You're old enough to know it by this point: there are no guarantees in life. Take college. You got into the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. And, for the most part, the school wants you to succeed. After all, it reflects badly on a university when students don't make it to graduation. That said, make a mistake or two, and UMBC has no compunction about dismissing you. Every year, dozens of students are expelled for everything from low grades to underage drinking.
Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team want to make sure this doesn't happen to you. They believe in you and your future. Just as importantly, they know that colleges today are often too quick to accuse students and too harsh in the punishments they assign. If you're facing dismissal for any reason, Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Team are ready to fight for your rights. They know the law, they know how schools operate, and they're ready to put what they know to work for you.
Reasons for Dismissal at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Avoiding dismissal starts with knowing all the reasons for dismissal so you can avoid making mistakes. The trouble is, there are so many rules and regulations at UMBC you can't possibly keep them all straight. Luckily, though, all of them can be grouped into four easy-to-remember categories.
- Academic Performance: First, you can be dismissed simply for failing to perform to UMBC's academic standards. If you cannot keep your cumulative grade point average above 2.0, you are subject to probation, and if you continue to struggle while on probation, you can be suspended or dismissed.
- Academic Misconduct: UMBC takes academic integrity quite seriously. Cheating, plagiarism—any action that might give you an unfair advantage as a student—are strictly prohibited. Minor offenses are usually handled within the context of the classroom. You might be given a lower grade on an assignment or a lower grade in the course. Major and repeat offenses, though, can certainly get you dismissed.
- Disciplinary Misconduct: You can also be dismissed for misconduct that occurs outside the classroom. The Student Conduct Code has rules against a whole range of misbehavior, including property destruction, weapons possession, and causing another person harm. If your offense is serious enough, the punishment is usually dismissal.
- Sexual Misconduct: Technically a type of disciplinary misconduct, sexually-based offenses are usually treated as their own type of violation. In part, this is because such offenses aren't just university violations. Under Title IX, a federal law, UMBC must investigate all reasonable allegations. Here again, punishments are often stiff. The most common sanction is dismissal.
Defending Yourself From Misconduct Charges
There are ways to defend yourself from any sort of dismissal at UMBC. Let's start by talking about how you defend yourself from misconduct charges.
If you've been accused of committing misconduct, any form of misconduct, you're entitled to due process rights, including a thorough investigation and a hearing. These procedures are controlled by different university departments and can sometimes differ in small ways depending on the particular offense that's been charged. Academic misconduct, for example, is handled by the Academic Conduct Committee; disciplinary misconduct is handled by the Office of Student Conduct; and Title IX offenses are handled by the Title IX Coordinator.
In general, though, all cases follow the same basic outline.
- Cases begin with an accusation made by a Complainant against you, the Respondent.
- An administrative official determines if the accusation warrants further investigation.
- If they decide to proceed, they assign an investigator to gather the facts of the case. The Investigator meets separately with both sides. They also collect any physical evidence and interview any relevant witnesses.
- In all cases at UMBC, you have the right to an advisor, and this advisor may be an attorney. This person may accompany you to all meetings but may not represent you.
- At the conclusion of the investigation, the Investigator writes a report summarizing their findings. This report then becomes the foundation for a formal hearing.
- The hearing offers both sides a chance to make their full cases. You may submit evidence and call witnesses. You may also cross-examine witnesses against you. In Title IX cases, your advisor asks all the questions. In academic and disciplinary misconduct cases, the hearing panel conducts all examinations, though you may submit questions to be asked.
- At the conclusion of the hearing, the panel must decide on your level of Responsibility. To do this, they use a legal standard known as “preponderance of the evidence.” In simple terms, they must find you Responsible (guilty) if they believe it is “more likely than not” that you committed an offense.
- You have the right to appeal the hearing outcome, but not simply because you disagree with the verdict. Instead, grounds for appeal are limited to things like new evidence, procedural error, or a disproportionate sanction.
Academic Dismissal Cases
Dismissals for academic causes aren't normally subject to investigation and hearing procedures. That's because the grounds for such dismissals are usually a matter of fact—specifically, your grade point average.
However, there are ways to deal with even this type of dismissal. If, for example, you feel extenuating circumstances led to your academic deficiencies, you can try appealing directly to your school or college dean. A serious illness or a family emergency may be cause to extend your probation rather than expelling you outright. Alternatively, you might try negotiating with a professor for a higher grade, especially if you only need a few extra points or you have a compelling argument. If your final exam score was especially high, for instance, you might try arguing that it warrants a better overall score in the class.
Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team have worked with hundreds of students to find solutions to the threat of dismissal. They know all the many options, who to approach, and what to say. They're skilled at putting together a strategy, crafting a plan of attack, and putting that plan into motion.
Fighting For Your Future
By this point, you should have a clear sense of why you need the help of an attorney-advisor to fight dismissal decisions. Campus judicial 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. You know what happens to people who go into the workforce with no college degree.
You need someone watching over your shoulder, making certain you're treated fairly and that you get the justice you deserve.
The Joseph D. Lento law firm was built on helping students just like you handle all types of misconduct charges. Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team have dealt with every sort of charge. They know how to negotiate with faculty and administrators; they know how to interview witnesses; they know how to put together water-tight appeals. To find out more about what Joseph D. Lento and his team can do for you, contact the Lento Law Firm today at 888-555-3686, or use our automated online form.
