If you or your child is facing dismissal from Loyola University Chicago, you need to know that the situation is serious. What does "serious" mean? Obviously, if you're dismissed, you're going to find yourself looking for another university willing to take you. That's a hassle. The thing is, few universities will take a chance on someone who's already been dismissed elsewhere. You may not just be facing dismissal from Loyola, then. You may be facing the end of your academic career.
A serious situation calls for a serious response. You can't handle this situation on your own. You need professional help. The Lento Law Firm is dedicated to protecting student rights. Our Student Defense Team has helped hundreds of students handle every possible type of charge.
What can we do for you? Call 888-535-3686 to find out, or take a few minutes right now and fill out an online form.
Reasons for Dismissal from Loyola University Chicago
As it turns out, there are literally dozens of reasons LUC can decide to dismiss you, too many, in fact, to list them all here. Luckily, they can all be divided into four simple categories.
- Academic Deficiencies: You came to Loyola to earn a degree, so your first job is to meet academic standards. The university maintains an academic standing policy that tells you exactly what those standards are. A GPA below 2.0 means probation. If you can't pull your GPA up while on probation, you then face dismissal.
- Academic Misconduct: It's just as important you earn your grades honestly as it is that you earn good grades. That's one reason why LUC puts its Academic Integrity policy on the same page as its academic standing policy. If you've been in school for any length of time at all, you know the drill: no cheating, no plagiarism, no fabrication, no collusion. Here again, a single offense probably isn't enough to get you dismissed. A second accusation, though, can lead to dismissal.
- Disciplinary Misconduct: In terms of your more general campus conduct, the rules are contained in the university's Community Standards. That's a considerably longer list than the academic misconduct list because it contains prohibitions against so many different offenses, everything from hazing to misuse of computer resources. In this case, even a single offense can get you expelled if it's serious enough.
- Sexual Misconduct: These offenses are treated separately from disciplinary misconduct offenses, even though they technically fall under the same category. They're more serious than most disciplinary misconduct offenses—in fact, they're most often punished with dismissal. They're also subject to federal Title IX guidelines.
Misconduct Defenses
Suppose you're facing a misconduct dismissal of any kind—disciplinary, academic, or sexual—you have the right to defend yourself--to prove your innocence or provide context for your situation. Here's how that process usually works.
- Anyone at Loyola can accuse you of misconduct. However, different types of offenses are subject to regulation by different offices. Academic misconduct allegations, for example, are generally handled by the department alleging the offense. General disciplinary misconduct is dealt with by the Office of the Dean of Students. Title IX sexual misconduct is subject to the Title IX Coordinator.
- Any time the school opens a case against you, you are entitled to Notice of the Charges. That Notice should include an explanation of the allegations and a list of your due process rights, such as your right to be presumed innocent (Not Responsible).
- One of your most important rights is the right to an advisor. In fact, you're allowed to select anyone to serve as an advisor, which means your Lento Law Firm attorney can accompany you to all meetings and proceedings.
- The office handling your case will conduct some form of investigation. This usually starts with an opportunity for you to give your side of the story. In addition, investigators talk with witnesses and collect any physical evidence.
- The investigative findings become the basis of the hearing that follows. Once the university receives these findings, it sets the time and date for the hearing and selects one or more decision-makers to preside over it.
- The hearing is your formal opportunity to defend yourself. You may build arguments, introduce evidence, and call witnesses. You may also raise questions for any witnesses against you. Of course, the other side gets the chance to do the same.
- Cases at Loyola are decided using a legal standard known as "preponderance of the evidence." This is not the same as "beyond a reasonable doubt." "Preponderance of the evidence requires decision-makers to find you Responsible if they believe you "more likely than not" committed the offense.
- Finally, no matter what type of case you're facing, you have the right to appeal the hearing outcome. You do not, however, have the right to appeal just because you're unhappy with that outcome. Grounds for appeal are limited to procedural error, the discovery of new information, and a sanction that is disproportionate to the offense.
Again, cases can differ significantly depending on the exact nature of the charges, and knowing what to expect in your particular case can be crucial to defending yourself. For example, you are allowed to cross-examine the complainant in Title IX cases, and they're allowed to cross-examine you. That involves some special preparation.
Your Lento Law Firm attorney is competent to help you through every type of judicial process. They know how Loyola processes and procedures work and can make sure you're using your rights effectively.
Academic Dismissal Cases
The process in academic dismissal cases is a bit different than that used in misconduct cases. There's no investigation, for example, and no hearing. You can appeal these dismissals, but only if you can show that your deficiencies were the result of extenuating circumstances, such as a family emergency.
Of course, there are all sorts of reasons why your GPA might have fallen enough to be in danger of dismissal. Luckily, the attorneys at the Lento Law Firm know a number of informal strategies that can help you avoid academic sanctions
- If you feel you've been mistreated by an instructor, you should report that immediately to the instructor's department head. You may be entitled to some form of grade adjustment.
- You always have the right to ask instructors for extra credit or makeup assignments. Some will work with you; others won't. You're never any worse off for having asked, though.
- If you think you might have a learning disability, you should contact disability services about getting tested. You could drop low grades from your GPA and retake those courses once you have appropriate accommodations in place.
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.
