The path to becoming a physician is not an easy one. As a premed student, you know all about the tough courses. You know about the MCAT. You know that even when you graduate with your undergraduate degree, you still face a grueling stint at medical school and an even more grueling stint as a resident.
It is easy to get so wrapped up in meeting all these requirements that you forget to worry about your conduct. In fact, the stress of all these requirements sometimes even leads premed students to commit some form of misconduct. After all, we all need to blow off a little steam sometimes. The thing is, a Responsible (guilty) finding to a misconduct charge can undo all the hard work you've put in to get to this point. One black mark on your record, and you'll find it difficult, if not impossible, to get a medical school to accept you.
Whatever your situation—whether you've been falsely accused of violating Occidental College policy or you did make a mistake of some type—the Lento Law Firm is on your side. We want to make sure you earn your degree and go on to a successful medical career. Our Student Defense Team knows what's at stake. We also know exactly how Occidental's judicial system works and how to use rules and procedures to protect you.
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 Occidental College
There are dozens of offenses at Occidental College, too many, in fact, to list them all here. However, most of them can be gathered into three simple categories.
- Academic Misconduct: You know the score—OXY expects you to earn your degree honestly, and it will hold you responsible for cheating, plagiarism, and any other sort of academic dishonesty .
- Disciplinary Misconduct: Your behavior outside of class is under just as much scrutiny as your behavior in class. In this case, your activities are governed by the Code of Student Conduct . The code focuses on non-academic offenses, like theft, assault, and underage drinking.
- Sexual Misconduct: Finally, under Title IX, the federal government requires all colleges and universities to bar sexual discrimination and harassment . "Harassment" here can include a wide variety of misconduct, from stalking to date rape.
There's no question that some offenses at Pitzer are more serious than others. If you've been accused of Title IX sexual misconduct, for example, you have far bigger problems than getting into medical school. You'll need to fight just to stay in college.
You cannot afford to take any allegation lightly, though. Even a warning for plagiarism can be enough to ruin a medical school application. Whatever the charge, you must take it seriously, you must fight, and you need the very best help you can get in that fight. The Lento Law Firm is ready to stand beside you, and we have the background and experience to ensure you get the very best possible resolution to your case.
Misconduct Procedures
Occidental College can't simply punish you for an offense. Quite the opposite, in fact. The school must treat you as "innocent until proven guilty" ("Not Responsible until proven Responsible), and it bears the full burden of proving your Responsibility. That means you have some important advantages if you know how to use them effectively.
Here's how the process typically works.
- First, someone lodges a complaint against you. Before proceeding, though, the college must decide whether the complaint is both credible and actionable. Not every offense, for example, is under the school's jurisdiction.
- Next, the school must issue you a Notice of the Charges. That notice must include the name of your accuser, enough information about the allegations to begin building your case, and a list of your several due process rights.
- The Lento Law Firm attorney cannot speak for you during investigative meetings or at the hearing, but they can be on hand to counsel you on what to say and how to present your case.
- As part of the investigation, you should expect investigators to listen to your side of the story. You can also submit evidence and suggest witnesses for them to interview.
- Investigators submit a written report of their findings back to the college. Occidental then sets a time and date for a hearing.
- Trained, unbiased decision-makers to preside over the hearing. Both sides get to make their cases. You can introduce evidence and call witnesses, just as you would in a trial. You may also cross-examine any witnesses testifying against you.
- It is important to remember, though, that a campus hearing is not a trial. One of the most important differences is in how you are judged. Decision-makers don't have to find you guilty “beyond a reasonable doubt.” If they feel it is “more likely than not” that you committed the offense, they will find you “Responsible” (guilty).
- You can appeal the hearing outcome if you lose. You must have grounds for your appeal, though, and some proof that you were treated unfairly by the process itself, such as a procedural error, the discovery of new evidence, and unfair sanction.
This outline holds generally for all misconduct cases at Occidental. However, the details of cases can differ significantly depending on the nature of the charges against you. For instance, most sexual misconduct cases are governed by Title IX rules and procedures. Those give both sides in the case the right to cross-examine one another.
Trust the Lento Law Firm attorney to know exactly what you're up against. We are familiar with state and federal laws. We also know Occidental College policy and what to expect in every kind of case. We'll guide you through the process and make sure you're treated fairly.
Fighting for Your Future
Fighting a misconduct charge is never an easy proposition for anyone. As a premed student, though, you face special challenges. Beyond the complexities of the Occidental College judicial system, you have to worry about whether sanctions appear on your permanent record. Even if you are eventually cleared of wrongdoing, you have to worry about who might find out about the allegations and whether those allegations might interfere with med school recommendation letters. 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 .
