If someone at Cal State, Long Beach, has threatened you with dismissal, you probably have a lot of questions. What happens next? Will you have the chance to defend yourself? What rights do you have as a student?
Attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento and his Student Defense Team are here to help. They know the CSULB system inside and out, including how all investigative and judicial procedures work. They can let you know who to talk to when problems come up and what to say. You'll find a lot of that information below.
More importantly, though, they can help you navigate these processes, whether that means collecting evidence, drafting documents, or representing you during a hearing. Joseph D. Lento and his team are on your side. They're committed to your education, and they'll do whatever it takes to make sure you're treated fairly.
Reasons for Dismissal at the Cal State, Long Beach
The very first thing you need to know is just what can get you dismissed at Cal State, Long Beach. Knowing the rules can help keep you out of trouble, of course, but it can also be key to developing a strong defense.
Dismissible offenses at CSULB can be divided into four categories.
- Academic Misconduct: As you might expect, university policy expressly forbids all forms of educational dishonesty, including plagiarism, cheating, and any other activity that might potentially give you an unfair advantage in completing your coursework. First-time offenses typically garner classroom sanctions like lowered grades. Serious and second offenses, though, can result in dismissal.
- Disciplinary Misconduct: Where the Academic Misconduct Policy governs classroom behavior, the Standards for Student Conduct govern campus behavior generally. For example, this document forbids disorderly conduct, unauthorized entry into school property, firearms possession, and hazing. Any violation can lead to dismissal, depending on its severity.
- Sexual Misconduct: Sexually-based offenses are almost always punished with dismissal. Title IX—a federal law—requires colleges and universities to investigate all credible allegations, and schools tend to be severe when it comes to sanctions.
- Academic Deficiencies: Of course, your first obligation as a student at Cal State, Long Beach, is to meet academic standards. The school's Standing policy mandates students maintain at least a 2.0 GPA. Should your average fall below that number, you are subject to academic alerts and, if you don't improve, disqualification.
Defending Yourself From Misconduct Charges
Cal State, Long Beach, doesn't publish many details about its judicial procedures. However, if you've been charged with misconduct of any kind, you are entitled to a full investigation and to make your case at a hearing. Here's how those processes work, generally.
- A case begins when someone—an instructor, a student, or some university official—lodges a complaint against you. Most complaints are filed with the Office of Student Conduct and Ethical Development. Title IX sexual misconduct complaints, however, are filed with the school's Title IX Coordinator.
- You are entitled to Notice of the Charges any time the school initiates an investigation into your conduct. This notice should provide you with details of the allegation and a list of your due process rights.
- Investigators typically begin by meeting separately with both sides of the case. This is your first chance to give your side of the story. In addition, they will gather any physical evidence and interview witnesses.
- The investigative findings become the foundation for a full hearing. At the hearing, both sides make their cases by submitting evidence and calling witnesses to testify. In most instances, you also have the right to ask questions of any witnesses against you.
- University judicial hearings aren't decided “beyond a reasonable doubt” the way criminal court cases are. Instead, decision-makers use a lesser-known legal standard known as “preponderance of the evidence.” According to this standard, they must find you Responsible (guilty) of an offense if they are more than fifty percent convinced of your guilt.
- You likely also have the right to appeal the hearing outcome, but only under special circumstances. These typically include
- A procedural error
- The discovery of new evidence relevant to the outcome
- A sanction that is disproportionate to the offense.
In most university cases, you have the right to an advisor, and this advisor can be an attorney. Even if you're barred from bringing an attorney to meetings and proceedings, though, Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team can play a crucial role in your defense. They can develop a strategy, work with you to collect evidence, help you develop questions for witnesses, and even prepare you to present your arguments. There's simply too much at stake to risk taking on your school alone.
Academic Dismissal Cases
Academic dismissals at Cal State, Long Beach, don't work like misconduct dismissals. There is no investigation, and you won't have an opportunity to defend yourself at a hearing. These dismissals are based on your grade point, and they're issued automatically any time your GPA is too low.
However, even in these cases, Joseph D. Lento and his team know strategies for protecting your academic future.
- CSULB offers an appeals process for challenging dismissals. As part of this process, you must submit a letter outlining what led to your deficiencies, providing evidence of extenuating circumstances, and describing what steps you will take to improve.
- If you find that you consistently earn low grades, you should consider meeting with Disability Services. If you have an undiagnosed learning disability, you may be entitled to drop low course grades from your GPA and retake those courses with course accommodations in place.
- Faculty are sometimes willing to assign makeup or extra credit work. If your grade is already borderline, a short essay or a lab assignment might be the easiest way to raise your GPA.
Fighting for Your Future
By this point, you probably have a clear sense of why you need the help of an attorney-advisor to fight dismissal decisions. Campus judicial procedures can be complex and difficult to navigate, and the full weight of your school will likely be against you. Plus, it's no exaggeration to say that your entire future is on the line. You're facing dismissal, and you know what happens to people who go into the workforce with no college degree.
You need someone watching over your shoulder, making certain you're treated fairly and that you get the justice you deserve.
The Lento Law Firm was built on helping students just like you handle all types of misconduct charges. They know how to negotiate with faculty and administrators; they know how to interview witnesses; they know how to put together water-tight appeals. To find out more about exactly what Joseph D. Lento and his team can do for you, contact the Lento Law Firm today at 888-555-3686, or use our automated online form.
