You're smart; you're dedicated; you're capable: otherwise, you wouldn't have gotten into NYU. You might still struggle to get through the next four years, though. As they say, into every life a little rain must fall. You can't predict when a family member might die or when you might go through a bad breakup. These and a thousand other things can throw you completely off track in your quest for a degree.
A bad day, a bad week, even a bad semester shouldn't put your future in jeopardy. If you're facing dismissal at NYU, you need to know that there's help available. National Student Defense attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento understands what you're up against. He knows what kinds of challenges university students face, and he's devoted his career to helping students just like you get through them.
Reasons for Dismissal at New York University
It turns out there's not just one reason why NYU might decided to dismiss you; there are several. For the most part, though, they can be grouped into four categories.
- Academic Performance: Your first job as a student is to excel academically. All of NYU's eighteen colleges have clear expectations when it comes to your classroom performance. All require at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA. Many have additional requirements, such as a limit on how many Incompletes you can have in a semester or how many courses you can fail. If you aren't meeting these requirements, you're subject to probation. If you can't meet requirements while on probation, you can find yourself suspended or dismissed from the university.
- Academic Misconduct: Courses at NYU are rigorous and expectations are high. That drives some students to cheat. The thing is, academic misconduct can get you expelled from the school as fast as a poor academic performance can. NYU maintains a strict policy on integrity that forbids cheating, plagiarism, and any other behavior that might tend to give you an unfair advantage in completing your coursework. Serious and repeated violations can get you dismissed.
- Disciplinary Misconduct: Being a college student isn't just about going to class. You're part of a community, and NYU expects you to respect that community and abide by its rules. The Student Conduct Policy includes prohibitions on everything from vandalism to refusing to leave a building during a fire alarm. Many violations, such as drug possession and assault, are serious enough that they can get you expelled.
- Sexual Misconduct: Finally, NYU also has a rigid policy against all types of sexual misconduct. As it happens, such misconduct isn't just against school policy; it's against federal law. The minimum penalty in such cases is usually suspension. The more likely outcome is dismissal.
The Adjudication Process
You can fight all forms of dismissal at NYU. In most cases, the school offers a clear process for defending yourself. How you go about doing that, though, will depend on what type of dismissal you're dealing with.
- Most forms of academic misconduct are handled by faculty. An instructor accuses you, decides whether or not you're guilty of an infraction, and assigns you a sanction within the context of the course—usually a lower grade. However, more serious and repeat offenses are referred to a college's Committee on Student Discipline, who can decide to dismiss you from the school.
- Disciplinary misconduct allegations are handled by the university-wide Office of Student Conduct. In cases of dismissal, students have the right to defend themselves at a panel hearing. Panels are made up of one faculty member, one administrator, and one student. At the hearing itself, students may make arguments, present evidence, and call witnesses. In addition, all accused students may be accompanied by an advisor of their choice, who may be an attorney.
- Sexual misconduct cases work much as other types of disciplinary misconduct cases work. That is, the school performs a thorough investigation and holds a formal hearing into the matter. However, these cases are overseen and decided by the school's Title IX personnel, and there are many small differences in procedure that can have a serious bearing on the outcome.
There is no way of formally challenging a dismissal based on poor academic performance at NYU. However, a student's advisor can offer recommendations to decision-makers and it may be possible to convince these officials to write on your behalf. In addition, students can sometimes avoid academic probation and dismissal by working directly with faculty members to address poor grades before their official GPA is calculated.
No matter what the specific charges may be, all judicial procedures at NYU are complex and difficult to navigate. You can, of course, try to deal with problems yourself, but Joseph D. Lento has an intimate knowledge of these procedures and years of experience helping students get the justice they deserve.
Appeals Processes
A negative outcome at the hearing level isn't necessarily the end of your battle. Most committee and panel decisions at NYU are subject to appeal. Again, who you appeal to will depend on the specific type of dismissal you're appealing. In all cases, though, there are time limits on filing appeals and strict limits to the grounds for appeal. Essentially, you may only file an appeal on the basis of
- New evidence that might change the outcome of the decision
- Procedural error that affected the outcome of the decision
- A sanction disproportionate to the offense
You should also know that appeals don't work like hearings. Instead, they are closed-door affairs. You have no opportunity to speak to committee members directly. Rather decisions are based on your written statements and any documentary evidence you may submit. Here again, Joseph D. Lento can be a valuable asset in gathering this evidence and composing your appeal itself.
Fighting for Your Future
Fighting dismissal can be a daunting proposition. Developing a defense strategy, collecting evidence, talking to witnesses—these can all be time-consuming. You're a student, and your time is already at a premium.
Keep in mind, though, that you don't have to handle this situation all on your own. Joseph D. Lento built his practice helping students just like you handle all types of charges. He's dealt with everything from plagiarism allegations to rape charges. He knows how to put together a water-tight appeal; he knows how to formulate witness questions; he knows how to negotiate with faculty and administrators. Most importantly, no matter what problem you're facing, Joseph D. Lento is on your side and will do everything in his power to get you the very best possible resolution to your case.
If you or your child if facing dismissal or have already been dismissed, Joseph D. Lento may be able to help. Contact the Lento Law Firm, today, at 888-555-3686, or use our automated online form.
