If you've been at Touro University for more than a minute, you know that learning to navigate the “system” is almost as important as anything else you'll learn during your time here. In fact, how well you handle the university's bureaucracy can actually have a tangible effect on your GPA.
Do you know, for example, who to contact if you need to miss an exam to attend a funeral? Where do you go if you suspect you might have ADD? And how do you handle a professor who just doesn't seem to like you?
It might strike you as odd, the idea that a law firm could help you improve your grades, but when you consider how closely academic success is connected to getting answers to these and similar questions, it all starts to make sense. Who knows more about dealing with red-tape than lawyers?
And here's the thing: the Lento Law Firm lawyers aren't just any lawyers. Our Education Law Team was founded specifically to work with students. We spend all of our time defending students like you from misconduct charges, and along the way, we've learned an awful lot about how universities like Touro operate--information you can use to help keep your grades up.
We'll tell you about a few useful strategies below. Before we get there, though, you need to know how to contact us. If you're struggling academically, or you just don't feel like you have your feet under you at Touro University, call 888-535-3686 today, or take a little time now and tell us what kind of problem you're facing.
Academic Progress Standards at Touro University
The question, “How do you succeed at university?” isn't a rhetorical one. There actually is an answer. Touro University, like other colleges and universities, has its own academic standing policy. That policy sets the standards you're supposed to meet as a student, and it includes a list of sanctions you face when you're not meeting them.
- Good Standing: Everything starts with good standing. In simple terms, good standing means you're making steady progress towards your degree, doing everything you need to in order to make it to graduation. In concrete terms, good standing is defined as a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0.
- Academic Probation: Should your GPA fall below this number, Touro University places you on academic probation. Obviously, your goal any time you're on probation is to return to good standing. You have two semesters to do that. If your GPA remains low at that point, you face more serious consequences.
- Academic Dismissal: If you fail to return to good standing after two semesters on probation, Touro then dismisses you entirely.
You can appeal the dismissal. If you're dealing with extenuating circumstances, such as a serious illness or a family emergency, you may be able to gain immediate reinstatement and an additional semester on probation to improve.
Otherwise, you will likely have to remain away from the university for at least a semester and petition for readmission. Generally, your return depends on whether or not you can convince the Committee on Academic Standing that you understand what led to your dismissal and you have a plan for improvement.
Dealing With Academic Sanctions
While you can find your way back to Touro University after dismissal, the fact is that you are always better off avoiding dismissal in the first place if you can. It's never easy returning to classes when you've been away for any length of time.
It turns out there are a number of ways you can use the system to your academic benefit. For instance,
- Any time you feel you are being mistreated by an instructor, you should report this to your instructor's department head. You may be entitled to some form of grade adjustment.
- A low GPA can be a sign of a learning disability, especially if you struggle in multiple classes. You have a right to fair testing and, if you do have such a disability, to retake courses for makeup credit.
- Instructors have enormous authority in the classroom. If they suspect you've cheated or committed some form of plagiarism, they can lower your grade up to an F. However, you have the right to challenge their decisions.
- Faculty are sometimes willing to negotiate grades if you have a strong argument. A high score on a cumulative final exam, for instance, might be evidence that you deserve a higher grade in the course.
- One of the easiest ways to negotiate a grade is to ask for extra credit or makeup work since you're offering something concrete in return for more points. It could be that an extra lab assignment or a paper rewrite is enough to pull your GPA out of the danger zone.
No two situations are exactly the same, and no two solutions are going to work for everyone. That's why when you contact the Lento Law Firm, we'll sit down with you and find out exactly what's going on. Only then will we recommend a plan of action.
In addition, we'll work with you to implement that plan of action. We're experienced when it comes to filing academic appeals and representing students before Honor Councils. If you need coaching on how to negotiate with faculty, we can do that as well. No matter what the issue, we know who to call and what to say.
What Can the Lento Law Firm Do for You?
Your Touro University 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.
