College can be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life, but it's no walk in the park. Need proof? Miami Dade College dismisses dozens of students every year for everything from low GPAs to plagiarism and misuse of computer resources.
How do you make sure you're not one of them?
- First and foremost, you find out all you can about just what can get you into trouble. What are the rules, and how do you avoid breaking any?
- Next, you learn everything there is to know about how to defend yourself because you never know when, despite your best efforts, trouble's going to come looking for you.
- Last but not least, you figure out how to get help when you need it. You can get through this situation, but you can't do it alone. Luckily, Attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team are here when you need them. They know the Miami Dade system, and they're committed to making sure you're treated fairly.
Reasons for Dismissal at Miami Dade College
The list of rules at Miami Dade is long, too long, in fact, to list them all here. For the most part, though, they can be divided into four categories.
- Academic Deficiencies: You came to Miami Dade to be a student, so you shouldn't be surprised that the school expects you to do your best academically. Just to make sure you do that, it maintains an academic standing policy. If your cumulative grade point should fall below 2.0, you'll find yourself on Academic Probation. Continue to struggle, and you can be dismissed.
- Academic Misconduct: While you're busy keeping your GPA up, you want to make sure you are doing it honestly. Any sort of academic misconduct, including cheating, plagiarism, and unauthorized collaboration, is expressly forbidden. Minor offenses can result in lowered grades. Major and repeat offenses, though, are often punished with dismissal.
- Disciplinary Misconduct: Outside of class, your behavior is governed by Miami Dade's Student Code of Conduct. Here, you'll find rules about things like fireworks, gambling, and property damage. Any violation of the Code can potentially get you dismissed. Some violations, like hazing and weapons possession, almost always result in dismissal.
- Sexual Misconduct: This is another kind of offense that almost always results in dismissal. Sexual misconduct is actually governed by federal law, and Miami Dade, like all other colleges and universities, must follow a strict set of procedures when investigating any allegations.
Defending Yourself from Misconduct Charges
No matter what type of misconduct charge you're facing, Miami Dade gives you the right to defend yourself. That process involves a thorough investigation, a formal hearing, and the opportunity to appeal the hearing outcome.
- Most cases begin with an accusation. That could be an accusation of cheating from your instructor, an accusation of physical violence from a staff person, or an accusation of stalking from another student.
- If the college decides to proceed with an investigation, it issues you Notice of the Charges. This notice summarizes the allegation and lets you know about your due process rights. Among these, you have the right to be presumed “Not Responsible” (Innocent), the right to review all evidence in the case and the right to an advisor who may be an attorney.
- As part of the investigation, investigators meet separately with both sides. In addition, they collect any physical evidence and interview any potential witnesses.
- Ultimately, investigators submit a written report of their findings. This becomes the foundation of the hearing that follows.
- At the hearing, you have the opportunity to make arguments, submit evidence, and call witnesses. In addition, you may ask questions of any witnesses testifying against you. The other side has these same rights.
- Once both sides have presented their cases, decision makers deliberate using a legal standard known as “preponderance of the evidence.” Far less strict than “beyond a reasonable doubt,” this standard requires they find you Responsible if they are more than fifty percent convinced you committed an offense.
- Finally, you may appeal the outcome of the hearing, but only on very specific grounds. These include the discovery of new evidence, a procedural error, or a sanction that is disproportionate to the offense.
You should know that there are minor differences in how different kinds of cases are handled. For instance, in Title IX sexual misconduct cases, you have the right to cross-examine the Complainant, and they have the right to cross-examine you. Whatever type of charge you're facing, though, Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team are well-versed in the rules of procedure. They have years of experience navigating campus judicial systems and can make sure you're fully prepared to defend yourself.
Academic Dismissals
You may have noticed there's been no mention yet of academic dismissals. That's because they work somewhat differently than misconduct dismissals. Perhaps the most significant difference is that Miami Dade College doesn't offer any formal mechanism for challenging these dismissals.
Luckily, Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team know a number of strategies for avoiding the threat of academic dismissal. For example,
- Miami Dade includes transfer course grades in your cumulative GPA. Taking a summer course, then, can be a useful way of raising your GPA high enough to avoid dismissal.
- If you are dealing with extenuating circumstances, such as a family emergency, you can try appealing directly to the Student Dean for more time to improve your grades.
- If you
discover you have a learning disability, you may be able to drop low course grades and retake those courses with special accommodations.
Here again, Joseph D. Lento and his team can help no matter what the circumstances. They've been doing this long enough to have learned all the tips and tricks for staying out of trouble and for getting out of it once you're in it. They know who to talk to; they know what to say.
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.
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.
