Dealing with the threat of dismissal can be a scary proposition. Lose your spot at Kennesaw State, and you'll find it difficult, if not impossible, to earn a degree. Your dismissal will include a transcript notation about the nature of your offense, and few schools are willing to take a risk on a transfer student with a bad record.
The threat of dismissal doesn't have to end in your actual dismissal, though. Attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento and his Student Defense Team are on your side and stand ready to help when you need it. They've helped hundreds of college students salvage their academic futures and move on to successful careers, and they can do the same for you. They know the law as it applies to education, and they know the KSU system. That means that no matter what kind of problem you might be facing, they can help you navigate the system and get the best possible resolution to your case.
Reasons for Dismissal at Kennesaw State University
What is it that can get you into so much trouble at Kennesaw State that you might be in danger of expulsion? Where do the mines lie?
There are actually dozens of offenses serious enough to get you dismissed. For the most part, though, they can all be grouped into four categories.
- Academic Misconduct: KSU maintains an extensive Student Code of Conduct. That document lays out all the university's rules and explains what happens if you break them. As part of this Code, you're prohibited from all forms of Academic Misconduct, including cheating, plagiarism, falsification of data, and misuse of computer resources. A first offense isn't usually enough to get you dismissed. Should you commit a second offense, though, dismissal becomes a real possibility.
- Disciplinary Misconduct: The Code also contains the more general rules that govern your campus behavior. As you might imagine, this includes prohibitions against things like theft, trespassing, and disorderly conduct. Any violation can result in dismissal. Some, like weapons possession, drug possession, and hazing, almost always result in dismissal.
- Sexual Misconduct: Though technically a form of disciplinary misconduct, sexual misconduct is serious enough that it has its own policy. Such offenses are actually governed by federal law, under Title IX, and subject to federal investigation and adjudication guidelines. Most students who are found Responsible for a violation are dismissed from the university.
- Academic Deficiencies: Finally, you can also be dismissed simply for failing to meet the school's academic expectations. If your grades fall far enough, you're placed on Academic Probation, and if you continue to struggle, you are subject to Academic Dismissal.
Defending Yourself From Misconduct Charges
If you are charged with misconduct, you have the right to defend yourself. The school conducts a full investigation, and you then have the opportunity to present your case at a formal hearing before a University Hearing Panel. Here's how those process work, generally.
- First, someone makes an allegation against you to the appropriate university office. That office must then decide whether the charges are credible enough to open an investigation.
- You are entitled to Notice of the Charges any time you are under investigation. This Notice should apprise you of the facts in the case and offer a complete list of your due process rights.
- Among your rights, you are allowed to select an advisor, someone to help you with your case. This advisor can be an attorney. That means someone from the Lento Law Firm can accompany you to all meetings and procedures, though they cannot speak on your behalf.
- 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 interview any witnesses and collect any physical evidence.
- At the conclusion of the investigation, investigators submit a written report summarizing their findings. This becomes the central piece of evidence in the hearing that follows.
- At the hearing, you may make arguments, submit evidence, and call witnesses to testify. In addition, you can ask questions of any witnesses against you. Of course, the other side in the case has these same rights.
- A university hearing isn't a court case, and you aren't innocent until proven guilty “beyond a reasonable doubt.” Instead, the University Panel will decide whether you are “Responsible” for an offense based on a lesser legal standard known as “preponderance of the evidence.” In simple terms, you are responsible if they are more than fifty percent convinced you committed a violation.
- Your case may not be over after the hearing. Both sides have the right to appeal the outcome in certain circumstances. These circumstances include procedural error, the discovery of new evidence, or an outcome that doesn't match the facts of the case.
Investigation and adjudication procedures can differ depending on the specific nature of the charges. For instance, Title IX sexual misconduct cases allow for both sides to cross-examine one another in addition to any witnesses against you. In addition, all cross-examination in these cases must be conducted by advisors.
Whatever type of case you're facing, you can trust that Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team are well-versed in judicial rules and procedures. They know exactly how to use the system to your advantage and can help guide you through the process from start to finish.
Academic Dismissal Cases
Misconduct dismissals are one thing; academic dismissals are another. For example, there's usually no investigation in an academic dismissal case, and you don't have the right to a hearing.
You can appeal an academic dismissal if your academic deficiencies are the result of some hardship, such as an illness or a family emergency. However, there is no hearing as part of such appeals. Decisions are based exclusively on your written application. That means it is vital you collect evidence, that you document this evidence carefully, and that you create strong arguments on paper. Joseph D. Lento and his team can help you do all of that.
In addition, they know a number of alternative strategies for dealing with the threat of academic dismissal.
- If you've been treated unfairly in the classroom, you have the right to protest this treatment to your instructor's department head.
- Consistently low grades can be a sign of a learning disability. It might be worth visiting Disability Services. You could be entitled to drop low grades from your GPA and retake those courses.
- It's also worth asking instructors for extra credit or makeup assignments, especially if your grade is already borderline.
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.
