Dismissal from Columbia College can happen for dozens of different reasons, everything from low grades to allegations of date rape. Whatever the reason, it's never a good thing. Leaving your friends behind and giving up all the progress you've made--can be devastating. The transcript notation Columbia will add to your transcript can dog you for your entire career. These aren't consequences you can afford to ignore.
The moment you find yourself in trouble at CC, it's vital that you contact the Lento Law Firm. Our Student Defense Team is here to protect you and to make sure you get a fair and just outcome to your case. We know your rights as a student. We also know CC's administrative and judicial rules and procedures and how to use them to your benefit. No one gives you a better chance at success.
To find out more about how we can help, call 888-535-3686, or take a few minutes right now and fill out one of our online forms.
Reasons for Dismissal from Columbia College
While there are dozens of different offenses you can commit at Columbia College, they can all be organized into four basic categories. Know these, and you can avoid most mistakes.
- Academic Deficiencies: CC's academic standing policy requires you to maintain at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average. Anything below that, and you're placed on academic probation. If you continue to struggle, you can also face suspension and, ultimately, dismissal.
- Academic Misconduct: You can also be dismissed for academic misconduct violations, such as cheating and plagiarism. Here again, a single violation isn't usually enough to lead to dismissal. Get caught more than once, though, and that becomes a distinct possibility.
- Disciplinary Misconduct: Disciplinary misconduct includes non-academic offenses—misbehavior that happens outside of the classroom, like underage drinking, theft, and assault. Depending on the seriousness of the specific offense, even a first violation can lead to dismissal.
- Sexual Misconduct: These offenses can range from simple verbal harassment all the way to outright rape. CC's policy is required by law under the federal Title IX statute, and the government encourages the use of harsh penalties. Dismissal is the most likely result if you're found Responsible for (guilty of) an offense.
Misconduct Defenses
Knowing the major offenses at Columbia College can help you to avoid most trouble. What do you do, though, when, despite your best efforts, trouble comes looking for you?
You defend yourself. CC policies are designed to help you do that. You have several due process rights, such as the right to a presumption of innocence (“Not Responsible”) and the right to review all evidence in the case. Here's how the process works.
- First, someone lodges a complaint against you with the Student Conduct Officer or, in the case of Title IX sexual misconduct, the school's Title IX Coordinator.
- CC issues you notice of the charges. This notice details the allegation and includes a complete list of your due process rights.
- Next, the Student Conduct Officer conducts a full investigation. In most cases, they begin by interviewing you, but you can also expect them to talk to the Complainant (your accuser) and any relevant witnesses. They also collect any physical evidence associated with the case.
- The Conduct Officer may decide your case, or you may be subject to a hearing. If you are allowed a hearing, you may offer evidence and call witnesses to testify. In addition, you can raise questions for anyone testifying against you.
- In either case, decision-makers employ a legal standard known as “preponderance of the evidence” to decide your level of Responsibility. According to this standard, they must find you guilty if they believe it is “more likely than not” that you committed the offense.
- Should you lose your case, you can appeal. However, grounds for appeal at CC are strictly limited to an outcome not based on the facts of the case or a sanction that is disproportionate to the offense.
In some Columbia College cases, you are entitled to an advisor, who may be an attorney. In other cases, the college bars attorneys from participating directly in judicial procedures. You should know, however, that the Lento Law Firm attorney can play a crucial role in your defense in either case.
They'll help you find evidence to support your innocence, for instance, and they'll outline your strongest arguments. They'll help prepare you for investigative meetings. They'll suggest questions for witnesses and coach you in presenting your evidence. More important than anything else, they'll keep a close watch on everything that happens to make sure that you're treated fairly and that Columbia College respects all your rights.
Dealing With Academic Dismissal
“Due process” is defined differently in an academic dismissal case. Such dismissals are based entirely on your GPA. That means there's no need for an investigation or a hearing to determine the facts of the case. Instead, CC gives you several opportunities to improve before dismissing you. You're placed on probation, for example, and then subject to suspension before dismissal.
Even in these cases, though, the Lento Law Firm attorney can suggest some useful strategies for responding to the threat of dismissal. For example,
- If you've been dealing with extenuating circumstances, you may be able to leverage these for more time to improve. CC offers a formal appeals process, and the Lento Law Firm attorney can help you gather evidence to support this appeal.
- If you struggle in most or all of your courses, you may have an undiagnosed learning disability. Federal law entitles disabled students to necessary course accommodations like extra time to complete assignments. You can also ask CC to set aside your low grades and allow you to retake courses once the proper accommodations are in place.
- You can always fall back on the strategy of asking instructors for makeup and extra credit assignments. Keep in mind that it can be useful even if your grade in a class is high. Raising a B to an A can help your GPA as much as raising an F to a D.
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.
