If you're a student at Temple, you already know: college is tough. It's tough academically; it's tough in terms of the expectations placed on you. You're under enormous pressure to succeed, and your every move is scrutinized. Oh, and by the way, there are no guarantees. Just because you got into Temple doesn't mean you'll graduate from Temple. The slightest misstep, and you can find yourself a candidate for dismissal rather than a degree.
You're not alone in this battle, though. National Student Defense attorneys at the LLF Law Firm and the Education Law Team are on your side. They know what you're up against, and they believe you deserve every possible chance to earn your diploma. They also know the rules at Temple and how the processes and procedures work. If you're facing dismissal for any reason, remember that they're here, and they're ready to fight for you.
Reasons for Dismissal at Temple University
How tough is college? There are literally dozens of different reasons why Temple might dismiss you. Luckily, most of them can be gathered into four basic categories.
- Academic Performance: First, you can be dismissed if you can't live up to the school's academic expectations. Temple maintains a strict academic standing policy. As part of this policy, you're required to keep a minimum 2.0 cumulative grade point average. If you can't, you can find yourself on probation or dismissed.
- Academic Misconduct: Academic dishonesty is on the rise in colleges and universities across the US. As a result, penalties have gotten harsher in the last several years. If you're caught committing plagiarism or cheating on an exam, you could be dismissed, particularly if you're a repeat offender.
- Disciplinary Misconduct: Temple also expects you to maintain high standards of personal behavior as a student. The Code of Conduct contains a long list of prohibitions and strictures concerning everything from alcohol consumption to theft to misuse of computer resources. Breaking any rule can get you dismissed, but some code violations—like drug possession and hazing—almost always result in dismissal.
- Sexual Misconduct: Sexual offenses are typically punished with dismissal as well. In part, this is because such offenses aren't just violations of school policy but of federal law. Title IX requires colleges and universities to investigate all but the most obviously spurious allegations and that they set rigorous sanctions.
Misconduct Procedures
You have the right to defend yourself from any misconduct charge. How you do that may depend on what type of charges you are facing. However, the process is generally the same in all cases.
- Cases begin with an allegation from a Complainant (accuser). Academic and disciplinary misconduct allegations are handled by the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards. Sexual misconduct allegations are handled by the 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. This advisor can be an attorney.
- If the school decides to pursue the case, they will conduct some form of investigation. In many cases, this may consist primarily of a process review meeting between a Student Conduct Administrator and the parties to the case. Sexual misconduct cases, though, often involve the collection of physical evidence and interviews with witnesses and can take up to 90 days to complete.
- Following the investigation, the school holds a formal hearing. This is your chance to make arguments, present evidence, and call witnesses to testify on your behalf.
- When both sides have made their cases, decision-makers determine whether or not you are responsible for a policy violation and, if so, what sanctions to apply. In making their decisions, they use a legal standard known as “preponderance of the evidence.” According to this standard, they must find you Responsible (guilty) if they believe it is “more likely than not” that you committed an offense.
- You can appeal the hearing outcome under certain conditions. These include the discovery of new evidence, an accusation of procedural error, or—in the case of sexual misconduct—bias on the part of a Title IX official.
There are some minor differences in how sexual misconduct cases are handled due to the fact that they are governed by federal guidelines. For instance,
- Investigators must submit a written, unbiased report of their findings before the hearing. Both sides have the right to read this report and suggest revisions.
- In disciplinary and academic misconduct cases, only the conduct board may question witnesses. In Title IX cases, advisors conduct all witness examinations and cross-examination.
- You have just five days to file an appeal in disciplinary and academic misconduct cases. You have ten days to file in Title IX cases.
The LLF Law Firm and the Education Law Team are experienced working with all the various judicial procedures at Temple and can advise you on exactly how to navigate the process, no matter the charges.
Academic Dismissal Cases
Academic dismissals work somewhat differently than misconduct dismissals. For one thing, decisions in these cases aren't generally open to review. They are primarily based on objective criteria—your GPA—which isn't generally subject to debate. Either you have a 2.0 cumulative grade point, or you don't.
However, there are some ways to handle the threat of dismissal. For one thing, the school offers what's known as a “recovery process” for students who have been dismissed. If you qualify, you are readmitted to the university immediately so that you don't miss any coursework.
Beyond this option, there are some informal ways to prevent dismissal. If, for instance, your academic deficiencies are the result of extenuating circumstances—like an illness or family emergency—you can appeal directly to the dean of your college for additional probation time. You can also try negotiating with professors for higher grades or for extra credit assignments.
Here again, the LLF Law Firm and the Education Law Team are familiar with all the possibilities when it comes to fighting academic dismissal. They can help you decide which approach is best for your situation and work with you to put a plan into action.
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's practice is 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 LLF Law Firm and the Education Law Team can do for you, contact the LLF Law Firm today at 888-555-3686, or use our automated online form.
