College is tough these days. How tough? Lots of students don't make it to the end. It's not just that you have to keep your GPA up, though that's certainly true. There's a long list of things that can get you dismissed—everything from plagiarizing a paper to stalking.
How do you make sure it doesn't happen to you? How do you ensure you're not the victim of a false accusation or that a silly mistake doesn't cost you your education?
You prepare yourself for every possibility. You learn exactly what can get you dismissed and how to avoid committing an offense. You learn the Georgia Southern judicial system so you can defend yourself if, despite your best efforts, you wind up charged with violating school policy. And you figure out how to get help when you need it.
The attorneys at the Lento Law Firm are dedicated to helping students get fair treatment from their universities. They know how hard you work, and they won't let anything get in the way of you earning your degree. The moment you find yourself in trouble, contact the Lento Law Firm at 888-535-3686, or use our automated online form, and find out what we can do for you.
Reasons for Dismissal at Georgia Southern
First things first: just what is it that can get you dismissed from Georgia Southern? You're subject to four important school policies, and a violation of any one of them can lead to expulsion.
- Academic Performance: Georgia Southern's Academic Standing policy sets the standards you must meet in the classroom. According to this policy, you need to maintain a cumulative GPA of no less than 2.0. Anything below that, and you face academic probation. Should your grades continue to fall, you can also face dismissal.
- Academic Misconduct: All colleges and universities prohibit academic misconduct. GSU's Academic Dishonesty policy specifically outlaws cheating, plagiarism, and submitting the same work in multiple classes. In most instances, one violation isn't enough to get you expelled. Violate the policy multiple times, though, and dismissal becomes a real possibility.
- Disciplinary Misconduct: Where the Academic Dishonesty policy governs your classroom behavior, the GSU Code of Student Conduct governs your campus behavior. It bars activities like destruction of property, assault, and underage drinking. Any violation can potentially result in dismissal.
- Sexual Misconduct: The minimum penalty for this category of offense is usually suspension. The more common penalty is dismissal. Sexual misconduct isn't just a violation of school policy; under Title IX, it's a violation of federal law.
Misconduct Procedures
No matter what type of dismissal you're facing, you have options when it comes to defending yourself. If you've been accused of misconduct, Georgia Southern conducts a thorough investigation and allows you to present your case at a formal hearing. Here's how those processes work.
- Cases begin when someone lodges a complaint against you. Your accuser is referred to as the “Complainant.” As the defendant, you're referred to as the “Respondent.”
- The school must notify you that you are under investigation. This notification should include detailed information about the allegations and a list of your due process rights.
- You should have the opportunity to meet with investigators and respond to the charges. Investigators also interview the Complainant and any witnesses. In addition, they collect any physical evidence relevant to the case.
- Among your rights, you're entitled to an advisor, someone to help you prepare and present your case. This advisor can be an attorney. A Lento Law Firm attorney can't speak for you during meetings and hearings, but they can be on hand to offer advice and to make sure GSU respects your rights.
- At the conclusion of the investigation, investigators submit a written summary of their findings. This document becomes the foundation of the hearing that follows.
- The hearing offers both sides the opportunity to make their respective cases. You may present evidence and call witnesses. You may also ask questions of any witnesses against you.
- One or more decision-makers will preside over the hearing. They're also responsible for deciding whether or not you are “Responsible for” (guilty of) an offense. To do this, they employ a legal standard known as “preponderance of the evidence.” According to this standard, they must find you guilty if they are more than fifty percent convinced you are Responsible for a violation.
- Finally, you have the right to appeal the hearing outcome. You can't simply appeal because you dislike that outcome, though. You must have grounds for an appeal, such as
- Evidence of a procedural error
- New information that could alter the outcome
- An accusation that the outcome doesn't fit the facts of the case
While all misconduct cases follow this general outline, procedures differ depending on the exact nature of the allegations. For example, in academic and disciplinary cases, only decision-makers may ask questions, though both sides are entitled to submit questions to be asked. In Title IX sexual misconduct cases, on the other hand, only advisors may examine and cross-examine witnesses.
You can count on the attorneys at the Lento Law Firm to be familiar with all of Georgia Southern's judicial processes and procedures. No matter what the specific charges, they can help you navigate the system from the moment you're charged until your final appeal is exhausted.
Academic Dismissal Cases
You can also defend yourself from academic dismissals, but the process isn't as straightforward as in misconduct cases. There are no investigations, for instance, and you don't get to make arguments at a hearing.
Georgia Southern does allow you to appeal an academic dismissal if you can show that your deficiencies were caused by extenuating circumstances. Such circumstances might include a serious illness or a death in the family. An appeal is not the same as a hearing, though. You don't get to address decision-makers directly. Instead, you submit documentation of your circumstances and decision-makers review this material in closed-door sessions.
The attorneys at the Lento Law Firm know a number of other strategies as well for dealing with these types of dismissals. For example,
- You might try asking instructors for extra credit or makeup assignments. An extra lab assignment or a paper rewrite could be enough to raise your GPA above the dismissal threshold.
- If you feel you're being mistreated in the classroom, you should bring this to the attention of your instructor's department head immediately. You may be entitled to some form of grade relief, and that could prevent dismissal.
- A learning disability might entitle you to classroom accommodations such as extra time to complete assignments. If you're not given these accommodations, you can petition to retake a course, even if you didn't know about your disability at the time you originally took it.
As in misconduct cases, the attorneys at the Lento Law Firm can help you come up with a strategy for dealing with an academic dismissal and will work with you to implement that strategy.
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 have 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.
