than you deserve.
- Some low grades are the result of academic misconduct allegations. If your instructor believes you've committed plagiarism or cheated in some other way, they have the power to lower both your assignment grades and course grades. However, you can appeal their decisions through your department's academic misconduct hearing process.
- You can also try negotiating directly with your instructors. If your grade is borderline, for instance, you might ask for extra credit or makeup work. If you failed the course but did well on the final exam, you might argue that this exam demonstrates you mastered course material well enough to deserve a passing grade.
While you have many options when you're facing an academic sanction, it's not always easy to know which one is right for your particular situation. The attorneys at the Lento Law Firm can help you map out a strategy. They'll do more than that, though. They'll work with you to implement that strategy, whether that means helping you file an appeal or coaching you in the art of negotiating with faculty.
How Can the Lento Law Firm Help?
Students ask all the time: How is an attorney supposed to help me make it through college? It's a fair question. After all, it's not like you're on trial for shoplifting. You need help with your grades. That's normally a matter of studying harder or finding a tutor.
The thing is, though, succeeding in college is often as much about navigating bureaucracy as it is about writing papers and taking exams. No one knows more about dealing with bureaucracy than attorneys, and no one knows more about dealing with educational bureaucracy than the Lento Law Firm's Educational Law Team. That team was assembled specifically to handle student conduct and academic progress issues.
The attorneys at the Lento Law Firm are on your side. They understand that no one is perfect, and they're committed to the idea that a few mistakes shouldn't keep you from earning your degree and going on to a successful career. They'll fight to make sure you're treated fairly and that you get all the rights you deserve. You've worked hard to get to this point. Don't let that hard work go to waste. To find out more about how you can fight dismissal, contact the Lento Law Firm today at 888-535-3686 or use our automated online form.
