A lot of universities have started offering continuing education (CE) programs and courses recently. Cal State Fullerton's Extension and International Programs is one of the most broad-ranging and extensive. Whether you're looking to earn certification in a new skill and move up at work, or you'd like to complete a Bachelor's degree and find a completely new job, CSUF lets you learn on a flexible schedule.
Keep in mind, though, that “flexible” isn't a synonym for “easy.” Cal State Fullerton has a strong reputation for academic excellence. You can expect courses to be rigorous and professors to be demanding. In general, CSFU holds all its students—including CE students—to the highest standards, both academically and personally.
If that sounds challenging, it's because it is. But anything worthwhile is going to challenge you. The good news, you don't have to face this challenge alone.
Attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento and his Student Defense Team are dedicated to helping students achieve their dreams. How do they do that exactly? They know the Cal State Fullerton system. They can help you navigate that system and even use it to your advantage. Maybe you're struggling to meet academic standing requirements. Maybe a professor refuses to excuse an absence when you have to stay home to take care of your sick kids. Whatever problems come up, Joseph D. Lento and his team know the solutions.
You can do this, but it's nice to know you have help if you need it.
Academics
Let's start by talking about what kinds of problems CE students typically face. That way, you'll be prepared for whatever may come.
At Cal State Fullerton, problems usually arise in one of two areas: academics or personal conduct. You've enrolled at CSUF to learn, so let's look first at academics.
Educational Options
One of the great things about the Cal State Fullerton program is that it offers education options to suit virtually any goal.
- Open University: Maybe you're just interested in a subject like botany or calculus. Or, perhaps, you want to dip your toe into the waters of academia and see if it's right for you. Cal State Fullerton's Open University allows non-admitted students to take any course the university offers.
- Certification: If you're looking for a tougher challenge, you might consider taking several courses on the way to earning certification in a specific skill. This can be a great way to improve your standing at work or prepare yourself for a new career field. CSUF offers certificates in a wide range of subjects, from digital marketing to crime and intelligence analysis. Most programs require you to take between 6 and 8 courses over a 12 to 18-month period.
- Bachelor's Degrees: CSUF also offers BA completion programs in business administration, humanities and social sciences, and sociology. You'll need to have completed some basic coursework before you enroll, and it normally takes nine semesters to complete a degree.
- Master's Degrees: If you already have a BA, you might consider enrolling in one of CSUF's graduate programs, like business administration or computer science. Accelerated programs take around 18 months to complete. Part-time programs can take up to three years.
- OLLI: Finally, Cal State Fullerton also participates in the nationwide Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. Osher offers practical seminars and courses in subjects like art house cinema, underwater archaeology, and line dancing.
In addition to a broad range of programs, CSFU also offers several different ways to take courses. Many courses, for example, are offered online. It's even possible to complete a certificate or degree without ever stepping foot on campus. However, you can also choose from traditional classes that happen in traditional brick-and-mortar classrooms.
Educational Requirements
As you can probably guess, your specific educational requirements will depend on what program you decide to enroll in. If you're simply looking to take one course through the Open University, you won't have to worry about grades or grade point averages. If, on the other hand, you're trying to earn a certificate, you'll have to choose your courses carefully to fit into certification requirements, and it will be important to pass those courses. And, if you're going for a degree, you'll not only have to worry about passing your courses, but you'll also have to maintain a minimum GPA. BA students must keep at least a 2.0 or risk being put on Academic Notice. MA students keep a 3.0.
You're bright and hardworking. Maybe you aced college the first time around. CE programs come with a different set of challenges, though. The student next to you in class is probably most concerned with what the cafeteria is serving for lunch today. You're worried about your kids' health, your mortgage, or the expense report that's due at work on Friday.
Most instructors recognize the unique demands CE students face, and you'll find they're eager to help you succeed. Unfortunately, there are those professors and administrators out there who just don't get it. They insist that there's no flexibility when it comes to absence policies and that a sick kid is no excuse for turning a paper in late. What do you do when you run into them? You contact Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team. They'll make sure you're treated fairly. They know who to talk to when you have a problem and what to say. And, if things should escalate, they're ready to fight for your rights.
Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
If you receive any form of financial aid at Cal State Fullerton, you also need to worry about the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy. All schools are required to maintain such policies by the federal government as a check on the financial aid system. SAP ensures no one can abuse the system and that everyone who receives aid is completing their degree in a timely fashion.
Each school sets its own policy. The Cal State, Fullerton policy requires you to meet three criteria in order to remain eligible for aid.
- First, you must earn at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA (3.0 for graduate students)
- Next, you must complete at least two-thirds of your coursework. Failures count against this percentage, as do dropped courses.
- Finally, you must complete your certificate or degree within 150 percent of the maximum time frame for that program. If, for instance, it takes 120 credits to earn your degree, you must finish within 180 credits.
Of course, you don't have to keep your financial aid in order to continue at CSUF. As long as you meet any academic standing requirements, you can take as many courses as you like. Most students, though, find it difficult to continue when they're footing the bill for their education entirely on their own.
If you're facing the loss of your aid, you should know that CSUF does offer an appeals process for students who may have extenuating circumstances. If you were hospitalized during a semester, for example, or you were dealing with a family crisis, you may be able to convince the SAP Appeals Committee to grant you an additional probationary semester of aid.
