When you come to college, your biggest concern is making sure you keep your grades up and graduate on time. And it should be. You're in school to learn, and that diploma is crucial to landing a good career. In fact, if you can't manage to succeed in the classroom, you can find yourself dismissed from Missouri State outright.
Low grades aren't the only cause of dismissal, though. Your personal conduct is under just as much scrutiny as your coursework, and it can get you tossed out just as quickly.
No matter what specific type of problem you're facing, if someone at MSU has mentioned the dreaded “D” word—dismissal—we can help. We're the Lento Law Firm, and our Student Defense Team has worked with hundreds of students just like you to get them the fair treatment and the justice they deserve. A dismissal defense is a serious matter, and you don't want to try to handle it all on your own. Call the Lento Law Firm at 888-535-3686 today, or use our automated online form and find out how we can salvage your academic career.
Reasons for Dismissal from Missouri State University
There are actually so many different reasons Missouri State can dismiss you that we don't have the time or space to mention them all here. However, almost all of these reasons can be grouped into four basic categories.
- Poor Academic Performance: As we mentioned earlier, job one for students is meeting academic standards. In fact, MSU maintains an academic standing policy that describes exactly what you must do to stay in Good academic standing. Any time your GPA falls below 2.0, you wind up on Probation, and if your GPA continues to fall, you face dismissal.
- Academic Misconduct: Given the consequences of a low GPA, you might be tempted to take a few shortcuts to keep your grades up. However, MSU also maintains a strict Academic Integrity policy that prohibits all forms of classroom dishonesty. Cheating and plagiarism can earn you sanctions from low grades to dismissal.
- Disciplinary Misconduct: Your general campus behavior is governed by the MSU Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities. That Code prohibits things like trespassing, underage drinking, and vandalism. Any violation can potentially lead to dismissal. Some, though, like hazing and weapons possession, are almost always punished with dismissal.
- Sexual Misconduct: These offenses are among the most serious with which a student can be charged. They aren't just a matter of school policy but, under Title IX, of federal law. The law requires schools to investigate all credible allegations, and it encourages schools to use harsh penalties. Dismissal is highly likely if you're found Responsible (guilty).
Misconduct Procedures
The reasons for dismissal listed above can further be divided into two categories, each one of which involves its own set of procedures.
If you've been accused of misconduct, you are entitled to an investigation and a hearing. In addition, Missouri State grants you some important due process rights to help you defend yourself.
- Cases originate with a complaint made either to the Office of Student Conduct or—in the case of Title IX sexual misconduct allegations—the Title IX Coordinator.
- Any time you are under investigation, you are entitled to a Notice of the Charges. That notice should include details of the charges against you and a list of your due process rights.
- Among your rights, you are allowed to select an advisor to accompany you to investigative meetings and hearings. This advisor can be an attorney, which means someone from the Lento Law Firm can be on hand from the very beginning to help you respond to questions.
- Often, investigators start by meeting separately with both sides in the case. You'll get a chance to give your side of the story and submit evidence and the names of any relevant witnesses. Investigators will then interview witnesses and collect any physical evidence.
- Investigators are specifically tasked with compiling the facts of the case. Once they submit a written report of their findings, the university sets a time and date for a formal hearing and appoints one or more decision-makers to oversee the process.
- The hearing is your best opportunity to make your case. You may offer arguments, submit evidence, and call witnesses to testify. You may also raise questions for any witnesses testifying against you.
- At the end of the hearing, decision-makers decide whether or not you are Responsible for (guilty of) an offense. To do this, they employ a legal standard known as “preponderance of the evidence.” This standard requires them to find you Responsible if they are more than 50 percent convinced you committed a violation.
- It is possible to appeal the hearing outcome, but you must have grounds for such an appeal. These can include either a procedural error or the discovery of new evidence relevant to the outcome.
All cases follow this general outline, but they can differ in detail depending on the exact nature of the charges. Because they are subject to Title IX jurisdiction, for instance, most sexual misconduct cases must follow federal guidelines for investigation and adjudication. According to those guidelines, both sides have a right to cross-examine one another during the hearing. In other types of cases, only decision-makers may ask questions, though you may suggest questions for them to ask.
No matter what charges you may be facing, the attorneys at the Lento Law Firm are well-versed in Missouri State procedures. We can help you prepare your arguments, work with you to gather evidence and guide you through the entire process.
Academic Dismissal Cases
The other category of dismissal is academic dismissal. Any time you're facing an academic dismissal you have a right to appeal. However, most successful appeals require some evidence of extenuating circumstances. If, for instance, you've experienced a bad breakup during the semester or been forced to work extra hours at your job, you can ask your school or college dean to set aside an academic sanction and give you more time to improve.
In addition, there are other, less formal, ways to avoid academic dismissal. For example,
- Low grades can sometimes be a sign of a learning disability. If you should discover you have such a disability, you can ask the university to remove low grades from your GPA and allow you to retake those courses.
- Some instructors are open to assigning makeup work or extra credit. An extra lab assignment or a paper rewrite could be all you need to get your GPA high enough to avoid dismissal.
- Classroom mistreatment is grounds for a grade appeal. Any time you feel you're being treated unfairly, you should report that treatment to your instructor's department head.
Your Lento Law Firm attorney can explain how to use these and other strategies to stay out of academic distress. They'll work with you to come up with an individualized plan, and they'll help you put that plan into effect.
Fighting for Your Future
By this point, you should have a clear sense of why you need the help of an attorney to fight dismissal decisions. 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. If you wind up dismissed from MSU, you'll find it difficult to find another school to take you.
The Lento Law Firm was built to help students just like you handle all types of misconduct charges. The firm's Student Defense Team has dealt with everything from plagiarism allegations to rape 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 what the Lento Law Firm can do for you, contact the firm today at 888-535-3686. Or use our automated online form.
