The University of the Pacific doesn't just hand out diplomas to anyone. If you want to graduate with a degree, you have to be prepared to work hard and go to class. Fair enough. You wouldn't want a degree from a school that just hands them out like candy.
The thing is, none of us is perfect. Sooner or later, we all have those classes or those semesters when everything just seems to go wrong all at once. Maybe you sign up for too many classes; maybe you're going through a horrific breakup; maybe you have a health scare of some sort. When these kinds of things happen, your GPA can drop like a rock, and that can put your entire future in jeopardy.
Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team want you to know that when the tough times come, they're on your side. They know that it's not always easy to meet a school's progress requirements and that schools aren't always as understanding about your struggles as they should be. Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Team know the system at the University of the Pacific, though, and they know how to use that system to your advantage. If you're facing probation, suspension, or dismissal for academic reasons, don't let it overwhelm you. Contact the Lento Law Firm and find out what they can do to help.
Academic Progression at the University of the Pacific
A school's academic standing policy lists the criteria you have to meet in order to keep moving toward your degree. The University of the Pacific policy is relatively complicated, with five different standing statuses. Let's start simple, though. What does it take to be in “good” standing? Basically, you must maintain a minimum 2.0 cumulative grade point average and earn a 2.0 GPA each term. As long as you do that, you've got no worries. What happens if your GPAs fall below that mark? That can depend on your particular situation.
- Good Standing with Warning: If your term GPA should fall below 2.0 while your cumulative GPA remains above that number, you are designated “Good Standing with Warning.”
- Probation: If you were in good standing in your previous semester and both your term and cumulative GPA fall below 2.0, you are placed on probation.
- You can also be placed on probation if your status the previous semester was “Good Standing with Warning” or “Probation,” your term GPA remains above 2.0, but your cumulative GPA has fallen below 2.0.
- Finally, you can be placed on probation if you are in “Good Standing with Warning” or “Probation,” your term GPA falls below 2.0, and your cumulative GPAs is within a particular range depending on your year:
- Freshman: Term GPA is below 2.0, and cumulative GPA is between 1.5 and 1.99
- Sophomore: Term GPA is below 2.0, and cumulative GPA is between 1.80 and 1.99
- Junior: Term GPA is below 2.0, and cumulative GPA is between 1.95 and 1.99
- Subject to Disqualification: Any senior whose term and cumulative GPAs fall below 2.0 is “subject to disqualification.” This means that unless they appeal immediately and are granted another semester on probation, they are disqualified from attending the university.
- You can also be subject to disqualification if, during your previous semester, your status was Good Standing with Warning or Probation, your term GPA is below 2.0 and
- You are a freshman with a cumulative GPA below 1.5
- You are a sophomore with a cumulative GPA below 1.8
- You are a junior with a cumulative GPA below 1.95
- Finally, if you are subject to disqualification and do not apply for immediate reinstatement or your application for reinstatement is rejected, you are then disqualified from attending the university other than during summer open enrollment.
Dealing With Academic Standing Decisions
As noted above, you can apply for immediate reinstatement if you are subject to disqualification. In addition, if you are ultimately disqualified, you can apply for reinstatement after being away from the University of the Pacific for at least one semester. However, there is no guarantee you can return to the university once you've been disqualified.
The application for reinstatement is the only formal process for challenging an academic sanction at the school. There are, however, a number of informal ways to deal with the threat of warning, probation, and disqualification.
- You always have the option to try negotiating with your instructors for higher grades. It may be that they will see your work differently when they aren't looking at a whole class full of other papers or exams at the same time. Or, you may have a compelling argument to make, like the fact that you did especially well on your final exam.
- Some faculty are willing to assign extra credit and make up work, especially if you are only a few points away from a higher grade.
- Faculty can and do make mistakes when recording and calculating grades. If this is the case, it's usually a simple matter to ask them to submit a grade change form.
- If your low grade is the result of an academic misconduct allegation, you can challenge your instructor's findings through an Academic Integrity Hearing Board.
- You have the right to protest any mistreatment you receive in the classroom. You can direct complaints to your instructor's department head or the dean of your school or college.
- If your deficiencies are the result of extenuating circumstances, you can also try appealing directly to your dean for additional time to improve.
Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team know all the many options open to you when it comes to Pacific's academic standing policy, and they can help you decide which of these options will work best in your particular case.
Premier Education Attorney-Advisor, Joseph D. Lento
Students sometimes ask: how exactly is an attorney-advisor supposed to help me with academic issues? It's a fair question. It's not like you're on trial for shoplifting. You need help with your grades. That's normally a matter of studying harder or finding a tutor.
As the information on this page suggests, though, 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 Education Law Team. That Team was assembled specifically to handle student conduct and academic progress issues.
Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm 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.
