Surprise! Your university actually expects you to go to class and study. It's a drag, but you came to the University at Buffalo, SUNY, to be a student, and it turns out the school will hold you to that. Courses can be challenging, and professors are demanding. What happens if you can't keep up? You could face probation or even dismissal.
That's all a bit scary, especially when you consider the fact that you aren't just trying to get an education. You're also trying to master this whole adulting thing. Sooner or later, the pressure gets to all of us. Maybe your breaking point is an accounting professor who can't seem to explain anything in clear, simple terms. Maybe it's a bad breakup that sends you into an emotional tailspin.
If you're struggling to meet progression requirements at the University at Buffalo, SUNY, you should know you have an ally. National Student Defense attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento knows how hard you work and that we all stumble every once in a while. He and his Education Law team know how universities operate and how to make sure the system works for you. They'll fight to make sure you're treated fairly and that your school gives you every opportunity to succeed.
Academic Progression at the University at Buffalo, SUNY
The University at Buffalo conducts Academic Standards Reviews at the end of the fall and spring semesters. The criteria for “progress” is reasonably straightforward. Basically, your standing is based on your term GPA and cumulative GPA. Determining your precise standing, though, can get a little complicated.
- The university defines “good” academic standing as maintaining a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 and earning at least a 2.0 each semester. That's easy enough to understand.
- If you are new to the university and don't quite reach that 2.0 mark in your first semester, you're placed on “warning” status. In fact, anyone can be placed on warning status if their most recent term GPA is below 2.0—as long as their cumulative GPA remains above that number.
- Two consecutive term GPAs less than 2.0 will earn you “probation” status, again assuming your cumulative GPA remains above 2.0. Alternatively, you can be given probation status if your cumulative GPA falls below 2.0, as long as your “Quality Point Deficit” (QPD) remains below 20. What's a QPD, you ask? Basically, it's a measure of how much work it will take to get your GPA back up to that 2.0 standard. If your GPA falls, but you have a reasonably good chance of getting it back up, you're on probation.
- If, on the other hand, it's unlikely you can raise your GPA quickly, you face dismissal. In concrete numbers, if your cumulative GPA falls below 2.0 and your QPD is higher than 20, you can expect to be dismissed.
Dismissal isn't necessarily the end of your academic career. You can apply for readmission to the school if you've been dismissed. However, you must spend at least one academic year away from the university, and even should you return, your dismissal is noted on your transcript. Finally, continued academic problems after readmission can result in permanent dismissal.
Dealing With Academic Standing Decisions
The University at Buffalo recognizes that a lack of academic progress can sometimes be the result of extenuating circumstances, such as a family emergency or a long-term illness. As a result, you can appeal dismissal in such cases to the Dean of Undergraduate Education. If your appeal is successful, you are granted a “dismissal deferral” for a semester. Should you continue to struggle, that dismissal then takes immediate effect.
There are other options for responding to the threat of dismissal as well.
- If you've been mistreated by an instructor, you have the right to complain to that instructor's department head or to the Dean of your school or college. You may be entitled to a higher grade, and one higher grade can often be the difference between full dismissal and merely probation.
- If you're facing probation or dismissal, you can petition to have any summer or winter session grades treated as “previous term” grades. This can sometimes forestall negative standing decisions as well.
- It is always worth negotiating with instructors for higher grades. Every situation is different, but some faculty are open to arguments that demonstrated improvement merits a raised grade or that a high final exam score proves you mastered the course material.
- Some instructors are also open to the possibility of extra credit or make-up assignments, especially if you have a borderline grade.
Your advisor may not tell you about all the options available to you. Joseph D. Lento will. Joseph D. Lento has spent years working in the field of Education Law, and he knows how the University at Buffalo, SUNY operates. He can tell you exactly which strategies will work best in your situation, he can help you develop a plan of action, and he can help you put that plan to work. He knows how to draft effective appeals; he can coach you on negotiation tactics; he knows all the useful back channels for making sure your case is heard. And, if worse come to worse and you are dismissed, he can work with you to gather evidence and submit an effective readmission application.
Premier Education Attorney-Advisor, Joseph D. Lento
You might be surprised to learn that an attorney can help with academic problems. Often, though, college success is as much about navigating bureaucracy as it is about taking exams and writing papers. It always helps to know who to talk to and what to say.
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 built his practice handling student conduct and academic progress issues, he knows how the various systems at RPI 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.
