Going back to school can be an incredibly rewarding experience. In a practical sense, you can get certification that will help you move up at work; you can gain valuable skills that can get you an entirely new job; you can easily fulfill annual licensing requirements. Aside from all of this, though, Continuing Education (CE) programs give you a chance to grow as a scholar and as a person and to prove to yourself that you still have what it takes to succeed in college.
You shouldn't expect it to be a cakewalk, though. Whether you're looking to take a single course or you're trying to earn a professional certificate, the UNC CE curriculum is rigorous. The university expects you to uphold the highest standards of personal and professional conduct. And, oh, by the way, you have a few things to worry about in addition to attending classes and taking exams, like a job, a family, and a mortgage. The last time you were in school, you could focus all your energy on your coursework. Now you've got to figure out how to fit college in with all the other competing demands on your time and energy. That can be tough.
The good news is that you don't have to face this challenge all on your own. Attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team are on your side. They know exactly what you're up against. They've been helping students deal with the demands of university life for many years. They know the law as it applies to education, and they know how the University of North Carolina system works. Whether you're worrying about satisfying financial aid requirements or facing an unfair charge of sexual harassment, if you've got a problem related to your education, you can count on the Lento Law Firm.
Academics
What kinds of issues do CE students typically face? First and foremost, you're a student, and the University of North Carolina expects you to perform academically. What does that mean exactly?
UNC offers Digital and Lifelong Learning programs to suit a variety of different educational needs.
- Single courses: You can sign up to take courses in virtually any subject at UNC, even if you don't plan to apply them to a specific degree.
- Licensing renewal: UNC also offers courses specifically aimed at helping licensed professionals to update their credentials. Practicing dentists, for instance, can sign up for the UNC Dental School's course on Infection Control in Dental Settings.
- Certification: You can gain certification in fields such as primary care and paralegal work. Some of these involve single courses taken over a six-month period. Others involve multiple courses.
- Earn a Degree: UNC also offers the opportunity to earn a degree by taking courses part-time. Often the curriculum can be taken entirely online, giving busy professionals the time to work towards a master's degree, Ph.D., or second undergraduate degree on their own time scale
Your specific academic requirements will vary depending on your educational goals. For instance, unless you're working towards a degree, you probably don't need to worry about your grade point average or satisfying academic standing criteria. However, all of UNC's programs involve graded coursework. You are expected to attend classes, to participate in discussions, to take exams, and to complete assignments. You may find as well that some instructors have strict attendance policies or specific policies on how often you should post to to class forums.
Most UNC faculty recognize that CE students have special circumstances and that they need some accommodations. You will occasionally encounter instructors and administrators, though, who don't understand that you may need extra time to turn in a paper when your kids are sick or that getting that expense report to your boss on time is just more important than finishing the group project they've assigned. When that happens, Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team are on your side. They'll make sure you're treated fairly and that you have every chance to succeed in your program. They are adept at negotiation, and they have experience filing grade appeals.
Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
If you receive financial aid at UNC, there's another set of academic standards you need to know about. The federal government requires all colleges and universities to maintain a Satisfactory Academic Progress, or SAP, policy. This policy sets certain requirements financial aid recipients must meet in order to continue receiving aid. The goal is to make sure no one can become a permanent student or otherwise abuse the aid system.
Each university is allowed to set its own criteria for eligibility. UNC's policy has three requirements.
- First, you must keep a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0.
- Second, you must complete at least two-thirds of the courses you attempt. Both failures and withdrawals count against this percentage.
- Finally, you must complete your degree within a minimum time frame. For a master's degree, that means finishing within 5 years.
Failure to meet any one of these three standards means immediate suspension of aid. The UNC system does offer an appeals process for those students with extenuating circumstances, such as a death in the family or hospitalization. However, the appeals process can be complex, and there is no guarantee you will be successful.
In addition, there are strict time limits on filing appeals. As a result, it's always best to contact Joseph D. Lento and his team the moment you think there might be a problem. The Lento Law Firm is highly experienced with SAP appeals. However, it's extremely difficult to get aid reinstated once deadlines pass.
