Academic misconduct, integrity, dishonesty, and honor code violation. Colleges and universities in Colorado use different terms for allegations involving a student's academics. Regardless of the term used, academic misconduct charges are serious, with significant potential consequences. If found responsible, an appeal may be the last opportunity to resolve the case. Students and parents may not realize that professional help is needed as early as possible in the disciplinary process. Students and parents are often poorly informed by the school as to how to best address such accusations, and it is only after a finding of responsibility that they realize an attorney advisor's help is needed.
If found responsible, this situation can potentially still be rectified, especially if you have the right to appeal. Colleges and universities in Colorado often allow similar grounds for an appeal, but it is important that your school's appeal process be closely followed. Common appeal grounds include procedural error or defect. For example, did the school follow the necessary steps in the code of conduct process? Was the student properly notified of the charges? Were there other due process issues? These are common issues which can lead to an unfair outcome, disproportionate or excessive sanction. For example, will the sanction be on the student's academic transcripts or disciplinary records, thereby effecting graduate school admissions?
Can it be asserted that such a sanction is excessive in light of the circumstances of the case and the student's goals? Was the student suspended or expelled? Such sanctions are fundamentally severe and may not be appropriate to the case. New evidence, for example, did the school base its finding on unfair information presented by the professor?Did the school rely on flawed reports, such as a plagiarism checker or reports involving computer coding? Can new evidence or new information be presented which provides an alternative explanation for the alleged misconduct?
Some schools will decide an appeal based on the written appeal and others will convene a hearing. Appeal deadlines are often short and it is critical that immediate action be taken. An experienced attorney advisor will be able to help you present the strongest possible appeal and they should be involved as soon as possible.
Colorado colleges and universities where Joseph D. Lento can help as your or your student's academic misconduct advisor during the appeals process, in addition to during investigations and hearings, include, but are not limited to, the following schools:
- Adams State College
- Aims Community College
- American Sentinel University
- Arapahoe Community College
- Argosy University Denver
- Bel Rea Institute of Animal Technology
- Boulder College of Massage Therapy
- College America Colorado Springs
- College America Denver
- College America Fort Collins
- Colorado Academy of Veterinary Technology
- Colorado Christian University
- Colorado College
- Colorado Heights University
- Colorado Mesa University
- Colorado Mountain College
- Colorado Northwestern Community College
- Colorado School of Healing Arts
- Colorado School of Mines
- Colorado State University Fort Collins
- Colorado State University Pueblo
- Colorado Technical University Colorado Springs
- Colorado Technical University Greenwood Village
- Colorado Technical University Online
- Community College of Aurora
- Community College of Denver
- Denver School of Nursing
- DeVry University Colorado
- Ecotech Institute
- Everest College Aurora
- Everest College Colorado Springs
- Everest College Thornton
- Fort Lewis College
- Front Range Community College
- Institute of Business and Medical Careers
- ITT Technical Institute Aurora
- ITT Technical Institute Westminster
- Johnson & Wales University Denver
- Jones International University
- Lamar Community College
- Metropolitan State College of Denver
- Morgan Community College
- Naropa University
- National American University Centennial
- National American University Colorado Springs
- National American University Colorado Springs South
- National American University Denver
- Nazarene Bible College
- Northeastern Junior College
- Otero Junior College
- Pikes Peak Community College
- Platt College Aurora
- Prince Institute Rocky Mountains
- Pueblo Community College
- Red Rocks Community College
- Redstone College
- Regis University
- Remington College Colorado Springs Campus
- Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design
- The Art Institute of Colorado
- Trinidad State Junior College
- United States Air Force Academy (exempt from Title IX and the Clery Act)
- University of Colorado Boulder
- University of Colorado Denver
- University of Colorado Colorado Springs
- University of Denver
- University of Northern Colorado
- University of Phoenix Colorado Campus
- University of Phoenix Southern Colorado Campus
- Western State Colorado University
- Westwood College Denver North
- Westwood College Denver South
If you're a student or the parent of a student at a school in Colorado, you must understand that academic misconduct allegations are serious.
Whatever term your college or university uses – academic misconduct, integrity, dishonesty, an honor code violation – you must respond to the allegations carefully and defend as best as possible, preferably as early as possible in the college disciplinary process.
Whether you did nothing wrong or instead had a lapse of judgement and made a poor decision, the potential consequences both in the short and long-term can be significant and severe. Present academic standing, scholarships, extracurricular activities, internships, graduate and professional school candidacy, and professional employment opportunities can all be diminished or altogether lost if an academic case is not successfully resolved.
If, however, you made the mistake of trying to defend against the charges on your own or with someone not suited to the task, all is not lost – especially if you can appeal the decision, finding of responsibility, and/or sanctions. If this was the case, now is the opportunity to take the necessary action and attorney Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm can help. The Lento Law Firm has unparalleled experience with academic misconduct cases and they have helped thousands of students across the country facing similar issues.
Joseph Lento fights nationwide on behalf of his clients and he never throws in the towel. He is a licensed attorney in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, 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 advisor for students and families seeking to appeal academic misconduct cases in Colorado and throughout the nation. Make certain your or your student's interests are protected at any stage of the university disciplinary process - Contact National Academic Misconduct Advisor Joseph D. Lento today at 888-535-3686.
