Your years in college can be among the best of your life. You get the chance to make new friends; you figure out what you want to do with the rest of your life; you define who you are as a person. No one said, though, that these years would be easy. Lots of things can go wrong, and lots of students don't actually make it to graduation. In fact, UT Arlington dismisses dozens of students every year for everything from low GPAs to stalking.
How do you make sure you're not one of them?
- First, you find out exactly what can get you into trouble. If you know the rules, you're less likely to break them, and you can better defend yourself if you ever wind up accused.
- Second, you learn all you can about your school's judicial system. For example, how do you go about defending yourself if you need to?
- Finally, you make sure you know how to get help. It's no easy task taking on your university. Attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team are on your side, though. They can make sure your school treats you fairly and that you get the very best possible resolution to your case.
Reasons for Dismissal at the University of Texas at Arlington
First things first: just what grounds can UT at Arlington use to dismiss you?
- Academic Deficiencies: Your primary job as a student is to excel in your coursework. UTA has an academic standing policy designed to make sure you do that. According to that policy, you must earn at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average. Anything lower gets you probation, and if your GPA should continue to fall while you're on probation, you can be dismissed.
- Academic Misconduct: Your other responsibility as a student is to abide faithfully by UTA's Academic Integrity policy. In other words, you're not just expected to earn your degree but to earn it honestly. All forms of cheating and plagiarism are expressly forbidden. Most violations result in classroom sanctions. You might, for instance, wind up with a lower grade in the course. Major offenses, though, and repeat offenses often receive dismissal.
- Disciplinary misconduct: You're not just a student at UTA; you're also a member of the campus community. All of your behaviors outside of class are governed by the school's Student Conduct and Discipline policy. This document covers things like theft, trespassing, hazing, underage drinking, and appropriate computer usage. UTA offers a wide range of sanctions for violations, but dismissal is certainly always on the table.
- Sexual misconduct: Finally, UTA also maintains a strict policy against sexual misconduct. This policy is in line with federal law—Title IX—and the most common punishment for students who are found Responsible for (guilty of) violations is dismissal.
Defending Yourself from Misconduct Charges
Knowing the rules at UTA is a good start when it comes to protecting yourself from dismissal. It helps, though, to know how the school's judicial procedures work as well. Here's a brief overview of the misconduct dismissal process.
- Most cases begin with a complaint. That is, someone reports your behavior to either the Office of Student Conduct or—in the case of Title IX accusations—the school's Title IX Coordinator.
- You have a number of important due process rights, such as the right to be presumed “Not Responsible.” Among these, you have the right to an advisor, and this advisor can be an attorney. In other words, Joseph D. Lento and his team can help you defend yourself from the moment you're accused.
- The first phase of the case is an investigation. Investigators usually begin by meeting separately with both parties. In addition, they interview any witnesses and collect physical evidence.
- Once they've completed their work, investigators write up a summary of their findings. This becomes the foundation for the next phase in the case—the hearing.
- The hearing is your chance to formally defend yourself. You can introduce evidence and call witnesses to testify on your behalf. You can also cross-examine any witnesses against you.
- At the conclusion of the hearing, decision-makers determine whether or not you are Responsible for a violation. In doing this, they apply a legal standard known as “preponderance of the evidence.” In simple terms, they must find you Responsible if they are more than fifty percent convinced you committed an offense.
- The case isn't necessarily over after the hearing. Should you lose your case, you have the right to appeal the outcome. However, grounds for appeal are limited to
- Procedural error
- Bias on the part of a decision maker
- The discovery of new evidence
- A disproportionate sanction
There are some minor differences in how cases proceed based on the specific type of charge you are facing. For example, unlike in other cases, in sexual misconduct cases, both sides are allowed to cross-examine one another. Joseph D. Lento and his team are familiar with all the possibilities, though, and can help you navigate the process no matter what your specific situation might be.
Academic Dismissals
Academic dismissals don't work like misconduct dismissals. For one thing, there is no formal process for challenging academic standing decisions. If your GPA should fall far enough, dismissal is automatic.
That doesn't mean there aren't some useful strategies for avoiding an academic dismissal. For instance,
- If you're dealing with extenuating circumstances, like a long-term illness or a family emergency, you can appeal directly to the dean of your school or college. You may be able to get more time to improve.
- A learning disability may be grounds for course accommodations. If you aren't given these accommodations, you may be entitled to a grade revision.
- The University of Texas at Arlington has a grade forgiveness program that allows you to drop up to two grades from your GPA. Only certain courses qualify for this forgiveness, though, and it's important you choose carefully which to drop.
Here again, you can count on Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team to know all the options available to you. They can help you create a plan specific to your situation and work with you to implement that plan.
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.