Academic Misconduct
You have other academic concerns as a UNC CE student. In addition to keeping your grades up, you also have to make sure you are adhering to the school's Honor Code. The Code expressly forbids
- Plagiarism
- Fabrication
- Unauthorized collaboration
- Cheating
- Violating procedures
- Providing false information
- Forgery
- Assisting someone else to commit academic misconduct
Faculty are extremely worried about cheating and plagiarism these days, and many have developed itchy trigger fingers. You can wind up accused even if you've done nothing wrong, and all accusations result in a full investigation by the Student Attorney General and a hearing before an Honor Court. In addition, you don't have to be found guilty “beyond a reasonable doubt.” Under the legal standard “preponderance of the evidence,” you can be punished if decision makers are more than fifty percent convinced you committed a violation.
Typically, first-time infractions receive in-class sanctions, such as
- A Reprimand
- A Makeup assignment or assignment re-submission
- An Educational assignment on the nature of academic integrity
- Loss of credit for the assignment up to a zero
- Loss of credit for the course, up to an F
However, particularly egregious and second offenses are subject to
- Probation
- Suspension
- Dismissal
Luckily, the hearing gives you the right to challenge your instructor's accusations. Or, you can accept responsibility for the violation but protest the severity of the sanction. Here again, though, judicial rules and procedures can be complicated and difficult to navigate. UNC has adopted a complex system involving attorneys general and honors courts. Winning your case can come down to knowing how to present evidence properly or what you can and can't ask witnesses. Your very best chance of success is having someone on your side who is familiar with how UNC's system works and who has experience representing student clients. You need Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team.
Academics: What Could Go Wrong?
Most students don't naturally think of attorneys when they run into trouble at college. After all, it's not like a lawyer can take your classes for you, write your papers, or provide tutoring.
By this point, though, you should already have some sense of why the right representation can be so crucial in defending yourself and keeping your academic career on track. When you run into trouble, Joseph D. Lento and his team can help you gather evidence, draft documents, develop arguments, present your case, and so much more.
In the broadest sense, college success is often as much about learning to deal with bureaucracy as it is about attending office hours and completing extra credit assignments. If you've ever had a parking ticket at UNC, you know just how difficult it can be to tangle with the school's administration.
No one is better at dealing with bureaucracy than lawyers. They're trained for it. And Joseph D. Lento and his team are especially adept at dealing with college and university bureaucracy. The Lento Law Firm was founded on the principle that students deserve fair treatment, and the attorneys who work there have spent their careers learning how college and university systems work. So when you run into a problem—even if it's an academic problem—you owe it to yourself to find out just what Joseph D. Lento and his team can do for you.
Disciplinary Misconduct
Most students assume all they have to worry about is keeping their grades up. The truth is, colleges and universities have long lists of rules that have nothing to do with the classroom. UNC's Code of Conduct is far longer than its Honor Code, with prohibitions against
- Fighting
- Threats
- Hazing
- Weapons possession
- Driving while intoxicated
- Disorderly conduct
- Possessing a controlled substance
- Threats
- Misrepresentation
- Tampering with equipment
- Forgery
- Trespass
- Misusing the name of the university
- Misrepresenting your own achievements
- Furnishing false information
You should also be aware that the Code prohibits any violation of local, state, or federal law, and that extends to your activities beyond campus. Get a DUI, even in another state, and you face serious consequences from UNC, including dismissal.
In addition, you are held accountable for any sexually based offenses, and these are so serious that they are treated under a separate policy. In fact, sexual misconduct is a violation of federal law under Title IX. Schools are required to investigate all credible allegations, and the most common sanction for students who are found responsible is dismissal.
Finally, keep in mind that your online behaviors are subject to the same rules, procedures, and sanctions as your “real world” behaviors. Harassing a classmate in a course forum can get you charged with a Title IX offense the same as if you had done it in a brick-and-mortar classroom. In fact, many CE courses take place online, and beyond abiding by general school rules, UNC expects you to conduct yourself professionally in these contexts. That means
- Behaving professionally
- Treating others with respect
- Avoiding profanity and socially-offensive language
- Dressing appropriately when others can see you
- Avoiding inappropriate surroundings
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 find, though, that an instructor won't let you make up an exam you missed because one of your kids was down with the flu or an administrator wants to dismiss you from your program because you didn't put a quotation mark in the right spot, know that you have options.
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.
