You came to the University of Colorado at Boulder to be a student, and the University of Colorado expects you to stick to that promise. That means going to class, studying, and meeting all the school's academic standards. What happens when you don't meet those standards? You could wind up with an academic warning, suspension, or even dismissal.
The thing is, none of us is perfect. We all have courses where we struggle and semesters when nothing seems to go right. Maybe it's that one professor who just doesn't seem to get your sense of humor. Maybe it's a serious illness that leaves you hospitalized for a couple of weeks. Maybe calculus just isn't your thing.
Whatever the problem, National Student Defense attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team don't believe it should stand in the way of earning your degree. You've worked hard to get to this point, and you deserve every opportunity to finish. Joseph D. Lento and his team know how things work at CU Boulder work. They know whom to talk to when there's a problem and what to say. And they're ready to put this knowledge to work for you.
Academic Progression at the University of Colorado at Boulder
Progress at CU Boulder is clearly defined in the school's academic standing policy. In simple terms, you remain in “good” standing as long as you maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0. Fall below that number after any semester, though, and there are consequences.
Here's how the system works.
- Academic Alert: If your GPA is below 2.0 after your first semester at the school, you are placed on academic alert.
- Academic Warning: If your cumulative GPA as a continuing student is below 2.0, you are placed on academic warning. You return to good standing when you meet the 2.0 mark again. In the meantime, you can continue under academic warning as long as your term GPA is at least 2.3.
- Academic Agreement: If you cannot meet the requirements of the academic warning, you are then subject to suspension. However, your school or college can allow you to continue under an academic agreement that specifies exactly what you must do to continue as a student at the university.
- Academic Suspension: If you fail to meet academic warning requirements or fail to meet the conditions of your academic agreement, you are then suspended from the university.
- Reinstatement: You can earn reinstatement to CU Boulder in four different ways, known collectively as “continued enrollment.”
- You can take classes in the school's Continuing Education program until you achieve a 2.0 cumulative GPA. You must earn at least a 2.3 every semester to remain in the CE program.
- You can take summer courses at any CU campus until your cumulative GPA reaches 2.0.
- You can take courses at any other institution until your “virtual GPA”– the combination of your transfer work and your CU Boulder GPA—reaches 2.0.
- You can take one year off from school entirely and then return
- Dismissal: If you cannot earn reinstatement through one of these four methods, your suspension becomes permanent.
Dealing With Academic Standing Decisions
Given just how extensive CU Boulder's academic standing policy is, the school doesn't feel it is necessary to offer formal ways to challenge standing decisions. That is, academic agreements allow you to avoid suspension, while continued enrollment options allow you to return to the school even after you have been suspended.
Nevertheless, there are a number of informal ways to deal with the threat of suspension and dismissal as well.
- Academic deficiencies are sometimes the result of extenuating circumstances, such as a long-term illness or a family emergency. If you bring these circumstances to the attention of your college dean, you may be eligible for additional time on academic warning status.
- Even professors make mistakes. Sometimes a low grade is the result of an entry error or a miscalculation. You always have the right to bring these kinds of errors to your instructors' attention.
- Academic misconduct allegations can also cause low grades, since sanctions often include lowered scores on coursework. You can challenge your instructors' allegations and the appropriateness of their sanctions under the Student Conflict and Conflict Resolution policy.
- If you've been mistreated in the classroom, you have the right to bring this to the attention of your instructor's department head or the dean of your college.
- Some faculty are open to the possibility of grade negotiation in certain circumstances. If, for example, your work showed improvement over the course of a semester, you could argue that this improvement merits a higher overall grade in the course.
- Other faculty will sometimes consider assigning extra credit or makeup work, especially if your grade is already borderline.
Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team can explain all of these alternative options to you and help you pick the one that's right for you. In addition, they can help you prepare arguments and practice negotiation tactics. Of course, they also have experience reviewing academic agreements, drafting appeals, and helping suspended students gain reinstatement.
Premier Education Attorney-Advisor, Joseph D. Lento
Students sometimes ask: how can an attorney possibly help me deal with an academic problem? It's a fair question. After all, it's not like they can attend classes for you or take your exams.
The thing is, succeeding in college is often as much about navigating bureaucracy as it is about writing papers and taking exams. No one knows more about dealing with bureaucracy than attorneys, and no one knows more about dealing with educational bureaucracy than Joseph D. Lento and his Educational Law team. That team was assembled specifically to handle student conduct and academic progress issues.
Joseph D. Lento and his team are on your side. They understand that no one is perfect, and they're committed to the idea that a few mistakes shouldn't keep you from earning your degree and going on to a successful career. They'll fight to make sure you're treated fairly and that you get all the rights you deserve. 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.
