Universities take everything too seriously these days, from grades to misconduct. Even minor offenses sometimes garner severe sanctions like dismissal. If you've found yourself in some kind of trouble at Central Washington University (CWU) and someone has mentioned the D word, you can't afford to take the situation lightly. You need help defending yourself, the very best help you can find.
The Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team was established to protect student rights and to ensure every student has a fair opportunity to earn their degree. We've helped hundreds of students over the years defend themselves from all types of dismissal threats. We know the law, we know the CWU system, and we're always on your side.
What can we do for you? Call 888-535-3686 to find out, or take a few minutes right now and fill out one of our online forms.
Reasons for Dismissal from Central Washington University
We should probably start by talking about CWU's rules and regulations. Just what is it that can get you dismissed from the university? How do you avoid making mistakes, and what do you need to know if, despite your best efforts, you find yourself in trouble anyway?
There are basically four types of offenses, though each type includes multiple examples of violations.
- Academic Deficiencies: Your grades do matter, of course. You came to CWU to study, and you can expect the university to hold you to that. According to the school's academic standing policy, you need to keep both your cumulative and term grade point averages above 2.0. Anything lower means probation, and if you continue to struggle while on probation, you can also face dismissal.
- Academic Misconduct: You're also subject to CWU's academic integrity policy. In simple terms, cheating, plagiarism, and other forms of classroom dishonesty can get you into serious trouble. A first offense can mean lowered grades. Second offenses can mean dismissal.
- Disciplinary Misconduct: CWU's Student Conduct Code contains the university's non-academic rules and regulations. As you might expect, you're prohibited from doing anything that puts you or anyone else on campus in danger, from underage drinking to assault. Any violation can result in dismissal if it is serious enough.
- Sexual Misconduct: Sexually-based offenses almost always lead to dismissal. Beyond the fact that these are serious offenses, they are also regulated by Title IX, a federal law. Universities are required to investigate allegations and are encouraged to impose harsh penalties.
Misconduct Defenses
CWU isn't required to provide you with the same rights you might have if you were accused of a criminal offense. The university does have its own due process policy, though, and this offers you some important protections any time you've been accused of misconduct.
- As a starting point, Central Washington must believe the accusations against you are credible before issuing a formal charge.
- CWU must provide you notice of the charges any time you are under investigation. It cannot conduct an investigation in secret. Notice should include a description of the allegations. That can be crucial in mounting a defense, especially if you are entirely innocent, since you need to know what you're supposed to have done.
- The notice of charges should also include a complete list of your due process rights. For instance, you have the right to a presumption of innocence and to review all evidence in the case. You also have the right to an advisor and to choose an attorney as your advisor. This means a Lento Law Firm attorney can accompany you to all meetings and hearings, starting with investigative interviews.
- CWU cannot find you Responsible for an offense without concrete evidence. That means you can expect the university to conduct a full investigation. As part of this investigation, you have the right to give your side of the story, to submit evidence, and to suggest witnesses.
- At the conclusion of the investigation, the case moves into a new phase—the hearing. The investigative report typically serves as the foundation for this hearing.
- One or more decision-makers preside over the hearing. Both sides have a chance to make their cases. You can introduce evidence and call witnesses to testify. You can also raise questions for anyone testifying against you. Your Lento Law Firm attorney cannot “represent” you, but again, they can be on hand to help you present your arguments.
- All cases at CWU are decided using a legal standard known as “preponderance of the evidence.” This means decision-makers must be more than fifty percent convinced you committed an offense before they can find you Responsible.
- You also have the right to appeal the hearing outcome. The trick is that you must have sufficient grounds for such an appeal, such as new evidence, a procedural error, or a disproportionate sanction.
All cases follow this basic outline, but your particular case will involve its own individual rules and procedures based on the nature of the charges. For example, if you've been charged with Title IX sexual misconduct, you'll get to question your accuser. They'll also get to question you too.
Whatever your situation, you can count on the attorneys at the Lento Law Firm to know exactly what you're up against. They'll prepare you for every eventuality and show you how to use the process to your best advantage.
Dealing With Academic Dismissal
What do you do if your dismissal has to do with academic deficiencies? Even in these cases, you have options for salvaging your CWU career. However, these options are usually less formal, and you need to know CWU's administrative system for most of them.
- The university does offer an appeals process for students dealing with extenuating circumstances. If your academic deficiencies are tied to the long-term illness you've been dealing with or some family emergency, you can usually gain at least one extra semester to improve.
- You are always entitled to fair treatment in the classroom. If you feel an instructor is mistreating you, you should report that immediately to your instructor's department head.
- Maybe the simplest fix for a low GPA is to ask instructors for extra credit and makeup assignments. They can, of course, say no, but there's no penalty for asking.
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.
