If you're on the verge of being dismissed from an Idaho college or university, it's understandable that you're probably very distressed. Getting dismissed from school is not something that anyone should take lightly. The consequences of such an event could have long-lasting and lifelong effects.
Don't give up. There may be alternative solutions to dismissal that you may not even be aware of. Retain the services of national academic attorney-advisor Joseph Lento and the team at the Lento Law Firm. Give them a call at 888-535-3686 so that you can find out more information about the different ways that they can possibly help you with your situation.
Challenging Academic Progress Dismissal
There are around 15 colleges and universities in Idaho. These colleges exist in both the public and private realm. There are also two-year colleges in the state in addition to other types of institutions where residents can receive some sort of higher education.
Whether the schools are public or private, two-year or four-year, they all offer their students federal student loans. In order for students to continue to receive those federal loans, they must maintain satisfactory academic progress. Satisfactory academic progress, also referred to as SAP, means that students must maintain a grade point average of at least 2.0 in order to continue to receive federal funds. If they do not maintain those averages, they will lose federal loans.
Students at schools like Boise Bible College and Brigham Young University Idaho, as well as those at two-year colleges like the College of Eastern Idaho, are told the same exact thing: they must maintain SAP in order to continue to receive their federal loans. Schools lay out this information very carefully in their student handbooks so that all students are fully aware of the repercussions of not maintaining SAP.
When students fail to meet SAP, schools have different ways they can handle the situation. They may decide to give the student academic probation, they may allow the student to temporarily withdraw from the school, they could allow the student to retake the class, or they could dismiss the student. The last option is the one that causes the most devastation, and in many cases, that option is handed down unfairly.
Schools are not always fair when it comes to dismissing students for failure to meet SAP. There are many different reasons that students may not be able to satisfactorily complete their courses. Some students are dealing with mental or physical health issues that make it difficult for them to study and stay on top of their grades. Some students are struggling to pay for school while going to school. They may be working two or three jobs on top of trying to manage their studies. There could be any number of reasons that students may be unable to maintain S AP.
Under these circumstances, the school should be able to offer alternative options to dismissal. Unfortunately, many schools don't, and the student is the one left suffering.
If this is your situation, and you're either in danger of being dismissed or if you've already been dismissed, now is the time to act. Even if you've already been dismissed, there may be other options. Retain the services of national academic attorney-advisor Joseph Lento and the experts at the Lento Law Firm so that they can help you explore alternative solutions.
Challenging Misconduct Dismissal or Discipline
Failing to maintain a good grade point average is not the only thing that can get you kicked out of an Idaho college or university. You could also be dismissed because of alleged academic misconduct or any other type of misconduct.
Idaho colleges and universities have a responsibility to their students to help ensure that their campuses remain safe and fair places for students to learn. This is an expectation that all students enjoy and deserve.
Title IX is a federal law that was created in 1972 to help prevent sexual discrimination on US campuses. Idaho colleges and universities must abide by federal laws like Title IX in their policies. If they don't, and they don't react when alleged issues of misconduct are brought up, the school could be held liable.
In addition to federal and state laws that protect student safety and govern the rules of conduct, schools also have their own codes of conduct that students must follow. All of this information is laid out in the student handbooks that students receive when they start at an Idaho college or university. Having it clearly laid out helps ensure that every student is clearly aware of the repercussions of violating the policies.
Just as with SAP dismissals, colleges and universities in Idaho don't always act fairly when it comes to dismissing students for alleged academic misconduct or other types of misconduct.
Schools and universities are supposed to hold hearings when investigating different types of misconduct. If the student is not able to defend themselves properly, they're putting themselves at a disadvantage against the school. Many students who go up against universities on their own end up losing when they shouldn't have.
You don't have to go through this situation alone. Joseph D. Lento and the team at the Lento Law Firm have spent years defending students dealing with the very issues that you're going through right now. They know all the questions to ask when it comes to hearings, they know what questions to ask witnesses, and they know how to push for alternative outcomes that satisfy everyone.
In some cases, the so-called misconduct wasn't actually misconduct at all. It may have been greatly misinterpreted or exaggerated. Some students have actually been purposely targeted when it comes to misconduct allegations. Whatever the reasons, Joseph D. Lento and his firm can help. By working with them, you'll be able to explore alternative options so that you don't end up losing everything.
The Consequences of Dismissal or Discipline
One thing you should never do is underestimate the damage that dismissal or discipline from an Idaho college or university can do to your life. It's not something that most people can easily recover from. The effects of these punishments could have long-lasting repercussions.
- Many students find it very difficult to get accepted into a new school after having been dismissed from their current Idaho college or university. Schools aren't often likely to accept students who've been dismissed from other schools. If you've been dismissed for unsatisfactory academic progress, they may hesitate to accept you because they may question your ability to do the work. If you've been dismissed for some sort of misconduct, they may assume you're unethical. Either way, it will be very difficult for you to get accepted.
- You will need to start repaying your federal loans as soon as you are dismissed from school. Federal loans don't come due only when you're finally ready to graduate. They come due when you're no longer attending school, no matter the reason. This can be extremely financially difficult for people who don't even have their degrees yet. Paying for these loans could create a serious hardship.
- When you've been dismissed from a school, you can't take your previous grades with you. You're going to have to start from scratch somewhere else, losing all of the years that you've already put into your education. The financial and emotional impact could be devastating.
Appealing School Discipline or SAP Dismissal
Whether you've already been dismissed by your Idaho college or university or you're in danger of being dismissed, now's the time to fight.
Joseph D. Lento and the experts at the Lento Law Firm have spent years defending students across the nation who are dealing with everything you're going through now. They have very strong relationships with attorneys in the general counsel offices of many Idaho colleges and universities. This means that they are in a unique position to be able to negotiate alternative options to dismissal.
The last thing you want to do is retain a local lawyer who doesn't have the experience necessary to fight for you. You need someone who is attuned to the specific nuances of academic dismissal defense and knows exactly what to do to help you. Joseph Lento will do everything in his power to make sure that you get an alternative to dismissal, even if that includes taking the school to court. That is always looked at as a last option, but it is something that the Lento Law Firm will do if necessary. They will fight with everything they have to make sure that you have a chance.
Retain a National Academic Attorney Advisor
It's not too late, even if you've already been dismissed from your Idaho college or university. Reach out to Joseph D. Lento and the experts at the Lento Law Firm so that they can help you reclaim your spot at your school. The goal is for you to continue your education, graduate, and begin the rest of your life.
Reach out to academic attorney advisor Joseph Lento and his team at 888-535-3686 so that they can help.
