Approximately 21 million students currently are enrolled at colleges, universities and other types of postsecondary educational institutions in the U.S. These students are chasing long-term goals and making large investments of time and money. If a student is found to have violated the institution's policies relating to academic conduct they may see their plans abruptly altered. Schools are able to impose sanctions such as suspensions or even dismissal from the university. Students are able to answer allegations within the institution's disciplinary process. Once a ruling is handed down, the student's only method of recourse may be through appealing the decision. Those considering an appeal should definitely speak with an attorney. The Lento Law Firm is able to represent students in appealing these rulings and provide you with an opportunity for a favorable outcome.
What is Academic Misconduct?
- Usage of a “cheat sheet” during an exam
- Communicating with others in efforts to cheat on an exam
- Having someone else take your exam
- Participation in a form of “collaborative” cheating
- Submitting a report or paper written by someone else
- Plagiarizing someone else's work or ideas
Student Records & Transcripts May Reveal Misconduct
The Federal Educational Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA) was put in place to prevent unauthorized disclosure of student records and transcripts. These records will still likely be revealed to another school if you are seeking admittance. This is merely one example of how evidence of disciplinary action can adversely impact your future.
Preparing for an Appeal
School's each devise some process for appealing disciplinary rulings. Typically an appeal must be submitted in writing to an assigned administrator or department. The document should be clear and may contain a sequence of facts and convincing arguments. Common arguments include that the process did not adhere to the school's written procedure or that the sanctions imposed are excessive. Often the possibility of having success in an appeal hinges on this written document.
Appeal Details
Each school has its own policies and procedures regarding the appeals process which must be carefully followed. For example, at the University of Buffalo in New York, a student may appeal a ruling regarding academic integrity. A written document must be received by the department within a period of 10 working days. This document must specify the reasoning to justify an appeal. The Departmental Adjudication Committee will review the request and may recommend the following:
- That after reviewing the evidence the ruling should be reversed and sanctions terminated
- That the ruling should be sustained
- The sanctions that were imposed were not appropriate and will be modified
Having Legal Counsel to Assist With Appeal
It is strongly suggested that you have legal representation when appealing a violation of academic misconduct. This is critical because the formal appeal document must be highly impactful and demonstrate that the appeal is worthy of consideration. There is also likely to be a very limited amount of time for filing. Your attorney may also engage the administration in negotiations that could lead to more favorable outcomes such as reducing the severity of sanctions.
New York Student Academic Disciplinary Defense Advisor
Are you a student or parent of a student in New York faced with difficult sanctions resulting from violations of academic misconduct? Attorney Joseph D. Lento has the experience necessary to successfully appeal these findings through the school's appeals process. Contact the office today for a consultation at (888) 535-3686.
State University of New York (SUNY):
SUNY University Centers
- State University of New York at Buffalo
- Binghamton University
- Stony Brook University
- University at Albany, State University of New York
SUNY Technology College
- Alfred State College
- State University of New York at Canton
- State University of New York at Cobleskill
- State University of New York at Delhi
- State University of New York at Farmingdale
- State University of New York at Morrisville
- State University of New York Polytechnic Institute
- State University of New York Maritime College
SUNY Comprehensive Colleges
- Buffalo State College
- Empire State College, Saratoga Springs
- State University of New York at Brockport
- State University of New York at Cortland
- State University of New York at Fredonia
- State University of New York at Geneseo
- State University of New York at New Paltz
- State University of New York at Old Westbury
- State University of New York at Oswego
- State University of New York at Plattsburgh
- State University of New York at Potsdam
- Crane School of Music
- State University of New York at Purchase
SUNY Specialized Doctoral Granting Units
- State University of New York Downstate Medical Center
- State University of New York Upstate Medical University
- State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry
- State University of New York State College of Optometry
SUNY Community Colleges
- Adirondack Community College
- Broome Community College
- Cayuga County Community College
- Clinton Community College
- Columbia-Greene Community College
- Corning Community College
- Dutchess Community College
- Erie Community College
- Fashion Institute of Technology
- Finger Lakes Community College
- Fulton-Montgomery Community College
- Genesee Community College
- Herkimer County Community College
- Hudson Valley Community College
- Jamestown Community College
- Jefferson Community College
- Mohawk Valley Community College
- Monroe Community College
- Nassau Community College
- Niagara County Community College
- North Country Community College
- Onondaga Community College
- Orange County Community College
- Rockland Community College
- Schenectady County Community College
- Suffolk County Community College
- Sullivan County Community College
- Tompkins Cortland Community College
- Ulster County Community College
- Westchester Community College
SUNY State-wide Colleges
- Empire State College
- SUNY Learning Network
CUNY Senior Colleges and Graduate Schools
- Baruch College
- Brooklyn College
- City College
- Sophie Davis - School of Biomedical Education; School of Professional Studies
- College of Staten Island
- CUNY Graduate Center
- CUNY Graduate School of Journalism
- CUNY Law School
- Hunter College
- John Jay College of Criminal Justice
- Lehman College
- Medgar Evers College
- New York City College of Technology at MetroTech
- Queens College
- Aaron Copland School of Music
- York College
CUNY Community Colleges
- Borough of Manhattan Community College
- Bronx Community College, University Heights
- Guttman Community College
- Hostos Community College
- Kingsborough Community College
- LaGuardia Community College
- Queensborough Community College
Federal-Service Academies
