If you've found yourself in trouble at the University of Kansas and someone has mentioned the possibility of dismissal, you can't afford to take the situation lightly. Dismissal doesn't just mean the end of your career at UK. It could very well mean the end of your academic career altogether. You can't simply transfer your way out of the problem. Few schools will take a chance on admitting a student who's been dismissed before.
If you want to protect yourself, you have to know your school's rules, particularly what kinds of violations can result in dismissal. You also need to know how UK's judicial process works. Will the university conduct an investigation into the allegations against you? Will you have a chance to defend yourself? Who gets to decide whether you're innocent or guilty? As they say, knowledge is power.
Here's what's even more powerful than knowledge: having help from the right person. You want to know everything you can about the situation you're facing, but you also want someone at your side who has experience dealing with these kinds of situations. You want someone who doesn't just know how your school operates but who has spent time studying how your school operates. In short, you want help from the Lento Law Firm's National Student Defense Team. Call 888-555-3686, or reach out online today.
Reasons for Dismissal at the University of Kansas
Let's start with a brief overview of just what can get you into trouble at the University of Kansas. It's a long list, but almost all the items on that list can be put into one of four categories.
- Academic Performance: First up, you can be dismissed for failing to keep up academically. Don't worry: you can handle one F or a few bad grades. If you struggle consistently, though, you can wind up on Academic Probation, and if you can't pull yourself back up when you're on Probation, you can also wind up dismissed.
- Academic Misconduct: Like all colleges and universities, the University of Kansas maintains a strict Academic Misconduct policy. That policy bars things like cheating, plagiarism, and other kinds of intellectual misrepresentation. Here again, one violation probably isn't enough to get you expelled. Multiple violations can be, though.
- Disciplinary Misconduct: In addition to the Academic Misconduct policy, you're also subject to the university's broader Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities. The Code addresses misbehavior like bullying, destruction of school property, and misuse of fire safety equipment. Any violation can potentially lead to expulsion.
- Sexual Misconduct: Sexually-based offenses almost always result in dismissal. These are among the most serious charges a student can face. In fact, sexual misconduct is subject to federal regulation under Title IX. Universities are required by law to investigate all credible allegations and are encouraged to issue harsh sanctions.
Misconduct Procedures
If your dismissal relates to some form of misconduct—academic, disciplinary, or sexual—you have the right to defend yourself, and you have several due process rights to help you do that. Here's how cases typically unfold.
- First, someone lodges a complaint against you. That person is usually known as the Complainant, though the school itself can also serve as the Complainant. As the accused, you're referred to as the Respondent.
- If the university decides to issue formal charges in the case, it provides you with a written Notice of the Charges. That document should offer details of the allegation and explain your rights.
- The university then conducts an investigation into the allegations. As part of that investigation, you'll have the opportunity to meet with investigators and give your version of events. One of your most important rights is the right to an advisor. That advisor can be an attorney, which means someone from the Lento Law Firm can be by your side to offer advice at every meeting and official proceeding, beginning with investigative interviews.
- Once they've completed their work, investigators compile their findings into a written summary. This serves as the foundation of the hearing that follows.
- The hearing gives you an opportunity to make your case formally. That means you can offer up arguments, submit evidence, and call witnesses to testify. You're also allowed to cross-examine any witnesses against you.
- The hearing Decision Makers use a legal standard known as “preponderance of the evidence” to determine whether or not you are responsible for an offense. Unlike the “beyond a reasonable doubt” standard, “preponderance of the evidence” requires they find you Responsible if they believe you “more likely than not” committed a violation.
- You can appeal the hearing outcome, but not simply because you disagree with it. Grounds for appeal are limited to issues such as improper procedure, the discovery of new evidence, or a sanction that is disproportionate to the offense.
While this general outline applies in all cases, specific procedures can differ depending on the exact nature of the offense. You're allowed three advisors in a disciplinary or sexual misconduct case, for example, but only one in an academic misconduct case. And in Title IX sexual misconduct cases, you can cross-examine the Complainant in addition to any witnesses against you.
Whatever the charges, you can count on the attorneys at the Lento Law Firm to be fully informed about exactly what will happen and to guide you through the process from start to finish. Lento Law Firm attorneys know the UK system, and they've represented hundreds of student clients in all types of cases.
Academic Dismissal Cases
Academic dismissal cases work somewhat differently than misconduct cases. Dismissal in these instances is based on fact—your GPA—and that isn't normally subject to debate. In addition, the school doesn't dismiss you the moment your GPA falls. There's a process in place that allows you the chance to improve before you face dismissal. As a result, UK doesn't investigate academic dismissals or give you the chance to defend yourself at a hearing.
Nevertheless, there are some ways to handle this type of dismissal as well. For example,
- If you can show that you've made a good faith effort to improve, or you can point to extenuating circumstances that caused your academic deficiencies, you can petition the university for immediate reinstatement.
- If you suffer from a disability, you may be entitled to course accommodations. If you didn't receive these accommodations, you can request to retake a course, even if you weren't aware that you had a disability at the time you originally took it.
- You should never suffer mistreatment in any course. If an instructor has treated you unfairly, you should bring that to the attention of the instructor's department head. This can be grounds for a grade revision.
Here again, you can trust the National Student Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm to know exactly which option will work best for you and to help you put your plan into action.
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 Education Law Team have 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 they can do for you, contact the Lento Law Firm today, at 888-555-3686, or use the automated online form.
