“Dismissal" is a scary word, and most college students don't want to talk about it. If you've been accused of misconduct, though, or your GPA has fallen, and someone has mentioned the possibility of dismissal to you, you have to deal with it head-on.
The good news is, even if you've been threatened with dismissal, you have rights. There is always a way to defend yourself if you respond early. The even better news is that you don't have to take on this fight alone. No matter what situation you may find yourself in, the Lento Law Firm is always on your side. Our Student Defense Team was founded specifically to protect student rights. We've defended hundreds of students from all types of charges. We know the law, and we know how St. Louis University (SLU) operates. We're ready to use both to help keep your university career on track.
To find out more about just what we 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 St. Louis University
Dismissal can happen for a variety of reasons, from cheating on an exam to misusing computer resources. For the most part, though, every offense fits into one of four basic categories.
- Academic Deficiencies: Your first concern, of course, has to be to keep your grades up. One D or an F isn't enough to warrant dismissal. Instead, you're more likely to wind up on academic probation. However, should your GPA fall low enough and remain low for long enough, an academic dismissal is a possibility.
- Academic Misconduct: You can also be dismissed for disciplinary reasons. That starts with your academic conduct. SLU expects you to earn your degree honestly. Cheating, plagiarism, and all other forms of academic misconduct are expressly prohibited. Again, one offense probably isn't enough to result in dismissal, but should you commit multiple offenses, you can expect serious repercussions up to and including dismissal.
- Disciplinary Misconduct: Your general campus behavior is subject to SLU's Student Responsibility and Community Standards policy. Here, you'll find rules against things like theft, violence, and disorderly conduct. Any violation can lead to dismissal if it is serious enough, even a first offense.
- Sexual Misconduct: Offenses of this type almost always lead to dismissal. Sexual misconduct is governed by federal law under Title IX, and colleges and universities are required to investigate all credible complaints.
Misconduct Defenses
An allegation of misconduct, whether academic, disciplinary, or sexual, is just that–an allegation. Under SLU policy, you are innocent (“Not Responsible”) until proven guilty (“Responsible”). This means the university must gather evidence and allow you to defend yourself at a hearing before it can even consider dismissing you.
- Most cases begin with a complaint lodged either with the Office of Student Responsibility and Community Standards or the Title IX Coordinator.
- Any time you've been accused of misconduct, you are entitled to Notice of the charges. This notice should detail the allegations against you and identify your accuser (the “Complainant”).
- At SLU, both the investigation and adjudication parts of the judicial process are in the hands of a single individual, a hearing officer. Hearings are informal affairs and are often conducted via Zoom. At a minimum, however, you should have the opportunity to offer evidence and suggest witnesses. You should also have the chance to respond to any evidence against you.
- The hearing officer then uses a legal standard known as "preponderance of the evidence" to determine whether or not you are Responsible for the offense. In simple terms, they must find you guilty if they are more than fifty percent convinced you committed the offense.
- You can appeal the hearing outcome. However, appeals are strictly limited to issues of fairness. The only two acceptable grounds for appeal at SLU are a procedural error and the discovery of new evidence.
St. Louis University does not allow attorneys to participate in student investigations and hearings. The Lento Law Firm is opposed to this prohibition as a violation of your due process rights. However, you should know that no one can prevent you from consulting with an attorney from the Lento Law Firm, and given the circumstances, it's vital that you do so.
The Lento Law Firm attorney can work with you to build your entire defense. They can help you uncover evidence and identify witnesses. They can coach you on how to respond to questions. They can draft any necessary documents. Most importantly, though, they can monitor your entire case, start to finish, and make sure you're treated fairly and that you get the best possible resolution to your case.
Dealing With Academic Dismissal
You have even fewer rights when it comes to academic dismissals. SLU feels that the probation system is robust enough to ensure students are treated fairly.
The fact is, however, that even three semesters on probation may not merit a dismissal. Luckily, the Lento Law Firm attorney can also suggest some viable solutions to these types of dismissals as well. For instance,
- If you've been dealing with extenuating circumstances, such as a family emergency or a serious illness, you can file an informal appeal with the dean of your college for more time to improve.
- If you should discover you have a previously undiagnosed disability, you can request course accommodations to help level the academic playing field. In addition, you can ask SLU to set your low grades aside and allow you to retake courses with accommodations in place.
- You always have the option to ask faculty for makeup or extra credit assignments. It could be that one lab assignment or a paper rewrite is enough to raise your borderline grade and, thus, your GPA.
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.
