You don't want to try and tackle a dismissal defense all on your own. Dismissal means permanent separation from Saint Leo University. It also means your record will forever carry the mark of a serious offense. Forget trying to transfer somewhere else to finish your degree. Few colleges are willing to accept a student who's already been dismissed elsewhere.
The Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team was founded to protect student rights. When your academic future is on the line, you don't want anyone else handling your case. We know the law, we know Saint Leo's rules and regulations, and we've helped hundreds of students just like you defend themselves from every type of dismissal.
How can we help you? Find out by calling 888-535-3686, or take a few minutes right now and fill out one of our online forms.
Reasons for Dismissal from Saint Leo University
Of course, the easiest way to avoid dismissal is to stay out of trouble in the first place. We know—sometimes that's easier said than done. It helps, though, if you know exactly what can get you dismissed at Saint Leo.
- Academic Deficiencies: As a student, your first responsibility is to get to class every day and study. Saint Leo's academic sanctions policy is designed to encourage you to do that. According to that policy, you can be placed on probation any time your GPA slips. If it slips far enough, you can also be dismissed.
- Academic Misconduct: The university's Academic Honor Code is just as strict as its academic standing policy. Cheating, plagiarism, and any other sort of classroom dishonesty carry stiff penalties. First offenses can mean course failure. Additional offenses are typically punished with dismissal.
- Disciplinary Misconduct: Outside the confines of the classroom, your behavior is governed by Saint Leo's Student Code of Conduct. The focus here is non-academic misconduct, such as underage drinking, disorderly conduct, theft, and violence. In this case, even a first offense can result in dismissal if it is serious enough.
- Sexual Misconduct: Finally, in accordance with the federal government's Title IX statute, Saint Leo bars sexual misconduct ranging from simple verbal harassment to stalking, dating assault, and rape. Dismissal is actually the most common penalty for students who are found Responsible (guilty) in these cases.
Misconduct Defenses
Saint Leo cannot simply accuse you of an offense and dismiss you. University policy provides you with the right to due process, including a presumption of “Not Responsible” (innocence). Saint Leo must have evidence, and it must convince a decision-maker or a panel of decision-makers that it is “more likely than not” that you committed the offense.
Here's what you can expect.
- First, someone submits a complaint about you to the Vice President for Student Affairs. This official must then decide whether the complaint is credible and actionable.
- If the Vice President's office decides to proceed, it must issue official notice of the charges against you. This notice should explain the allegations and your due process rights.
- You should expect a full investigation into the charges. This is actually to your benefit. The university cannot proceed unless it can uncover some concrete evidence against you. In addition, you have the right to speak with investigators, to give your side of the story, and to suggest evidence for them to follow.
- At the conclusion of the investigation, investigators submit a full report of their findings. This then serves as the foundation for the hearing in the next phase of the case- a full hearing.
- At the hearing, you offer arguments for your innocence or to explain your actions. You may submit evidence and call witnesses to testify. In addition, you may raise questions about any evidence used against you and cross-examine the other side's witnesses.
- The legal standard of guilt at Saint Leo is "preponderance of the evidence." In simple terms, you are Responsible if decision-makers are more than fifty percent convinced of your responsibility.
- A Responsible finding isn't necessarily the end of your case. You also have the right to appeal. However, you must have grounds for appeal, some unfair element of the hearing process itself, such as bias on the part of a decision-maker or the discovery of new evidence.
Saint Leo further gives you the right to an advisor, someone to help you prepare and present your case. With prior approval, this advisor can be an attorney. Make the most of this right by selecting the very best attorney you can, someone from the Lento Law Firm. We are fierce litigators, but we're not just any litigators. We're focused on student disciplinary cases, and we know how campus judicial procedures unfold. No one gives you a better chance of success than the Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team.
Dealing With Academic Dismissal
Lento Law Firm attorneys are just as skilled at dealing with academic dismissal cases. While there are no investigations in these cases and no hearings, knowing how to use Saint Leo's administrative rules and regulations to your benefit can be crucial to keeping your academic career on track.
Any time you're struggling to meet academic progress requirements, your Lento Law Firm attorney can offer suggestions for protecting yourself. For example,
- Consistently low grades can be a sign of a learning disability. We can make sure you get fairly tested and access to accommodations and technology if you need them. We can also petition the university on your behalf to drop low grades from your transcript.
- Anytime you face unfair treatment in the classroom, you should report this to your instructors' department heads. In addition, your attorney can work with you to file a formal grade appeal once the semester is over.
- It never hurts to ask instructors for extra credit or makeup assignments. Even if you've done well, this can be a useful approach to raising your GPA. After all, raising a B to an A can improve your grade point average as much as raising an F to a D.
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.
