There's no coming back from dismissal at Stephen F. Austin (SFA). In fact, in all likelihood, dismissal means heading out onto the job market (and paying any student loans) with no degree at all. Most colleges and universities won't accept you if you've already been dismissed elsewhere.
You're in trouble, but that trouble doesn't have to lead to dismissal. The Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team is ready to help, no matter what situation you might be facing. We know SFA's rules and regulations. We know how the university's administrative and judicial systems operate. We've helped hundreds of students to prove their innocence and reduce the terms of their sanctions. We can help you to do the same.
However, before we can help, you have to contact us. Call 888-535-3686 to find out more about what we can do, or take a few minutes right now and fill out one of our online forms.
Reasons for Dismissal from Stephen F. Austin State University
Let's start with the basics. What do you need to do to avoid the threat of dismissal in the first place? At SFA, there are basically four offenses you need to worry about.
- Academic Deficiencies: First, of course, you need to keep your GPA up. Earning passing grades is your job. According to the academic standing policy, a cumulative GPA below 2.0 means academic probation. If you can't pull your grades back up, you face more serious sanctions, including the possibility of dismissal.
- Academic Misconduct: It's not enough to earn good grades. You must also earn them honestly. The SFA Academic Integrity policy explicitly prohibits cheating and plagiarism, but any sort of course dishonesty can result in a charge.
- Disciplinary Misconduct: Beyond the classroom, your behavior is governed by SFA's Code of Student Conduct. The Code deals with issues like trespassing, underage drinking, and theft.
- Sexual Misconduct: This particular offense almost always leads to dismissal. Sexual misconduct is barred by federal law (Title IX) at all colleges and universities. As a result, SFA's policy is strict, and penalties can be severe.
Misconduct Defenses
The fact that you've been charged with an offense doesn't mean you'll necessarily wind up dismissed. Even if school officials are trying to impose that sanction, you have rights.
- As a starting point, the university can't charge you unless it believes an allegation is both credible and actionable.
- If you are charged, the university must treat you as innocent (“Not Responsible”) until you are proven guilty (“Responsible”).
- You are entitled to notice of the charges against you. This notice should include an explanation of the allegations and a complete list of your due process rights.
- You have the right to an advisor—someone to help you prepare and present your case. This means a Lento Law Firm attorney can be at your side from the moment you're charged.
- SFA cannot find you Responsible for an offense without clear evidence. Thus, you have the right to a full, thorough investigation. You can provide your version of events to investigators. You can also offer evidence and suggest witnesses for them to interview.
- Investigators are tasked with creating a written report summarizing their findings. You have the right to review this report. In some cases, you even have the right to suggest changes to it.
- Next, you have the opportunity to respond to allegations at a full hearing. You may offer arguments and support them with evidence, including witness testimony. You also have the right to object to evidence against you and to raise questions for any person testifying against you.
- Decision-makers don't use the "beyond a reasonable doubt" standard to determine your responsibility. However, they must at least believe it is "more likely than not" that you committed an offense.
- Finally, even if you should lose your case, you have the right to appeal the outcome. In order to do so, you need “grounds,” some unfairness that occurred that cost you your chance at a fair hearing, such as a procedural error or the discovery of new evidence.
Knowing your rights is one thing. Knowing how to use them to your advantage is another. You'll also find that cases can vary significantly based on the exact nature of the charges. Title IX cases aren't like plagiarism cases, for instance.
No matter what you've been accused of doing, though, your Lento Law Firm will know how to handle it. We are well-versed in all SFA processes and procedures, from answering questions at an investigative interview to filing appeals. We'll make sure you're prepared for every step and show you how to make the most of the university's judicial system.
Dealing With Academic Dismissal
You may have noticed we haven't talked about that first type of dismissal yet—academic deficiency dismissals. That's because they don't work like misconduct dismissals. And if you want to defend yourself, you'll need to take a different approach.
Even in these cases, though, you can count on your Lento Law Firm attorney to offer options. For example,
- Extenuating circumstances—a serious bout of depression or a family emergency—can be grounds for more time to improve. Your attorney can help you contact your college dean and work with you to collect evidence of these circumstances.
- Students with disabilities are entitled under the law to certain course accommodations. Not all students realize they have such disabilities, though. We can help you get tested and negotiate for appropriate sanctions. We can even talk to SFA about dropping low grades from your GPA while you retake coursework.
- Maybe the easiest way to pull up a flagging GPA is to ask for extra credit assignments. Again, your Lento Law Firm attorney can coach you on how to approach professors and what to say to convince them you deserve the chance to improve your grades.
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.
