Let's talk about the dreaded “D” word. Not “drinking,” not “dating,” dismissal. You might be surprised by how easy it is to get dismissed from Boise State. There's a long list of offenses that can get you expelled, from failing to keep your GPA up, to cheating on a test, to “drinking,” at least in some wrong circumstances. Dozens of students wind up being dismissed from the university every year.
There are measures you can take to protect yourself, though.
- First, find out everything you can about the rules. That will help you avoid getting into trouble in the first place, but it's also crucial any time you should find yourself accused of misconduct.
- Second, make sure you know how to defend yourself. What are the judicial procedures at Boise State? Who gets to decide whether or not you're guilty of an offense, and what rights do you have during the process?
- Third, know how to get help. Taking on your university can be a daunting prospect and not something you want to try to do alone. The Lento Law Firm is dedicated to helping students defend themselves. We know the law, how your school operates, and we're ready to use what we know to help you avoid dismissal.
For more information, call 888-535-3686 or use our automated online form.
Reasons for Dismissal from Boise State
There are so many reasons Boise State can dismiss you, and we can't list them all here. That's one of the things that makes it difficult to stay out of trouble. However, most of these reasons fit into one of four categories. Know these, and you can avoid most problems.
- Academic Performance: You came to Boise State to be a student, and Boise State will hold you to that. The university has a strict academic standing policy that requires you to maintain a GPA of no less than 2.0. Luckily, you won't be dismissed if your GPA should fall below that number. You'll be placed on probation. If your term GPA should fall below 2.0 while you're on probation, though, you will find yourself dismissed.
- Academic Misconduct: The academic standing policy drives some students to extreme measures, like cheating or plagiarism. It turns out that Boise State also has a strict academic misconduct policy. Any classroom dishonesty can also get you into trouble. Again, one mistake won't necessarily result in dismissal. Multiple offenses can, though.
- Disciplinary Misconduct: Your conduct outside the classroom is subject to Boise State's Student Code of Conduct. This policy governs things like trespassing, hazing, and weapons possession. Any violation can potentially lead to dismissal if it is serious enough.
- Sexual Misconduct: This type of misconduct almost always results in dismissal. In fact, sexually-based offenses aren't just against school policy; under Title IX, they're violations of federal law. The U.S. government requires schools to investigate all credible complaints and encourages schools to use severe penalties to punish offenses.
Misconduct Procedures
Boise State can't simply dismiss you over an accusation. There are rules and procedures in place that allow you to defend yourself. If you're facing dismissal, for example, you're entitled to both an investigation and a hearing. Here's how those processes work.
- Cases begin when someone files a complaint against you. That person is generally referred to as the Complainant, though the school itself can also serve as the Complainant. As the accused, you're referred to as the Respondent.
- The school must provide you with a Notice of the Charges any time you are under formal investigation. This notice should provide you with details of the allegation and a list of your due process rights.
- Among your rights, Boise State allows you to choose an advisor, someone to help you prepare your case and to accompany you to meetings and proceedings. Crucially, this advisor can be an attorney. That means someone from the Lento Law Firm can be at your side from the moment you are charged until your final appeal is exhausted.
- As part of the investigation, you'll be invited to give your side of events. Investigators will also speak to the Complainant and any witnesses to the incident. In addition, they'll collect any physical evidence.
- Ultimately, the investigators submit a written summary of their findings to the school. This document becomes the basis for the hearing that follows.
- Hearings resemble court trials. That is, you have the right to make arguments, to submit evidence, to call witnesses to testify, and to raise questions for any witnesses against you. Of course, the Complainant has these same rights.
- A university hearing is not, however, a court trial. One important difference is that decision-makers don't use the “beyond a reasonable” doubt standard to decide your case. Instead, they use a lesser standard known as “preponderance of the evidence.” If they are more than fifty percent convinced of your guilt, they must find you Responsible for (guilty of) the offense.
- You can appeal the hearing outcome, but not simply because you disagree with that outcome. Grounds for appeal are limited to the discovery of new information, a procedural error in the case, or a disproportionate sanction.
While all cases follow this general outline, there are differences in how different categories of misconduct are handled. For example, the first “hearing” in an academic misconduct case takes place before the instructor who made the allegation. This means what would ordinarily be considered the hearing is actually an “appeal.” And that means there is no further opportunity to appeal.
No matter the charges against you, the Lento Law Firm is familiar with Boise State's judicial procedures. We can help you develop a strong defense strategy, and we'll be at your side throughout the process to offer advice.
Academic Dismissal Cases
You may have noticed we haven't yet mentioned academic dismissal cases. That's because they work quite differently from misconduct cases. For one thing, there's no investigation. Decisions are based strictly on your GPA, and that isn't normally open to debate. Likewise, there's usually no need for a hearing.
In fact, Boise State offers no formal means of challenging an academic dismissal decision. However, that doesn't mean that you don't have options. For example,
- Extenuating circumstances can be grounds for additional time to improve. You always have the right to appeal directly to your school or college dean.
- Should you discover an undiagnosed learning disability, you can petition the university to drop low grades from your transcript. You can then retake those courses with appropriate accommodations in place.
- Some BSU faculty are willing to assign extra credit and make up work, especially if your grade is borderline. One extra lab assignment could be all you need to keep your GPA high enough to avoid dismissal.
As with misconduct dismissals, you can count on the Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team to guide you through the entire process.
Fighting for Your Future
By this point, you should have a clear sense of why you need the help of an attorney to fight dismissal decisions. Procedures can be complex and difficult to navigate, and the full weight of your school will be against you. Plus, it's no exaggeration to say that your entire future is on the line.
The Lento Law Firm was built to help students just like you handle all types of misconduct charges. The firm's Student Defense Team has dealt with everything from plagiarism allegations to rape charges. They know how to negotiate with faculty and administrators; they know how to interview witnesses; they know how to put together water-tight appeals. Most importantly, no matter what problem you're facing, they are on your side and will do everything in their power to get you the very best possible resolution to your case.
To find out more about what the Lento Law Firm can do for you, contact the firm today at 888-535-3686 and find out just what we can do to help. Or, use our automated online form.
