College success is all about getting to class every day and studying hard, writing papers before the night they’re due, and visiting professors during office hours when you’re struggling. Everyone knows this.

Not as many people realize that it’s also about learning how to navigate the system. It’s about knowing who to talk to when you’ve got the flu and need to miss class. It’s about knowing how to file a grade appeal if you think a professor may be grading you a little harshly. It’s about knowing which office to visit if you think you might have ADD. And when it comes to those kinds of problems, you should know that you have an ally.

The LLF National Law Firm was founded to help students succeed. Our Education Law Team has been working on this for a long time. Why does that matter? It means that in addition to knowing the law, we also know how your school operates. Having trouble keeping your GPA up? We can help. Not sure how to get along with a cranky professor? We’re here for you. We’ve helped hundreds of students deal with all types of academic progress issues, and we can help you as well.

However, before we can help, you have to contact us. Call 888-535-3686 today, or take a little time now and tell us about your situation.

Academic Progression at the University of Rhode Island

The very first thing you need to know is that there is a “definition of college success.” Not some amorphous “getting a good job out of college” or “learning how to learn” or “figuring out who you really are” definition—an actual concrete, “don’t meet these expectations and you can find yourself dismissed” definition.

The University of Rhode Island maintains a clear Academic Standing Policy, and according to that policy, good standing means keeping your cumulative grade point average above the 2.0 mark. Easy enough, right? Well, easy enough to grasp. Not always so easy to do. We all have those semesters, right? So what happens when you hit a couple of those semesters in a row, and suddenly your GPA isn’t quite at that 2.0 level?

  • Academic Probation: Assuming your GPA hasn’t fallen so low that you can’t recover, the University of Rhode Island places you on academic probation. That’s just what it sounds like: a warning that you need to improve, or you’re in danger of more serious sanctions. URI doesn’t require you to take any special classes or even visit your advisor. You just need to get back to good standing. You can take up to three semesters to do that, again, provided that your GPA doesn’t fall so low that you can’t recover.
  • Academic Dismissal: If you can’t raise your GPA after three semesters, you can find yourself dismissed. That can also happen if your cumulative GPA falls below 1.0, even if you haven’t been on probation. And if your GPA is low enough that there’s no mathematical possibility you’ll get back to good standing before probation runs out, URI saves you the futility of trying to get it up and goes ahead and dismisses you.

Dismissal means remaining out of school for a minimum of one full semester, at least as a “matriculating” student. You can continue to take courses if you apply for and receive permission from the dean of your school or college. Those courses are counted when you apply for readmission. However, as a non-matriculating student, you are not eligible for financial aid or housing.

Dealing With Academic Standing Decisions

URI allows you to apply for readmission after a semester away from the university. However, your return is not guaranteed.

Additionally, the university offers an appeals process for students whose academic deficiencies might be the result of extenuating circumstances. A successful appeal means a dismissal waiver for an additional semester.

Your LLF National Law Firm attorney is familiar with both the appeals and readmission processes and can help you gather materials and draft strong documents. We know what the Scholastic Standing Committee is looking for.

You are always better off avoiding reaching the point of dismissal in the first place, though, if you possibly can. Luckily, the LLF National Law Firm attorneys also know a number of informal strategies for keeping your GPA away from the brink of sanction. For example,

  • Low grades can sometimes be a sign that you have a learning disability. If you do, you’re entitled to accommodations in some of your classes, like extra time to complete assignments or access to technology during exams. The way to find out is to visit with Disability Services. They can also work with you to get low grades dropped from your GPA. Then, you can retake courses with appropriate accommodations in place.
  • You don’t have to have a disability to replace low grades. You’re allowed to retake any course from your first two semesters at URI, and the university will refigure your grade point using the new grades. You must do this, though, within your first four semesters at the university.
  • Some low grades are the result of academic misconduct allegations. If your instructor decides you’ve cheated on an exam or committed some type of plagiarism, they have the power to lower your grade on the assignment or lower your grade in the class. They can even fail you outright. However, their power is not absolute. You always have the right to file an academic appeal. We can help with that process.
  • If you feel your instructor has mistreated you in some way, you have the right to file a grade appeal. You should let your instructor’s department head know about your complaints as soon as possible to begin creating a paper trail.
  • Some faculty are open to assigning makeup and extra credit work, especially to students with borderline grades. It could be that rewriting a paper or doing a little extra research could get you a higher grade in the class and, by extension, a higher GPA.
  • You can also try negotiating with an instructor on other terms. If, for example, you’re failing a course, but you’ve shown real improvement, you might try asking a professor to take that improvement into account.

Whatever your situation, you can count on your LLF National Law Firm attorney to work with you to come up with a solution and to help you implement it.

What Can the LLF National Law Firm Do for You?

Your University of Rhode Island diploma is far more than just a piece of paper. It’s your avenue to a successful career. If it’s under threat, 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 LLF National Law Firm’s Education Law Team has helped hundreds of students just like you respond to academic 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.

Rhode Island

Tell About Your Case

Zero-Tolerance Discipline Policies Can Undermine Students’ Due Process Rights

Colleges and universities have broad authority to maintain campus safety and enforce student conduct policies. However, students accused of misconduct don’t lose their due process rights simply because allegations are serious. At the higher education level, courts have repeatedly recognized that suspension and expulsion can have life-changing academic and professional consequences. As […]

Stopping Expulsions in California: Secondary Findings a Potent Defense

It’s the phone call that every parent dreads: your child has allegedly committed a serious offense at school and is facing the possibility of expulsion. Expulsion is a serious and lasting mark on a student’s record. However, California law requires that schools meet a very high standard before expelling students […]

Can Your Search History Bring You Down? How Schools Can Use Search Histories as Evidence of Misconduct

Students at Princeton University are drawing attention to the school’s policies and access related to students’ search histories on their devices. An article in the Daily Princetonian points out the ways that the university can use students’ search histories as evidence of cheating or other misconduct. Students are worried that […]

When the School Becomes the Problem: What UNC’s Botched Investigation Teaches Every Student

A University of North Carolina (UNC) student lost his scholarship and was permanently expelled from the entire UNC system after the school found him responsible for sexual misconduct. Years of federal litigation followed. And then, quietly, UNC settled. The former student, identified in court records as Jacob Doe, argued that […]