There may be no place in America that's more monitored than university campuses. Even prisons don't have as many rules or as many cameras. College administrators take misconduct very seriously these days. Even the smallest infraction can lead to an investigation, and punishments seem to get more severe every year.
Staying out of trouble, then, can be almost as hard as getting an “A” in calculus.
- First, you have to know all the rules.
- Then, you have to know how the administrative and judicial processes work at Metro State.
- And perhaps most importantly, you need to know how to get help when you need it.
You're probably used to thinking of your university as being on your side. If Metro State is trying to dismiss you, the situation has changed. You need someone looking out for your best interests. You need someone from The Lento Law Firm on your side. The Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team doesn't just know the law. We know how the Metro State system works, and we know how to use that system to your advantage.
To find out what we can do for you, call 888-535-3686 today or take a few minutes right now and fill out our online form.
Reasons for Dismissal from the Metro State, Denver
If you want to avoid trouble as a Metro State Denver student, your first job is to know the Metro State rules. That can be easier said than done, though. A quick glance online and you'll find dozens of different policies covering everything from GPA to sexual harassment. The good news is that all of these rules fit neatly into four basic categories. Know these, and you should be safe.
- Poor Academic Performance: As you might expect, grades matter at Metro State. According to the university's academic standing policy, you need a 2.0 cumulative GPA to remain in good standing. Anything lower than that number, and you're issued an academic warning. Continue to struggle, and you can also be dismissed.
- Academic Misconduct: Cheating and plagiarism can get you dismissed as well. As with academic standing requirements, you're not going to be expelled the first time you make a mistake. If you're caught in multiple offenses, though, you could find yourself looking for another school.
- Disciplinary Misconduct: If it happens outside the classroom, it is likely governed by Metro State's Student Code of Conduct. “Proscribed conduct” includes hazing, underage drinking, theft, and drug possession. Any violation can result in dismissal if it is serious enough.
- Sexual Misconduct: This is technically a sub-category of disciplinary misconduct, but it is so serious an offense that Metro State treats it as its own type of misconduct. Most investigations are mandated by Title IX, a federal law, and almost everyone found Responsible for (guilty of) an offense winds up dismissed.
Misconduct Procedures
Metro State cannot simply dismiss you because someone accuses you of misconduct. The university must conduct an investigation, and it must allow you to defend yourself at a full hearing. Further, you have several important due process rights that protect you. If you've been charged, here's what you can expect.
- Misconduct cases usually begin when someone makes a complaint to either the university's Conduct Officer or the Title IX Coordinator. These officials must then decide whether the complaint is credible and actionable.
- If the Conduct Officer or Title IX Coordinator decides to issue formal charges against you, they must provide you with written notice of those charges. This notice should offer details of the allegations and a list of your due process rights.
- Among your several rights as the Respondent (accused), you have the right to an advisor and to select an attorney to serve in this role. This means a Lento Law Firm attorney can accompany you to all meetings and hearings and help you respond to questions.
- The university then undertakes an investigation. In most instances, they begin by interviewing you and the Complainant (your accuser) separately. They also speak with any other witnesses to the event and collect physical evidence.
- The investigators' job is to collect the facts of the case. Ultimately, these are turned over to the university. Metro State then sets a time and place for a hearing and appoints one or more decision-makers to preside over that hearing.
- At the hearing, both sides make their cases. You may offer arguments, submit evidence, and call witnesses to testify. In addition, you may raise questions for any witnesses against you.
- Once both sides have had their say, decision-makers then determine whether or not you are responsible for an offense. This isn't a criminal court case, so decision-makers don't have to find you guilty "beyond a reasonable doubt." If they are at least fifty percent convinced of your guilt, they are required to find you responsible.
- You have yet one more right as part of the investigation and adjudication process: the right to appeal the hearing outcome. However, your appeal must be based on one of four issues:
- Procedural error
- A decision that does not fit the facts of the case
- A sanction that is disproportionate to the offense
- The discovery of new evidence.
Though they all follow this same basic outline, you'll find slight differences between how different types of cases unfold at Metro State. For example, Title IX sexual misconduct cases allow both the Respondent and Complainant to cross-examine one another. That's a right that's unique to these cases, though.
No matter what charges you're facing, you can be sure that the attorneys at The Lento Law Firm know what to expect from the process. We've worked with hundreds of students, defending them from all types of charges. We can guide you through the process and ensure you're treated fairly.
Academic Dismissal Cases
Academic dismissal cases aren't like misconduct cases, and you can understand why. The central issue of the case isn't in question. Either you have a GPA above 2.0, or you don't. There's no need for an investigation or a hearing to find the answers.
As a result, the university's Registrar typically issues these dismissals automatically at the end of the semester.
However, the attorneys at The Lento Law Firm know some strategies for helping you in these cases as well. For instance,
- Metro State allows you to appeal dismissal if you can demonstrate that extenuating circumstances led to your academic deficiencies.
- A learning disability can entitle you to accommodations in certain courses. If you should discover you have a previously undiagnosed disability, you can ask the university to let you retake those courses without penalty.
- You can always try asking instructors for extra credit or makeup work. It could be that an extra lab assignment or a paper rewrite is all you need to keep your GPA and avoid dismissal.
Fighting for Your Future
By this point, it should be abundantly clear why trying to defend yourself from dismissal is always a dangerous proposition. It's no easy task taking on a university, and the stakes are incredibly high. Luckily, you don't have to go it alone. The Lento Law Firm was built to help students. Our Student Defense Team can also be fierce when it comes to protecting our clients, and we're not afraid of faculty and administrators.
Let us help you fight for your academic future. To find out more, contact the firm today at 888-535-3686. Or, fill out our online questionnaire.
