It's the dreaded “D” word—Dismissal. No one wants to hear it. Unfortunately, Old Dominion University does dismiss dozens of students every year. That means if someone mentions the word “D” to you, you have to take it seriously. It's no exaggeration to say that your entire future is on the line. If you wind up dismissed, you'll find it hard to enroll anywhere else. And you know what the job market looks like for applicants with no college degree.
What does taking it seriously mean exactly? It means finding out everything you can about Old Dominion's policies so you can avoid breaking any rules. It means knowing the judicial procedures and processes so you'll know how to defend yourself. Most importantly, though, it means getting the very best help you can find. It's no easy task taking on your university, and you don't want to try and do it alone.
The Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team is dedicated to helping students get the fair treatment they deserve. We want you to have every opportunity to earn your degree and go on to a successful career. For more information on how we can help with dismissal issues, call 888-535-3686 today or use our automated online form.
Reasons for Dismissal from Old Dominion University
First and foremost, let's talk about just what it is that can get you dismissed from Old Dominion. There are basically four categories of offense. Three of these have to do with misconduct. One has to do with meeting academic standards.
- Academic Misconduct: Like all schools, Old Dominion maintains a very strict policy forbidding all forms of academic misconduct, including cheating, plagiarism, and misrepresentation. First offenses are usually handled with classroom sanctions like lowered grades on papers. Additional offenses, though, can earn you dismissal.
- Disciplinary Misconduct: If the ODU academic misconduct policy regulates your classroom behavior, the Student Code of Conduct regulates your general campus behavior. The Code addresses activities like underage drinking, trespassing, and misuse of computer resources. Any violation can potentially result in dismissal. Some offenses, though, like hazing and drug possession, almost always lead to dismissal.
- Sexual Misconduct: Sexually-based offenses aren't just violations of school policy. Under Title IX, they are violations of federal law. The law requires colleges and universities to investigate all credible complaints, and it encourages schools to issue severe penalties. In fact, the most likely sanction in these cases is dismissal.
- Academic Performance: Finally, you can also be dismissed from Old Dominion for plain old bad grades. The academic standing policy requires students to maintain no less than a 2.0 cumulative grade point average. Anything below that number is subject to Probation. Continue to struggle while on Probation, and you can also be dismissed.
Misconduct Procedures
Any form of misconduct at Old Dominion can lead to serious consequences, including dismissal, but the university can't simply expel you over an accusation. Just as in ordinary life, you're entitled to defend yourself, and ODU provides you with some important due process rights to help you do that.
- Misconduct cases begin with a complaint made to either the Office of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity (OSCAI) or, in the case of Title IX sexual misconduct allegations, the Title IX Coordinator.
- You are entitled to a Notice of the Charges if you're being investigated. This notice should provide you with a detailed description of the accusation and a list of your rights.
- Investigators usually begin by meeting separately with both sides in the case. This is your first opportunity to tell your side of the story. You can also submit evidence and suggest witnesses. As the investigation continues, investigators will collect any physical evidence and interview anyone with direct knowledge of the case.
- Once the investigation is complete, investigators submit a written summary of their findings. This becomes the foundation for the next phase in the case: a formal hearing.
- At the hearing, both sides lay out their cases. You may offer up arguments, introduce evidence, and call witnesses to testify. You also have the right to raise questions for any witnesses testifying against you.
- Cases are ultimately decided using a legal standard known as “preponderance of the evidence.” Far less strict than “beyond a reasonable doubt,” this standard requires decision-makers to find you “Responsible” (guilty) if they are more than fifty percent convinced you committed an offense.
- You can appeal the hearing outcome, but not simply because you disagree with that outcome. You must have grounds, such as
- Inappropriate sanctions
- Procedural error
- Findings that don't fit the facts
- The discovery of new evidence
While this general outline applies to all misconduct cases at Old Dominion, procedures can differ in small but important ways depending on the exact nature of the charges. For example, you are allowed to select an advisor in all misconduct cases, someone to help you present your case. However, in most instances, this advisor must be someone from the university community. Only in Title IX cases can you bring an attorney with you to meetings and hearings.
Keep in mind, though, that a Lento Law Firm attorney can do far more than sit beside you during a hearing. They can help you develop your defense strategy, work with you to collect and organize evidence, draft documents on your behalf, and even coach you in presentation methods. And no matter what type of charges you might be facing, they'll help you navigate the process and protect your rights at every step of the way.
Academic Dismissal Cases
We can't describe the process in academic dismissal cases at Old Dominion because, by and large, there isn't one. You can appeal a dismissal if you can demonstrate that your academic deficiencies are the result of extenuating circumstances—a family emergency, for example, or a serious illness. Otherwise, however, the university simply issues dismissals based on GPA.
Even in these cases, though, the attorneys at the Lento Law Firm know some useful strategies for avoiding dismissal. For instance,
- If you should discover you have an undiagnosed disability, you can ask the school to set aside your low grades and let you retake those courses with accommodations in place.
- You can always ask your instructors for makeup assignments or extra credit work. In the right circumstances, one paper rewrite could be enough to save you from dismissal.
- If you're the victim of classroom mistreatment, you should bring this to the attention of your instructor's department head immediately. Such mistreatment may be grounds for a grade appeal.
The attorneys at the Lento Law Firm are committed to your future, and we'll do whatever we can to help safeguard that future.
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 has 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.