It's important to remember, though, that there are crucial time limits on financial aid decisions. For example, it can take the SAP Appeals Committee up to four weeks to review an appeal. That means you need to get started on the process the very moment you think you might be in trouble. Joseph D. Lento and his team have filed hundreds of SAP appeals over the years, and they may be able to help you stay eligible, but you can't win an appeal if you don't act before the appeal deadlines.
Academic Misconduct
It's not enough to earn good grades and keep your GPA up at CSUF. You must also do so, honestly. You may think CE instructors won't worry about checking your essays using TurnItIn or monitoring where you're looking during exams. Think again. Cheating and plagiarism are expressly forbidden by the school's Academic Dishonesty policy.
Cal State Fullerton gives faculty broad authority to determine if a student has committed misconduct and to set course punishments. These can include
- Warnings
- Makeup assignments
- Educational assignments on the nature of academic integrity
- Lowered grades on assignments, up to a zero
- Lowered course grades up to an F
Sanctions may not end in the classroom, though. Your instructor is also required to report academic misconduct to the Dean of Students office. That office has the authority to punish multiple infractions with
- Probation
- Suspension
- Dismissal
You don't have to accept an allegation of dishonesty, though, or a penalty that's simply too harsh. You have the right to appeal your instructor's decisions to the Academic Appeals Board. If the Board decides your appeal has merit, they will invite you to defend yourself at a formal hearing.
Of course, university appeals and hearings can be complex. Often, your success depends on whether you know the rules of procedure, what counts as good evidence, and what questions to ask of witnesses. You're always better off, then, seeking professional help. Joseph D. Lento and his team aren't just attorneys. They're attorneys who work in the field of student rights. They know exactly how the Cal State Fullerton judicial system works and can advise you from the moment you are accused to the moment you've exhausted your last appeal.
Academics: What Could Go Wrong?
It may strike you as odd, the idea that an attorney could help you academically. Can someone from the Lento Law Firm help you write your paper? No. Can they help you study for a test? No.
But they can help you write a misconduct appeal. They can coach you on how to negotiate with your professors for better grades. They can figure out who to talk to when your computer says you've uploaded your assignment, but the professor says you didn't.
The thing is, college is often as much about navigating bureaucracy effectively as it is doing well on exams or learning how to use research materials properly. No one knows bureaucracy better than lawyers. They're actually trained in it. And no one understands educational bureaucracy better than Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team.
Disciplinary Misconduct
Mastering academics can keep you out of a lot of trouble when you're in a CE program, but not all. You also have to worry about following campus rules—even if you're not actually on campus.
You're not immune to Cal State Fullerton's Standards for Student Conduct just because you're a CE student. Just like any other student, you can wind up in serious trouble for things like drug possession, disorderly conduct, and theft of property. Sanctions can include anything from a warning to outright dismissal from the CE program.
Maybe you're taking all your courses online, and you assume you aren't subject to these Standards?
- Violations of local, state, and federal law are violations of the Standards. If you should find yourself convicted of a crime—even something relatively minor like DUI or domestic battery—CSUF can dismiss you. It doesn't matter whether you commit the crime on campus or in an entirely other state.
- One of the most serious charges a student can face is sexual harassment. In fact, such offenses are governed by federal law (Title IX). CSUF is required, by law, to investigate all credible accusations, and penalties can be severe. The minimum sanction is typically suspension; expulsion is the more likely result.
- Online offenses can get you into just as much trouble as real-world offenses. Sexually harass another student in the course forum, and you're still likely to be investigated for a Title IX offense. In general, it's a good idea to practice good etiquette when you're online.
- You should behave professionally.
- You should treat others with respect.
- You should avoid profanity and other types of socially-offensive language.
- You should dress appropriately if others can see you.
- You should avoid video conferences in front of inappropriate surroundings.
You are always entitled to due process when you're accused of misconduct at Cal State Fullerton. This means you deserve a thorough investigation and the chance to defend yourself at a hearing. As part of these processes, you can submit evidence and suggest witnesses. You can also raise questions for anyone testifying against you. By far, though, your most important right is the right to an advisor. Your advisor plays a crucial role in helping you prepare for meetings and proceedings, and they can sit beside you and offer advice throughout the process. That advisor can be an attorney. That advisor should be someone from the Lento Law Firm. No one will fight more fiercely to protect your rights as a student.
Joseph D. Lento: Continuing Education Student Attorney-Advisor
If you've been out of school for a few years, you need to know that things have changed in education.
- Cheating is on the rise, so professors are more hyper-vigilant.
- Academic expectations grow higher every year.
- In today's political climate, no school can afford to be seen as soft on discipline, and every school conducts rigorous investigations and doles out stiff penalties.
It's worth recognizing, though, that you've changed too. Sure, you care about passing your courses and getting your degree, but that's not the highest priority in your life anymore. You've got a partner, a mortgage, and kids to worry about. Satisfying your boss's demands is probably far more important to you than pleasing your professor.
Most continuing education faculty understand the particular kinds of stresses you're under, and most are willing to work with you to make your educational experience rewarding. If you should run into issues, though, it's important you know that there's help available.
Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team have helped hundreds of students just like you deal with school-based issues. They know the law as it applies to education, and they are practiced in dealing with faculty and administrators. Whatever problem you might be facing, from issues with technology to accusations of sexual misconduct, don't wait to see what will happen. If you're in trouble, contact the Lento Law Firm today at 888-555-3686, or use our automated online form.
