You came to college to learn, and SUNY Stony Brook will definitely hold you to that. The school expects you to perform academically, and should you fail to keep your grades up, you can find yourself on academic probation or worse. Of course, you're smart, bright, and capable, so earning good enough grades shouldn't be a problem, right?
Here's the thing: none of us is perfect. No matter how disciplined and hard-working you may be, we all run into problems sooner or later. Maybe yours is a class you have to take, but that's scheduled too early in the morning to think straight. Maybe it's a bad breakup that sends you into a semester-long tailspin. Life happens. It's unavoidable.
Problems like these shouldn't put your chances of earning a degree in jeopardy. National Student Defense attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento wants to make sure they don't. He and his Education Law Team are committed to making sure you're treated fairly and that your university affords you all the rights you deserve. They know how the processes and procedures work at SUNY, Stony Brook, and they're ready to put that knowledge to work to make sure your future remains bright no matter what comes.
Academic Progression at Stony Brook University
Every student at Stony Brook is subject to a full Academic Review at the end of every semester—fall, spring, and summer. As long as you earn a 2.0 term grade point average and maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA, you remain in "good" standing and progress normally. However, should you fail to meet these benchmarks, you can wind up in trouble pretty quickly.
If your term GPA is below 2.0 for two or more consecutive semesters, Stony Brook places you on "warning" status. The main consequence of warning status is that you must consult an advisor before you register each semester.
If your term GPA remains low, eventually, your cumulative GPA will fall below 2.0 as well. When that happens, Stony Brook places you on "probation" status. As with warning status, you must visit with an advisor before you can register. The more important concern with probationary status, though, is that you won't raise your GPA high enough by the end of the semester. If that should happen, you are then suspended from the university.
You can petition for reinstatement if you've been suspended. However, not every petition is successful. Further, if you are reinstated, you'll be expected to meet a set of conditions set by your school or college. Often, for instance, reinstated students must earn a 2.5 semester GPA. Failure to meet these conditions means permanent dismissal. Finally, you should know that suspensions and dismissals appear on your transcript, which can cause problems if you're trying to enroll at a different institution or when you go looking for a job.
Dealing With Academic Standing Decisions
When it comes to warning and probation, Stony Brook doesn't offer any formal means of defending yourself. To a certain degree, this makes sense. For the most part, these sanctions are based on objective criteria—your term and cumulative GPA—and these aren't subject to debate. At the same time, warning and probation status don't come with any serious consequences beyond needing to consult an advisor before you register.
Suspension, of course, is a more serious matter. If you are suspended, you can petition for reinstatement. In fact, if your most recent semester GPA is above 2.0, you can actually petition for "immediate" reinstatement. Otherwise, you must separate from Stony Brook for at least one semester before applying for readmission. You must then submit paperwork explaining what caused your academic deficiencies and what you plan to do to correct these problems. In addition, as part of the process, your college or school will place conditions on you that you must meet in order to remain a student at Stony Brook.
A petition fixes a problem after it occurs. What can you do to prevent suspension and dismissal before the fact? You do have some options.
- If some mitigating circumstances have led to your deficiencies, you can approach the dean of your school or college and appeal for additional time to raise your GPA.
- If you feel you've been mistreated by an instructor, you should always contact the department head or your dean. You have rights, and you may be entitled to some form of grade relief.
- You can also approach your instructor directly and try negotiating for higher scores. For example, if you did well on your final exam, you might argue that you mastered the course material well enough to deserve a better final grade.
- Some instructors are open to assigning extra credit or makeup assignments to students who are in danger of suspension or dismissal.
Joseph D. Lento has years of experience helping students file reinstatement petitions. He knows what kind of arguments have the most impact on reinstatement committees and how to gather evidence to help support a petition. At the same time, he knows the many different back channels for preventing warning, probation, suspension, and dismissal decisions in the first place. Finally, he can help you develop a plan for salvaging your academic career and help you to enact it, whether that means drafting an appeal or coaching you in negotiation tactics.
Premier Education Attorney-Advisor, Joseph D. Lento
Students are sometimes surprised to learn that an attorney might be able to help them with an academic problem. The fact is, college success is often as much about navigating bureaucracy as it is about taking exams and writing papers. No one knows more about dealing with bureaucracy than attorneys, and no one knows more about dealing with educational bureaucracy than Joseph D. Lento. He has vast experience in student conduct and academic progress issues, he knows how the various systems at Stony Brook University operate, and he's comfortable talking with faculty and administrators.
More important than anything else, though, Joseph D. Lento is on your side. He understands that no one is perfect, and he doesn't think that a few mistakes should keep you from earning your degree and going on to a successful career.
You've worked hard to get to this point. Don't let that hard work go to waste. To find out more about how you can fight dismissal, contact the Lento Law Firm today at 888-555-3686, or use our automated online form.
