No one said college would be easy. Classes get tougher every year. Professors grow more demanding. In today's wired environment, you're under nearly constant surveillance. In the current political climate, schools issue harsh punishments even for relatively minor infractions. Maybe that's why Lehigh winds up dismissing dozens of students every year. In fact, given all of that, one might ask how anyone manages to avoid dismissal.
If you're going to make it through four years unscathed—or at least relatively unscathed—you need a plan.
- First, you need to know the rules—all the rules. In particular, what things can get you dismissed, and how do you avoid doing those things?
- Second, you need to know how your school's judicial processes work. Even if you're on your best behavior, you can still sometimes wind up in trouble. How do you defend yourself if you're facing dismissal?
- Last, but certainly not least, you need to know how to get help if you need it. You can and should fight for your academic future, but you don't want to do it alone. Who can you count on to stand by your side and fight with you?
Reasons for Dismissal at Lehigh University
So, let's start with the first item on the list. What exactly can Lehigh dismiss you for? Turns out that's a long list, too long to include here. However, almost all the items on that list can be grouped into four basic categories.
- Academic Performance: Lehigh expects you to go to class, study hard, and earn solid grades. To make sure you do that, the school maintains an academic standing policy. In simple terms, you must keep a minimum 2.0 cumulative grade point average. If your GPA falls below that number, you can be placed on probation, and if you still can't bring your grades up, you can be dismissed.
- Academic Misconduct: Lehigh also maintains a strict policy on academic integrity, which prohibits cheating, plagiarism, and any other activity that might tend to give you an unfair advantage in completing your coursework. Serious and/or repeat offenses are often punished with dismissal.
- Disciplinary Misconduct: The academic integrity policy is actually part of a larger Student Code of Conduct that lists all the various misconduct offenses with which you can be charged. This includes non-academic violations like trespassing, disorderly conduct, and underage drinking. Any violation can potentially result in dismissal. Some—like assault, hazing, and drug possession—almost always do.
- Sexual Misconduct: Though technically a form of disciplinary misconduct, sexual misconduct is treated as a separate type of offense, in part because it is a violation of federal law (Title IX) in addition to school policy. It is also unique because offenses are usually punished with dismissal.
Misconduct Procedures
Let's move on to the second item on our list: understanding your school's judicial procedures. You always have the right to defend yourself from misconduct charges, and this is the easiest way to prevent dismissal. How you do that may differ somewhat depending on what you've been charged with, but the overall process is the same in all cases.
- Usually, a case begins with a Complaint made by a Complainant (accuser). Complaints are handled either by the Office of Student Conduct or—in the case of sexual misconduct—the school's designated Title IX Coordinator.
- You have the right to an advisor, someone to help you prepare your case and to accompany you to meetings and proceedings. In sexual misconduct cases, you can choose an attorney to serve this role. In academic and disciplinary misconduct cases your advisor must be a member of the Lehigh community. Even so, you always have the right to consult with an attorney about your case.
- The school first conducts a thorough investigation into the facts of your case. You can expect this investigator to interview both parties. In addition, they collect any physical evidence and talk with any potential witnesses.
- Ultimately, the investigative findings become the central evidence at a formal hearing either before a Discipline Hearing Panel or a three-member Title IX Hearing Panel.
- At the hearing, you have the right to present evidence and call witnesses. In addition, you may ask questions of any witnesses testifying against you.
- All cases are decided using a legal standard known as “preponderance of the evidence.” According to this standard, decision-makers must find you Responsible if they believe it is “more likely than not” that you committed an offense.
- Finally, you can appeal the hearing outcome, but only on limited grounds: new evidence, procedural error, or a disproportionate sanction.
The team at the LLF Law Firm understand all the various judicial processes at Lehigh and can advise you no matter what charges you're facing.
Academic Dismissal Cases
Academic dismissals differ significantly from misconduct dismissals. This is largely because the process is based on objective fact—your GPA. Ordinarily, that isn't subject to challenge. You can apply for reinstatement in these cases to the Committee on Standing of Students. However, there's no guarantee of success.
There are also a number of informal ways to deal with the threat of academic dismissal. For example, some professors are open to negotiation. If your final exam score is higher than your final course grade, you might try arguing that the final exam should be used as your course grade. Sometimes a single grade can be enough to raise your GPA high enough to avoid dismissal. Likewise, if your academic deficiencies are the result of extenuating circumstances, you can try appealing directly to your academic dean for a probation extension.
Again, the LLF Law Firm team are familiar with all the many options for forestalling academic dismissal. They can help you decide which will work best in your case and help you as you go through the process.
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 be against you. Plus, it's no exaggeration to say that your entire future is on the line. You need someone watching over your shoulder, making certain you're treated fairly and that you get the justice you deserve.
The LLF Law Firm was built on helping students just like you handle all types of misconduct charges.The Education Law Team have dealt with every sort of charge. They know how to negotiate with faculty and administrators; they know how to interview witnesses; they know how to put together water-tight appeals. Most importantly, no matter what problem you're facing, they are on your side and will do everything in their power to get you the very best possible resolution to your case.
To find out more about what the team at LLF Law Firm can do for you, contact them today, at 888-555-3686, or use our automated online form.
