Students are sometimes surprised at the notion that an attorney might be able to help them with academic progress issues. We get it—it's not like you've been charged with robbing a convenience store. You're trying to keep your calculus grade from getting you kicked out of Arkansas State (ASU).
Here's what you need to understand, though. ASU is an enormous bureaucracy, with hundreds of complex policies administered by dozens of different offices around campus. When you have an issue—including an academic progress issue—you have to know how to navigate that bureaucracy. Or you have to have someone on your side who knows how to navigate that bureaucracy.
That's where the Lento Law Firm comes in. We're not ordinary lawyers. Our Education Law Team was specifically founded to protect student rights. We spend every day dealing with campus issues, talking with faculty and administrators, and helping students defend themselves. All that experience has taught us a thing or two about how universities operate. We know the ASU system, and we know how to use it to your best advantage.
So, while it might strike you as odd--getting help with your GPA from a lawyer--you owe it to yourself to find out what the Lento Law Firm can do for you. Call 888-535-3686 to learn more, or take a little time now and tell us what kind of problem you're facing.
Academic Progress Standards at Arkansas State University
You want to do the best you possibly can in all your courses, and you want to keep your GPA high. That's just common sense, right? It turns out, though, that there are also some clear standards that ASU expects you to meet. These are all outlined in the university's academic standing policy. You'll also discover a list of sanctions you face when you fail to meet those standards.
- Good Standing: At ASU, good standing means keeping both your cumulative and semester grade point averages at 2.0 or better. As long as you do that, you're making steady progress toward your degree, and you don't have to worry about sanctions.
- Academic Probation: What happens if one of your GPAs slips below 2.0? ASU places you on academic probation. You can remain on probation as long as it takes to return to good standing, as long as one of your GPAs remains above the 2.0 number.
- Academic Suspension: If at any point both your cumulative and semester GPAs should fall below 2.0, you then face suspension from the university. You can choose to sit out for a year, or you can sign up for ASU's Restart program. This is a comprehensive program, including a one-hour course on improving your abilities as a student. Should you be suspended a second or third time, a year away from the university is mandatory.
- Academic Dismissal: Finally, should you receive a fourth suspension, you cannot return to the university without permission from the University Graduation and Academic Credit Appeals Committee. Successful appeals at this point are rare.
Dealing With Academic Sanctions
If you are dealing with suspension, the Lento Law Firm can help you establish evidence of your academic abilities and fill out the necessary paperwork to get your career at ASU back on track. We know what the Restart program looks for in applications, for example, and can make sure you look your very best on paper.
There are a number of informal ways to avoid reaching the point of suspension in the first place, though, strategies the Lento Law Firm attorney can help you employ if you contact them early enough. For instance,
- While the university does not offer a formal appeals process for first suspensions, you can petition the dean of your college directly if you have extenuating circumstances that you think qualify you for more time to improve.
- You always have the right to fair classroom treatment. If you feel an instructor is mistreating you in any way, the Lento Law Firm attorney can help you document what's happening and file a grade appeal once the semester is over.
- Students with disabilities, including learning disabilities, are often entitled to special course accommodations. If you should discover you have such a disability, you may be entitled to a do-over. You can file a petition with the university requesting it drop low grades from your transcript. Then, you can retake those courses once proper accommodations are in place.
- Academic misconduct allegations often result in lowered course grades. You have the right to challenge your instructor's decision, though, through the university's disciplinary misconduct procedures.
- Faculty are sometimes willing to consider extra credit and make-up assignments, especially for students with borderline grades. It could be that an extra lab or a paper rewrite is enough to raise your GPA.
- Some faculty will also consider other types of arguments for higher grades. If, for instance, your final exam score was especially high, you might try asking your instructor to use it in place of your course grade.
The trick is to know which of these and other strategies is going to work best in a particular situation. You can count on the Lento Law Firm attorney to go over your entire academic history with you before offering targeted suggestions. We don't just help you create a plan, though. We'll also work with you to implement that plan, whether it means filing a formal appeal, coaching you on how to negotiate with faculty, or simply figuring out which of ASU's many offices you need to contact. We're on your side, and we'll do what it takes to help you succeed.
What Can the Lento Law Firm Do For You?
Your Arkansas State diploma is far more than just a piece of paper. It's your avenue to a successful career. If it's under threat for any reason, you can't afford to try and handle the problem by yourself. University processes and procedures can be complex and difficult to navigate, and often, you will find the system is stacked against you. You need the very best help you can get, someone who is in your corner and ready to fight on your behalf.
The Lento Law Firm's Education Law Team has helped hundreds of students, just like you, respond to academic progress issues and make it to graduation. What can we do for you? To find out, call us today at 888-535-3686 or use our online form.
