College isn't easy, and we're not just talking about academics. Sure, courses at IIT are tough, and professors can certainly be demanding. The school scrutinizes your behaviors just as closely, though. There may be no place in America where you are under more surveillance than on a college campus. It should come as no surprise to you to learn, then, that IIT dismisses dozens of students each and every term for low GPA, trespassing, stalking, and a whole host of other offenses.
You can't just float along, hoping you're not one of them. You have to be active in protecting your reputation and defending yourself from any potential charges. How do you do that? You start by knowing the rules. What exactly can get you dismissed at IIT, and how do you avoid making mistakes? Of course, innocent students wind up accused all the time, so you also need to know how the campus judicial procedures operate so you'll be able to defend yourself from whatever comes.
If you are ever facing dismissal, though, all this knowledge may not be enough. You're also going to need help. No one offers better help in these situations than Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team. So, find out all you can now, but if the day should ever come when you find yourself in danger of expulsion, you'll also want to have the Lento Law Firm's number handy: 888-555-3686.
Reasons for Dismissal at Illinois Tech
As we mentioned above, there are actually lots of reasons why Illinois Tech might dismiss you—too many, in fact, to list them all here. What we can do, though, is tell you about the four categories of misbehavior that can get you dismissed.
- Academic Performance: IIT has a strict academic standing policy. That policy requires you to maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0, a major GPA of 2.0, and a term GPA of 1.85. When you can't do that, you're placed on probation, and if you don't improve while on probation, you can be dismissed entirely.
- Academic Misconduct: Cheating is also grounds for dismissal, as are plagiarism, misrepresentation, academic sabotage, and anything else that could give you an unfair advantage in completing your coursework. Minor offenses are usually dealt with through classroom sanctions like lowered grades. Major offenses, though, and repeat offenses often lead to dismissal.
- Disciplinary Misconduct: In addition to an extensive Honor Code, IIT also has a Student Code of Conduct to cover your behaviors outside the classroom. This deals with offenses like hazing, underage drinking, trespassing, and weapons possession. Any violation of the rules can potentially result in dismissal.
- Sexual Misconduct: While sexual misconduct is technically a form of disciplinary misconduct—and is discussed in the Code of Conduct—it is treated as a separate type of offense. For one thing, such misconduct is subject to regulation under Title IX, a federal law. For another, violations almost always lead to dismissal.
Defending Yourself From Misconduct Charges
If you're charged with any type of misconduct at IIT—academic, disciplinary, or sexual, you have the right to defend yourself. Here's a basic outline of what the process looks like.
- The school receives a complaint from a Complainant. As the accused person, you're referred to as the Respondent.
- The school then conducts an investigation to determine the facts of the case. Some investigations are simple. If academic misconduct is at issue, for example, an investigator might talk to you and your instructor and collect any documentary evidence. Others can be quite involved and require investigators to gather physical evidence and talk to multiple witnesses.
- Throughout the process, you have the right to be accompanied by both your parents and an advisor of your choice. Further, this advisor can be an attorney. However, parents and advisors are barred from participating directly in any meetings or proceedings.
- The evidence gathered by the Investigator ultimately becomes the basis for a formal hearing. At this hearing, you may make arguments, submit evidence, and call witnesses. In addition, you may ask to cross-examine witnesses against you. The Complainant has these same rights.
- At the conclusion of the hearing, decision-makers determine whether or not to hold you responsible for a violation. They use a legal standard known as “preponderance of evidence”: that is, they must find you Responsible if they believe you “more likely than not” committed the offense. Note that this is substantially different from a criminal proceeding where guilt must be “beyond a reasonable doubt.”
- You are also entitled to appeal the hearing outcome under certain conditions. Grounds for appeal include
- New evidence
- Procedural error
- Disproportionate sanction
- Bias on the part of an official (in Title IX cases only)
You should know that procedures sometimes differ depending on the specific charge. For example, academic misconduct is usually handled by an academic disciplinary committee; sexual misconduct, on the other hand, is dealt with by the school's designated Title IX Coordinator. In academic and disciplinary cases, only the hearing panel may actually ask questions; in sexual misconduct cases, only advisors may conduct examinations and cross-examination. Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team know all the rules and procedures used at IIT and can further advise you about what exactly you may be facing.
Academic Dismissal Cases
There is one type of dismissal that has nothing to do with misconduct: dismissal for academic deficiencies. These can be more difficult to deal with since they are virtually always based on objective facts like your cumulative GPA. In other words, such dismissals aren't subject to investigation or hearings, and there's not much option when it comes to appealing these decisions.
There are, however, strategies for dealing with the threat of academic dismissal. For instance, you may be able to negotiate directly with a professor for a higher grade. Often, one changed grade is enough to prevent dismissal. If your work showed progress over the course of the semester, you might argue that you deserve a higher final grade. Likewise, if you are only a few points from a higher grade, you could try convincing a professor to assign you extra credit or makeup work. Or, if your deficiencies are the result of extenuating circumstances, like an illness or family emergency, you can try appealing to the dean of students for more time to raise your grades.
Here again, Joseph D. Lento and his Team know all the options available to you. They have years of experience representing hundreds of students, and they've dealt with virtually every kind of situation. They can help you come up with a plan specific to your needs. They can also help you implement that plan, whether that means gathering evidence, drafting an appeal, or simply finding out who to talk to.
Fighting for Your Future
By this point, you should 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 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 Joseph D. 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 the Lento Law Firm Team can do for you, contact the Lento Law Firm today at 888-555-3686 or use our automated online form.
