Most students think college is about going to classes, studying, and keeping your grade point up. And that's true: those are crucial to your success. But there's a lot more to college than classes. In fact, statistically, you spend less than 10 percent of your time in classes each week. That's a lot of time to get into trouble that has nothing to do with grades. In fact, more students wind up dismissed from Chaffey College each year for general misconduct than for low GPAs.
Misconduct or grades, how do you make sure your academic career stays on track and you don't wind up Dismissed?
- You can start by learning the Chaffey College rules. What GPA do you need to have, and what kinds of misconduct are serious enough to get you expelled?
- You never can tell when, despite your best efforts, trouble will come looking for you, so you also want to know how the school's disciplinary process works. How exactly are you supposed to defend yourself from the threat of dismissal?
- Last but certainly not least, you need to know who to call if you need help defending yourself. Avoiding dismissal isn't always easy. A college is a complex bureaucracy, and you have to know the system if you're going to take it on.
The best help you can get is the Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team. They know the law, but they also know how Chaffey College operates. And maybe, most importantly, they're on your side, no matter what. To find out more about what they can do, call the Lento Law Firm today at 888-535-3686 or use the firm's automated online form.
Reasons for Dismissal from Chaffey College
It's actually surprisingly easy to get dismissed from Chaffey College. There are only four reasons the school expels students, but each of those contains several different kinds of offenses.
- Poor Academic Performance: Again, one of the easiest ways to find yourself dismissed is simply to fail academically. Chaffey College has a strict Academic Standing policy. According to that policy, you must maintain at least a 2.0 GPA in order to remain in Good standing. Anything below that number means Probation, and if you can't raise your GPA during two semesters on Probation, you're then subject to Dismissal.
- Academic Misconduct: The pressure to make good grades sometimes drives students to bend or break the rules. You should know, though, that academic misconduct, like cheating and plagiarism, can also get you dismissed. One offense probably isn't enough to warrant expulsion, but multiple offenses certainly can be.
- Disciplinary Misconduct: Outside of class, your general campus behavior is governed by Chaffey College's Standards of Student Conduct policy. That policy concerns misconduct like underage drinking, drug possession, and hazing. Any violation can result in dismissal, even a first offense, if it is serious enough.
- Sexual Misconduct: Sexually-based offenses are almost always punished with dismissal. These are not only among the most serious offenses a student can commit but are also governed by federal law under Title IX. Chaffey College must investigate all credible complaints, and it is encouraged to assign harsh penalties.
Misconduct Procedures
If you're accused of misconduct—academic, disciplinary, or sexual—you have the right to defend yourself from the charges. In fact, Chaffey College gives you several important due process rights to help protect you.
- Typically, cases begin when someone lodges a complaint against you with either the Dean of Student Affairs or—in the case of Title IX sexual misconduct allegations—the Title IX Coordinator.
- Any time it instigates an investigation, Chaffey College must provide you with a Notice of the Charges. That notice should include details of the allegation and an exhaustive list of all your rights throughout the process.
- In all cases at Chaffey College, you have the right to an advisor, and this advisor can be an attorney. That means someone from the Lento Law Firm can be on hand to offer advice during investigative meetings and hearings.
- The Dean's Office conducts disciplinary and academic misconduct investigations. The Title IX Coordinator appoints an investigator in sexual misconduct cases. In any event, investigators usually begin by interviewing both sides separately. In addition, they talk with witnesses and collect physical evidence.
- Ultimately, investigators submit a written report of their findings to either the Dean or the Title IX Coordinator. These officials then set a time and date for a hearing and appoint decision-makers to preside over the proceedings.
- The hearing is your chance to make the case for your innocence or to describe mitigating factors that may have led to your offense. You may submit evidence, for instance, and call witnesses to testify. In addition, you may raise questions for any witnesses testifying against you.
- Cases are decided using a legal standard known as “preponderance of the evidence.” According to this standard, decision-makers are required to find you Responsible (guilty) if they are more than 50 percent convinced you committed an offense.
- Should you lose your case, you can appeal the outcome. However, grounds for appeal are limited to specific claims about errors committed during the judicial process.
Finally, keep in mind that this is a general outline that applies to all misconduct cases. Specific types of cases can differ significantly in terms of how they proceed. For example, Title IX sexual misconduct cases are subject to federal guidelines. Those guidelines allow both sides to cross-examine one another. That's not true in other kinds of cases.
No matter what you've been charged with, though, you can count on the Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team to be familiar with Chaffey College rules and procedures and to know how to use those rules and procedures to your best advantage.
Academic Dismissal Cases
Academic dismissal cases don't involve “accusations” or “allegations.” Either your GPA is high enough, or it isn't. As a result, there's no need for investigations or hearings. Dismissal decisions, in fact, are automatic.
That doesn't mean you must simply accept an academic dismissal. The attorneys at the Lento Law Firm know a number of ways to prevent dismissal, even in these cases. For example,
- If extenuating circumstances led to your academic deficiencies, Chaffey College offers an appeals process that can result in immediate reinstatement.
- If you have a learning disability, you may be entitled to course accommodations, like extra time to complete assignments or access to technology during exams. If you discover you have a learning disability, you can petition the college to set aside your low grades and allow you to retake courses without penalty.
- Chaffey College offers a grade appeal process should you disagree with the scores your instructor has assigned.
Fighting for Your Future
By this point, you should have a clear sense of why you need the help of an attorney to fight dismissal decisions. Procedures can be complex and difficult to navigate, and the full weight of your school will be against you. Plus, it's no exaggeration to say that your entire future is on the line. If you end up dismissed from Chaffey College, you'll find it difficult to find another school to take you.
The Lento Law Firm was built to help students just like you handle all types of misconduct charges. The firm's Student Defense Team has dealt with everything from plagiarism allegations to rape 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 what the Lento Law Firm can do for you, contact the firm today at 888-535-3686. Or use our automated online form.
