Any time your chance at earning a degree is under threat, it's a serious situation. Should Penn State World Campus decide to dismiss you—whether for academic or disciplinary reasons—it means far more than simply expulsion from the university. Dismissal always includes a transcript notation about your offense, and that usually makes it impossible to enroll at other colleges or universities. In short, dismissal means heading onto the job market—and paying any student loans—with no degree whatsoever.
If this is the situation you find yourself in, the LLF Law Firm can help. Our Student Defense Team isn't just trained in the law. They're familiar with Penn State's rules and regulations. They know how to use administrative and judicial systems to your benefit, and they can help you get back on track no matter what your situation might be.
To find out more about what the LLF Law Firm can do, call 888-535-3686, or take a few minutes right now and fill out one of our online forms.
Reasons for Dismissal from Penn State University World Campus
If someone at Penn State World Campus has mentioned the possibility of dismissal to you, it probably means you're having trouble in one of four categories.
- Academic Deficiencies: The simplest way to find yourself in danger of dismissal is to let your GPA fall. Any time it falls below 2.0, the university places you on academic warning status. Should you continue to struggle, you can also be suspended and, ultimately, dismissed.
- Academic Misconduct: You are also subject to PSU's Academic Integrity policy. That policy bars cheating, plagiarism, and all other forms of classroom dishonesty. First offenses are usually handled with course sanctions, like lowered grades on assignments or a lowered course grade. Multiple offenses, though, are grounds for dismissal.
- Disciplinary Misconduct: Your general campus behavior is governed by Penn State's Student Code of Conduct. Here, you'll find rules against things like underage drinking, theft, assault, and misuse of computer resources. In this case, any offense can lead to dismissal if it is serious enough.
- Sexual Misconduct: This type of offense almost always leads to dismissal. Sexual discrimination and harassment are specifically outlawed under Title IX, a federal law, and Penn State is required under the law to investigate all credible complaints.
Misconduct Defenses
Penn State cannot simply dismiss you the moment you've been accused of misconduct. You are entitled to due process, including the right to defend yourself at a full hearing. Further, you're presumed innocent (“Not Responsible”), and the university bears the burden of proving your guilt.
Here's how the process typically unfolds.
- Cases begin with an allegation lodged against you with either the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response or, in the case of Title IX sexual misconduct, the Title IX Coordinator.
- If Penn State World Campus proceeds with the case against you, the university will issue you a Notice of the Charges. This notice will explain the allegations against you, identify the Complainant (your accuser), and provide a full list of your due process rights.
- One of your most important rights is the right to a Support Person, someone to accompany you to meetings and proceedings. The LLF Law Firm attorney cannot represent you in a formal sense. However, can be on hand to provide advice and help you to answer questions.
- You can expect the university to conduct some form of investigation. Even if you've just been accused of plagiarism, your instructor will need to collect examples of your work. You always have the right to give your side of the story during this process.
- Once investigators have completed their work, they will submit their findings to the appropriate office. The university then sets a time and date for a hearing. They'll also appoint one or more decision-makers (depending on the nature of the case) to direct the proceedings.
- The hearing gives you the opportunity to offer arguments in support of your innocence or to explain your actions. You may support these arguments with evidence, including witness testimony. Of course, the other side will have the same opportunity to present their case, and each of you will then have the chance to respond to one another's evidence.
- Both sides have the right to appeal the hearing outcome. However, there are strict limits to the grounds for appeal. You must be able to show either that a procedural error occurred, new evidence has arisen, or the sanction is somehow disproportionate to the nature of the offense.
This general outline applies to all cases, whether you've been accused of academic, disciplinary, or sexual misconduct. However, cases can differ in terms of specific details. For example, both sides in Title IX cases are allowed to cross-examine one another. Such details can have a big impact on how you prepare your case.
Luckily, the LLF Law Firm attorney will be familiar with all the judicial processes and procedures at Penn State World Campus and can help guide you through whatever you're facing and ensure you get the best possible resolution to your case.
Dealing With Academic Dismissal
There are no comparable procedures at Penn State World Campus for dealing with academic dismissals. These are almost always based exclusively on grade points, and this information isn't typically subject to review.
However, even in these cases, the LLF Law Firm can offer suggestions for responding to the threat of dismissal. For example,
- If your deficiencies are the result of extenuating circumstances, like a serious illness or a family emergency, you can try appealing to the dean of your college. Such conditions can be grounds for more time to improve.
- Consistently low grades can be a sign of a learning disability. If you should discover you have such a disability, you can petition the university to drop low grades from your transcript and allow you to retake courses once proper accommodations are in place.
- You should never have to deal with unfair treatment in the classroom. If you feel you're being mistreated, you should contact your instructor's department head. This will establish a paper train, which can be useful in filing an official grade appeal or grievance.
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 LLF 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.
