If you're facing dismissal from CUNY, Lehman, the very first thing you need to know is that the situation is serious. You can't talk your way out of this problem. You can't transfer your way out of it, either. If you wind up dismissed, other schools aren't going to be interested in accepting you. Your academic career could be over, and you know what that means in terms of career prospects.
The second thing you need to know is that while the situation is serious, it isn't hopeless. You have rights as a student, including the right to defend yourself at a formal hearing any time you're facing dismissal.
The third thing that you need to know, though, is that you need help defending yourself. There's too much at stake, and while you are entitled to due process, the process can be complicated.
The Lento Law Firm is here to help. Our Student Defense Team is on your side, no matter what. We're dedicated to ensuring all students are treated fairly. We'll make sure CUNY, Lehman respects your rights and that you get the best possible resolution to your case.
Don't wait, though. Lehman is already building its case against you. You need to be building your defense. Call 888-535-3686, or take a few minutes right now and fill out our online form.
Reasons for Dismissal from CUNY, Lehman
If someone at CUNY, Lehman, is talking about dismissal, it likely means you've been accused of one of four offenses.
- Academic Deficiencies: Unlike in high school, you can be dismissed from college for low grades. The minimum GPA standard at CUNY, Lehman, is 2.0. Anything below that means academic probation, and should you continue to struggle while on probation, you can also be expelled.
- Academic Misconduct: In addition to a strict academic standing policy, CUNY, Lehman also maintains a strict academic integrity policy. This outlaws misbehavior related to your studies, things such as cheating, plagiarism, and misrepresentation. As with low grades, you're not going to wind up dismissed the very first time you violate the policy. However, should you get caught committing a second or further offense, dismissal is a possibility.
- Disciplinary Misconduct: Outside of class, your general campus behavior is governed by the CUNY, Lehman Rules and Regulations for the Maintenance of Public Order, found in the Student Handbook. Here, you'll find strictures against everything from theft and violence to disorderly conduct and misuse of computer resources. In this case, any violation can lead to dismissal if it is serious enough.
- Sexual Misconduct: Finally, like all colleges and universities, CUNY, Lehman must maintain a sexual misconduct policy as required under federal law (Title IX). Such offenses are viewed as among the most serious you can commit, and a Responsible (guilty) finding usually means dismissal.
Misconduct Defenses
The threat of dismissal doesn't have to mean you actually will wind up dismissed. There are ways to deal with virtually any problem or issue that comes up in college if you have the right help. If you're facing a misconduct charge, for instance, whether academic, disciplinary, or sexual, CUNY, Lehman must provide you with opportunities to defend yourself and some important rights with which to do it.
You can expect both an investigation and a hearing.
- Most cases begin with an allegation. Anyone at CUNY Lehman can accuse you of misconduct, including instructors, other students, staff, and administration. However, the school must decide whether the allegations have merit and that they are within Lehman's jurisdiction before it can open an official case against you.
- You will know you are under investigation because the school must provide you with a Notice of the Charges. This Notice should outline the allegations against you and describe your several due process rights.
- You have a number of important rights, including the right to a presumption of Not Responsible (innocence), the right to review evidence in the case, and the right to advanced notification of all meetings and proceedings. Among these rights, you are allowed to choose an advisor to help you present your case. A Lento Law Firm attorney cannot speak on your behalf, but they can be on hand to offer advice and help you answer questions.
- The university conducts a full investigation. As part of that investigation, you have the right to give your side of the story, to suggest witnesses, and to submit evidence. Of course, the other side in the case has this same right.
- Once the investigation is complete, investigators submit a written report of their findings. CUNY, Lehman then sets a time and date for a hearing and appoints one or more decision-makers to preside over this hearing.
- At the hearing, you're allowed to make the full case for your innocence or offer mitigating explanations for your actions. As part of this process, you may introduce evidence and call witnesses to testify. You may also cross-examine any witnesses against you.
- Ultimately, decision-makers must determine whether or not you are Responsible for (guilty of) an offense. To do this, they use a legal standard known as "preponderance of the evidence. This standard requires them to find you guilty if they are more than fifty-percent convinced you committed an offense.
- Even after the hearing, you still have rights. You can, for instance, appeal the outcome if you have sufficient grounds. At CUNY, Lehman, grounds include
- A procedural error
- The discovery of new evidence
- A sanction disproportionate to the nature of the offense
These processes and procedures apply to all cases at CUNY, Lehman. However, cases can differ in small but important ways depending on the exact nature of the charges. For example, in Title IX sexual misconduct cases, your attorney can represent you throughout the case. They can't testify on your behalf, but they can speak to decision-makers, raise objections, and examine witnesses.
One of the most important reasons why you need a Lento Law Firm attorney on your side is that they can help you navigate all the many rules you'll face as you defend yourself. They're familiar with the CUNY, Lehman judicial system, and they know how to use that system to your best advantage.
Academic Dismissals
Academic dismissals work considerably differently than misconduct dismissals. There's a good reason for this. Academic dismissals are based almost exclusively on your GPA. Under ordinary circumstances, there's no reason to conduct an investigation or hold a hearing to establish whether or not yours is below 2.0.
Nevertheless, your Lento Law Firm attorney will know some useful approaches for protecting you from this type of dismissal as well. For example,
- If you're dismissed at the end of the spring semester CUNY, Lehman allows you to continue taking courses through the summer term. This gives you an additional chance to pull your GPA back up to good standing.
- If you've been dealing with extenuating circumstances, such as an illness or a family emergency, you can file an appeal to delay dismissal.
- If you consistently struggle to earn good grades, you may be dealing with an undiagnosed learning disability. Your Lento Law Firm attorney can make sure you get properly diagnosed and negotiate with the college so you can retake courses for replacement grades.
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.