- United States Merchant Marine Academy (exempt from Title IX and the Clery Act)
- United States Military Academy (exempt from Title IX and the Clery Act)
Private Colleges and Universities
- Adelphi University
- Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
- Alfred University
- American Museum of Natural History; Richard Gilder Graduate School
- Bank Street College of Education
- Bard College
- Barnard College
- Brooklyn Law School
- Cazenovia College
- Clarkson University
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory; Watson School of Biological Sciences (graduate school)
- Colgate University
- Columbia University
- College of Dental Medicine
- Columbia Business School
- Columbia College
- Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation
- Columbia Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
- Columbia Law School
- Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science
- Graduate School of Journalism
- Mailman School of Public Health
- School of the Arts
- School of General Studies
- School of International and Public Affairs
- School of Social Work
- School of Nursing
- College of Physicians and Surgeons
- School of Professional Studies
- Cooper Union
- Cornell University
- Cornell Tech
- Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences
- Weill Cornell Medicine
- Culinary Institute of America
- Daemen College
- Dowling College
- Elmira College
- Hamilton College
- Hartwick College
- Helene Fuld College of Nursing
- Hobart and William Smith Colleges
- Hofstra University
- Frank G. Zarb School of Business
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Ithaca College
- Juilliard School
- Keuka College
- Long Island University
- LIU Brooklyn
- LIU Post (formerly C.W. Post)
- Manhattan School of Music
- Manhattanville College
- Marymount Manhattan College
- Medaille College
- Mercy College
- Metropolitan College of New York
- Monroe College
- Bronx campus
- New Rochelle campus
- The New School
- College of Performing Arts
- Eugene Lang College, School for Liberal Arts
- Parsons School of Design
- School for Social Research
- The Schools of Public Engagement
- New York Chiropractic College
- New York Institute of Technology
- Central Islip campus
- Columbus Circle
- Old Westbury campus
- New York University
- College of Arts & Science
- Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences
- Gallatin School of Individualized Study
- Institute of Fine Arts
- Liberal Studies
- School of Law
- School of Medicine
- Sackler Institute of Graduate Biomedical Sciences
- Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
- School of Professional Studies
- School of Social Work
- Stern School of Business
- Tandon School of Engineering
- Tisch School of the Arts
- Pace University
- Manhattan campus
- Pleasantville campus
- White Plains campus
- Paul Smith's College
- Pratt Institute
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- Rochester Institute of Technology
- Sage Colleges
- Russell Sage College
- Sage College of Albany
- Sage Graduate Schools
- Sarah Lawrence College
- Skidmore College
- St. Lawrence University
- St. Thomas Aquinas College
- University of Rochester
- Eastman School of Music
- College of Arts Sciences and Engineering
- Margaret Warner Graduate School of Education and Human Development
- Simon Business School
- Union College
- Utica College
- Vassar College
- Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology
- Villa Maria College
- Webb Institute
- Wells College
Private Colleges and Academies (For Profit)
- ASA College
- Downtown Brooklyn campus
- Midtown Manhattan campus
- White Plains campus
- Berkeley College
- Brooklyn campus
- Midtown Manhattan campus
- DeVry University
- Five Towns College
- Globe Institute of Technology
- LIM College (Laboratory Institute of Merchandising)
- New York Film Academy
Religious Affiliated/Oriented Private Institutions
- Canisius College
- College of Mount Saint Vincent
- College of New Rochelle
- College of St. Rose
- Concordia College
- Davis College
- Dominican College
- D'Youville College
- Fordham University
- Lincoln Center campus
- Rose Hill campus
- General Theological Seminary
- Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion
- The Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music
- Hilbert College
- Houghton College
- Iona College
- Jewish Theological Seminary of America
- King's College
- Le Moyne College
- Manhattan College
- Marist College
- Molloy College
- Montefiore Medical Center and Yeshiva University
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine
- Mount Saint Mary College
- Nazareth College
- New York Theological Seminary at The Interchurch Center
- Niagara University
- Nyack College
- Roberts Wesleyan College
- Siena College
- St. Bonaventure University
- St. Francis College
- St. John's University
- St. Joseph's College
- St. John Fisher College
- Syracuse University
- Touro College
- College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Manhattan
- Lander College for Men
- Lander College for Women – The Anna Ruth and Mark Hasten School
- Lander Institute
- Law Center
- Trocaire College
- Union Theological Seminary
- Wagner College
- Yeshiva University
- Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
- Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary
- Stern College for Women
- Sy Syms School of Business
- Yeshiva College
Regrettably, an academic misconduct finding of responsibility can derail an accused student's academic and professional goals and some students and parents do not recognize this concern until it may be too late. If a student is found responsible for academic misconduct charges, in addition to the short-term consequences such academic and disciplinary sanctions, there will be long-term consequences. Internships, graduate school opportunities, and employment opportunities can all be adversely impacted by a finding of responsibility.
For these reasons and more, it is critical to properly address such concerns as early as possible in the disciplinary process. There are times, however, that it necessary to appeal an adverse outcome, and Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm have unparalleled experience passionately fighting for the futures of his clients at universities and colleges in New York and throughout the nation. He does not settle for the easiest outcome, and instead prioritizes his clients' needs and well-being. Joseph Lento is a licensed attorney in New Jersey and New York, is admitted as an attorney pro hac vice in state and federal court if needed when representing clients nationwide, and serves as an academic misconduct advisor to students facing disciplinary cases in New York and throughout the nation. Make certain your or your student's interests are protected at all stages of the academic misconduct disciplinary process, including the appeal stage - Contact National Academic Misconduct Advisor Joseph D. Lento today at 888-535-3686.
