It's no exaggeration to say that dismissal from Campbellsville University could be life-altering. That's because dismissal doesn't just mean dismissal. It includes a transcript notation explaining the nature of your offense. That will usually keep you from enrolling at another school, meaning you have to head on to the job market—and begin paying off any student loans—with no degree at all.
With so much at stake, you don't want to take any chances trying to defend yourself. You need someone on your side who understands how student defenses work, someone with experience representing student clients, and someone willing to fight for your rights no matter what.
The Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team was actually founded to protect student rights, and no one does it better. We know how Campbellsville operates, including all judicial processes and procedures. We've worked with hundreds of students, protecting them from all types of charges.
What can we do for you? Find out by calling 888-535-3686, or take a few minutes right now and tell us about your case.
Reasons for Dismissal from Campbellsville University
There are basically four reasons you can be dismissed from CU. Know these, and you'll stand a better chance of keeping your future on track.
- Academic Deficiencies: It won't surprise you to learn that Campbellsville expects you to excel in your coursework. After all, you signed up to be a student. According to the school's academic standing policy, any GPA below 2.0 can get you put on probation. Continue to struggle once you're on probation, and you can face worse sanctions, including suspension and dismissal.
- Academic Misconduct: You can also be dismissed for cheating and plagiarism. One violation probably isn't enough to get you expelled, but according to the CU academic integrity policy, multiple offenses can lead to that fate.
- Disciplinary Misconduct: Outside of class, your conduct is governed by CU's Campus Values and Behavior policy. Here, you'll find rules against non-academic offenses, like trespassing, underage drinking, and disorderly conduct.
- Sexual Misconduct: This category of offense isn't just contrary to school policy but to federal law. Title IX requires schools to investigate all credible sexual misconduct complaints and encourages schools to impose harsh penalties. Dismissal is actually the most common sanction for students found responsible.
Misconduct Defenses
The Lento Law Firm attorney can help you defend yourself no matter what type of dismissal you might be facing.
If you've been charged with some form of misconduct—academic, disciplinary, or sexual—you have the right under CU policy to due process protections. The university must conduct a thorough investigation, and you must have the chance to refute any evidence at a full and formal hearing. The Lento Law Firm attorney can walk you through these processes.
- Normally, cases begin with a complaint lodged against you with either the Office of Student Services or, in the case of sexual misconduct allegations, the Title IX Coordinator.
- You're entitled to official notice of the charges against you. This notice should include a full explanation of the allegations and a complete list of your due process rights.
- The university then initiates an investigation. It cannot substantiate any charges without evidence. You have the right to give your side of the story. Of course, investigators will also speak with the complainant (your accuser) and any potential witnesses. And they'll collect any physical evidence, such as dorm logs, video, or cell phone logs.
- Investigators submit a full written report of their findings once they're done. At this point, the university sets a time and date for a hearing and appoints one or more trained decision-makers to preside.
- At the hearing, you have the right to introduce evidence and call witnesses to testify in support of your innocence. The other side gets to do the same, but you both also get to cross-examine any witnesses against you.
- Decision-makers employ a legal standard known as "preponderance of the evidence to decide your case. In simple terms, they are required to find you guilty if they are more than fifty percent convinced you committed the offense.
- Finally, you can appeal should you lose your hearing. You must have grounds to do that, though. Grounds typically include issues of fairness, such as a procedural error, new evidence, or an extreme sanction.
In most cases, CU does not allow you to bring an attorney with you to investigative meetings and hearings. That doesn't mean you should go it alone. In fact, this threat to your due process rights makes it more important than ever that you have the Lento Law Firm attorney by your side. You need someone at your side to ensure you get justice.
In addition, your attorney can play a crucial role in helping you develop and present your defense, from coaching you on how to answer investigators' questions to helping you uncover evidence to suggesting questions to ask witnesses.
Dealing With Academic Dismissal
Academic dismissals work somewhat differently from misconduct dismissals. You can still count on the Lento Law Firm attorney to help you defend yourself.
CU offers an appeals process for students dealing with extenuating circumstances. Your attorney can help you to document those circumstances and draft the appeal itself.
In addition, though, they know some useful strategies for keeping your GPA up so you don't reach the point of dismissal. For instance,
- A low GPA can sometimes be a sign of a learning disability, such as ADD or ADHD. Your attorney can make sure you get fair disability testing. If you have such a disability, they can make sure you get appropriate accommodations. They can also petition CU to let them retake courses with no penalty.
- You should never accept unfair treatment in the classroom. If an instructor is mistreating you, you should report that to their department head. Your attorney can work with you at the end of the semester to file a formal grade appeal.
- You always have the option of asking instructors for extra credit and makeup assignments. It could be that an extra lab assignment or a paper rewrite is enough to raise your GPA out of the danger zone.
Fighting for Your Future
By this point, it should be abundantly clear why trying to defend yourself from dismissal is always a dangerous proposition. It's no easy task taking on a university, and the stakes are incredibly high. Luckily, you don't have to go it alone. The Lento Law Firm was built to help students. Our Student Defense Team can also be fierce when it comes to protecting our clients, and we're not afraid of faculty and administrators.
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.
