Founded in 1970, the College of Law at the University of La Verne is committed to developing the next generation of legal professionals. The school aspires to create a supportive learning environment, and it is dedicated to helping students reach their full potential.
With these goals in mind, La Verne College of Law expects individuals to take responsibility for their own success. The school holds students to rigorous academic standards, and a failure to meet its expectations could mean facing sanctions, including academic probation, suspension, and expulsion.
If you're facing academic misconduct accusations, chances are you're worried about what the allegations mean for your future prospects. To help, here's a look at how the school handles misconduct accusations and how an attorney-advisor can support you.
Student Conduct at the University of La Verne College of Law
Every law student at the University of La Verne must abide by two key conduct codes:
- The University of La Verne Code of Student Conduct
- The University of La Verne College of Law Manual of Academic Policies and Procedures (MAPP).
Not only do these policies aim to enhance and develop a student's moral character, but they're designed to help students build the skills they need to succeed in a legal career.
The University of La Verne College of Law reserves the right to sanction individuals who fall short of the expectations set out in these policies. Students may be disciplined if they fail to act honestly and ethically while on campus or if their behavior amounts to academic misconduct.
Academic Misconduct
Academic misconduct typically means dishonest actions which give a student an unfair advantage over other students in the program. Within the La Verne College of Law, the following behavior may constitute academic dishonesty:
- Exam violations: Such violations include using unauthorized materials in an exam or accessing exam papers without authorization.
- Plagiarism: Plagiarism is any attempt to pass off someone else's work or ideas as one's own. Examples include submitting another student's paper in your name, submitting a paper you paid someone else to write, or paraphrasing someone else's ideas without crediting them.
- Property tampering: It's considered misconduct to tamper with or destroy library materials as it deprives other students of the chance to study them.
- Misrepresentation: Acts that may amount to misrepresentation include signing the class roll for absent students, misrepresenting how long it took to complete an assignment, or hiding the submission date of an assignment.
- Dishonesty: It's a breach of the school's Code of Student Conduct to help any other student commit an act of dishonesty.
Good Academic Standing
It's also school policy for students to maintain “good academic standing.” This means having at least a 1.7 GPA at the end of the first semester and a GPA of at least 2.0 in all subsequent semesters. A failure to maintain good academic standing could result in academic probation or disqualification unless the student can prove they experienced a significant hardship that prevented them from performing at their normal ability level.
Joseph Lento is an education attorney, helping students nationwide to defend themselves against academic sanctions. Call him at 888-535-3686 to see how he might help you challenge the school's findings against you.
Academic Misconduct Sanctions
The sanctions for academic misconduct at the University of La Verne College of Law vary depending on the allegations. Possible sanctions include:
- Academic probation
- Disqualification
- Zero credit
- Expulsion
- Formal warnings
Students may also be prohibited from accessing certain locations, such as the library, or they might lose social privileges.
The Disciplinary Process at the University of La Verne College of Law
To prove a student committed academic misconduct, the school must have clear and convincing evidence that the alleged behavior took place. In other words, there must be sufficient evidence to show that it's far more likely that academic misconduct took place than not. Experienced student attorney-advisor Joseph Lento can determine how this burden of proof may affect your case based on the facts.
The Disciplinary Process
Once the school receives notice of a complaint, the Office of the Dean proceeds with a preliminary investigation. If there's enough evidence to suggest that academic misconduct took place, the process works as follows.
- The student receives notification of an allegation against them by email (to their @laverne.edu address). They will be invited to a meeting to discuss the allegations.
- The student attends the meeting. At this point, the accusations could be dismissed, or the case will proceed to an administrative hearing. Failing to attend this meeting could reflect negatively on you, so you should take every step to attend.
- Should the case go to an administrative hearing, the student can present evidence, such as documentation and witness statements, in defense of the case. They can also review the evidence against them and consult an attorney-advisor for advice on how to proceed.
- Following the hearing, the student will be notified of the decision and any sanctions against them, if applicable.
Violations will be noted in the student's academic record, which could affect their future employment prospects or make it more challenging for them to complete the program.
Appealing a Misconduct Decision at the University of La Verne College of Law
According to the MAPP rules, students can appeal a decision if the sanctions are disproportionate or:
- New evidence is available which may change the outcome of the hearing
- The school did not properly follow its own administrative processes
- A significant error occurred which affected the outcome, e.g., there was a conflict of interest
Appeals should normally be submitted in writing within five days of the hearing decision, and it's on the appellant to show why the appeal is valid. The Appeals Review Officer will either reverse the decision, amend the sanctions, or affirm the decision (which is final).
How an Attorney-Advisor Can Help
An academic misconduct finding can shatter a student's chances of achieving their career goals, even if it does not result in dismissal. Joseph Lento, an experienced attorney-advisor, is committed to ensuring you get the fair shot at justice you deserve. He will stand by your side throughout the investigatory process and help you build the strongest possible case. Call him now at 888-535-3686 or reach him online to schedule a consultation.
