It's hard enough being a premed student at Bates College. You've got tougher classes than most undergrads, and you've got more pressure on you to perform since a low GPA isn't going to get you into medical school. You've also got to worry about getting some professional shadowing experience and finding extra time to worry about the MCAT.
With all that's on your plate, it's easy to forget that you're also responsible for following all of Bates College's many rules and regulations. The thing is—and lots of premed students don't realize this—a misconduct ruling can do more damage to your med school applications than a poor grade or two.
What do you do if you find yourself charged with an offense? You contact the attorneys at the Lento Law Firm. Our Student Defense Team knows what kind of pressure you're under and just how high the stakes are. We know a few other things as well, like what rights you have under educational law and how to use the Bates College judicial process to your best advantage.
We've helped hundreds of students get the justice they deserve. What can we do for you? Call 888-535-3686 to find out. Or, take a few minutes right now and tell us a little about your situation.
Misconduct at Bates College
First things first: What are all these rules and regulations you're accountable for at Bates College?
- Academic Misconduct: An allegation of cheating or plagiarism can tank your medical school applications fast. It's important you follow Bates College's Academic Integrity policy to the letter and avoid even a hint of dishonesty.
- Disciplinary Misconduct: Your behavior outside the classroom is just as important as your behavior in the classroom, if not more so. Bates College maintains an extensive Student Code of Conduct that covers everything from hazing and drug possession to trespassing and theft. While it may be impossible to memorize all the various regulations you're accountable for, you should take a look at this document regularly to remind yourself what kind of behavior can get you into trouble.
- Sexual Misconduct: Though sexual misconduct is a form of disciplinary misconduct—and is covered in the Student Code of Conduct—it's treated separately at Bates College. For one thing, it's subject to Title IX governance. For another, it's regarded as a particularly serious offense. The minimum punishment is typically suspension, and the more usual punishment is dismissal.
Whether you're facing a charge for a major offense and the possibility of dismissal, or you've been charged with a minor offense and are facing a warning, you must take the situation seriously. Any black mark on your transcript can cost you the chance to become a physician. The moment you're accused of misconduct, you must contact the Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team so we can start working to protect you.
Misconduct Procedures
You have some important rights as a student at Bates College. The school can't simply accuse you of an offense and punish you without affording you due process. You have the right to an investigation and a hearing, and you have the right to a just and fair resolution.
Here's how the process usually works.
- Charges can originate from almost anywhere. You could be accused by another student, an instructor, an administrator, or another university employee. Your case may be handled by your instructor, by the Office of Community Standards, or by the designated Title IX Coordinator.
- As part of the process, you should be provided with a Notice of the Charges against you. This Notice should explain the allegations and include a list of all your due process rights.
- Among your many rights, you have the right to a presumption of “Not Responsible” (innocence), the right to review all evidence in the case and the right to advanced notification of all meetings and proceedings.
- The university will conduct some type of investigation. Even if you're simply facing an accusation of cheating from a professor, that professor must gather evidence to back up that accusation. As part of the investigative process, you should have the opportunity to give your side of the story, offer evidence, and suggest witnesses who can support your innocence.
- You should also be afforded the right to a hearing. Again, a “hearing” can take several forms. You may be asked to meet with a Judicial Officer, you could present your case before the Student Judicial Board, you might be called before the Student Conduct Committee, or you could face a Title IX officer.
- Whatever the specific process, you should have the chance to offer arguments, introduce evidence, call witnesses, and cross-examine any witnesses against you.
- Your case will ultimately be decided using a legal standard known as "preponderance of the evidence." Based on this standard, decision-makers must find you Responsible (guilty) if they are more than fifty percent convinced you committed an offense.
- Finally, you also have the right to appeal, at least under certain circumstances. These include
- An error in procedure
- The discovery of new evidence
- A sanction that is disproportionate to the offense
Part of the difficulty of defending yourself from a misconduct charge is that not only is the process complex, but different charges can involve different types of procedures. The general outline above applies to all cases, but, for example, in Title IX sexual misconduct cases, only advisors are allowed to examine and cross-examine witnesses. Knowing what to expect in your particular case can be crucial to getting justice.
Bates College refuses to allow attorneys to participate in judicial processes. Don't let that dissuade you from consulting with a Lento Law Firm attorney. Your attorney's job goes well beyond sitting beside you during meetings and proceedings. They're responsible for coming up with your overall strategy and fine-tuning your arguments; they can work with you to identify and organize evidence; they'll help you to draft any necessary documents; they'll work with you to come up with questions for witnesses; they'll coach you in how to present your case. More important than anything else, though, your Lento Law Firm attorney will monitor all aspects of your case and make sure you're treated fairly.
Fighting for Your Future
Fighting a misconduct charge is never an easy proposition for anyone. As a pre-med student, though, you face special challenges. Beyond the complexities of the Bates College judicial system, you have to worry about whether sanctions are recorded in your record. You have to worry about who might find out about the allegations and whether those allegations might interfere with recommendation letters, even if they're proven false. You have to keep a close watch on social media and make sure your reputation doesn't suffer online. It's an enormous amount of work to have to deal with on your own.
That's why the minute you suspect you might be in trouble, it's vital that you contact the Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team. We can negotiate with faculty and administrators if that's what's called for, but we can also be fierce in defending our clients.
Let us help you fight for your academic future. To find out more, contact the firm today at 888-535-3686. Or, fill out our online questionnaire.
