You came to the University of Virginia to get an education, and the University of Virginia intends to hold you to that. Yes, college is about more than going to class. It's about finding yourself, making new friends, and figuring out what you want to be. If you don't keep your grade point up, though, you won't be doing any of those other things.
The thing is, no one is perfect. You're smart and capable, or you wouldn't be a the University of Virginia. Even smart and capable students run into roadblocks occasionally, though. Maybe you just can't seem to wrap your mind around Shakespeare. Maybe calculus is your Achilles heel. We all have those courses and semesters when nothing seems to go right.
National Student Defense attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento and his Student Defense Team don't think a roadblock or two should stand in the way of your education. If you're facing academic progress issues and worried about probation or dismissal, he and his Education Law team know all the strategies to keep your career on track. They're experienced, they're dedicated, but most of all, they're focused on you and your future.
Academic Progression at the University of Virginia
According to the University of Virginia policy on academic standing, there are three criteria for remaining in “good” standing.
- You must complete—not attempt, but complete—at least 12 hours each semester.
- You must earn a minimum 1.8 grade point average each semester.
- You must receive no more than one grade below C- each semester.
Association Deans undertake an audit of your work at the end of every semester. Should you fail to meet all three criteria, you are subject to Academic Probation. While on probation, you are expected to meet with your Association Dean during the add period. In addition, you must fill out a College Academic Success Plan.
The more important aspect of probation, though, is that if you do not meet the criteria during this semester, you face suspension from the university. Suspensions last for at least a full academic year. You cannot apply course credit from other institutions you attend while on suspension, which means, in essence, that you cannot continue to be a student during this period. Further, returning to UVA requires applying for readmission and submitting documentation to demonstrate that you have overcome the difficulties that caused the suspension.
Finally, you should know that second suspensions from the university are considered permanent.
Dealing With Academic Standing Decisions
There are ways of challenging academic standing decisions, particularly those related to suspension or dismissal.
As the policy on academic standing notes, your Dean is “authorized” to delay a suspension decision and allow you to continue at the university under “specific conditions.” You may, for instance, receive an extra semester of probation if you can demonstrate that extenuating circumstances like a family emergency or a long-term illness caused your deficiencies. In addition, you have the right to formally appeal a Dean's decisions to the Committee on Faculty Rules.
There are less formal ways to handle a negative academic standing decision as well. For example,
- You have the right to protest any mistreatment by an instructor. Typically, you'd do this by complaining to the instructor's department head or, if necessary, to the Dean of your school or college. Mistreatment can be grounds for grade revision.
- Your poor grade in a course may be the result of a miscalculation on your instructor's part. It's a good idea to keep track of all your grades yourself so that if you suspect your final grade may be lower than it should be, you'll have evidence to offer the instructor.
- If a poor grade is the result of an academic misconduct violation, you can appeal both the violation itself and any sanction attached to it through the UVA Honor Process.
- Professors are sometimes open to negotiation. If your final exam grade was higher than the rest of your work during the semester, for instance, you might be able to argue that you mastered the material enough to deserve a higher grade in the course.
- Some instructors are also open to assigning extra credit or makeup work, particularly if your grade is already borderline and you are facing probation or dismissal.
Leading the Student Defense Team, Joseph D. Lento is an experienced attorney-advisor and knows all the options available to you at the University of Virginia. He can help you to create a plan for addressing your academic progress issues and help you to execute that plan as well. Joseph D. Lento and the Student Defense Team are skilled at collecting evidence and putting together appeals packages, but he can also coach you in negotiation tactics if that's what's required in your particular situation.
Premier Education Attorney-Advisor, Joseph D. Lento
You might be surprised by the idea that an attorney can help with academic problems. After all, it's not like a lawyer can write your papers for you or take your exams. Often, though, college success is as much about navigating bureaucracy as it is about homework. If you're dealing with a problem at your university, it always helps to know exactly who to talk to and what to say.
No one knows more about dealing with bureaucracy than attorneys, and no one knows more about dealing with educational bureaucracy than Joseph D. Lento and his Student Defense Team. He built his practice handling student conduct and academic progress issues.
More important than anything else, though, Joseph D. Lento and the Student Defense Team are on your side. He understands that no one is perfect, and he doesn't think that a few mistakes should keep you from earning your degree and going on to a successful career. He'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 888-555-3686, or use our automated online form.
