College used to be about showing up for classes and avoiding getting yourself into a big sort of trouble. You might not graduate summa cum laude, but you could make it through with a respectable C average without too much stress. Those days are over. If you want to make it to graduation now, you're going to have to put in some hard work. And, you're going to have to avoid even the whiff of misconduct.
In the old days, you could handle most problems that came up at college all by yourself. If things got really serious, you might have to call in your parents to help. Not anymore. University bureaucracy is complex and difficult to navigate, and you don't want to take it on alone.
Luckily, you don't have to. The attorneys at the Lento Law Firm are on your side. How can they help? They know who to talk to when there's a problem. They know what to say. They know how the system works and how to use it to your advantage.
If you find yourself in trouble, if someone has mentioned the possibility of dismissal, don't try and figure it out on your own. Contact the Lento Law Firm Education Law Team and see what they can do for you.
Reasons for Dismissal from UNLV
University life is complicated these days, so let's start with the basics. Just what is it that can get you dismissed?
It turns out it's not even easy to know the rules. There are dozens of them. Rather than try to learn them all, then, let's start with the big categories of offense.
- Academic Deficiencies: First, as you would expect, UNLV holds you to high academic standards. The Standing policy requires you to maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0. When you fall below that, you wind up on Probation. Two semesters of Probation, and you can be dismissed.
- Academic Misconduct: The Academic Misconduct policy is strict as well. Things like cheating, plagiarism, and falsifying work can get you into serious trouble. A first offense won't normally get you dismissed. A second offense definitely can, though.
- Disciplinary Misconduct: Your conduct outside of class is subject to even more scrutiny than your conduct in class. The UNLV Code of Conduct prohibits everything from violent assault to littering. Any offense can get you dismissed. Many, such as hazing and drug possession, almost always result in dismissal.
- Sexual Misconduct: Sexually-based offenses are almost always subject to dismissal as well. In addition to the serious nature of such violations, offenses are governed by federal law under Title IX.
Defending Yourself from Misconduct Charges
What do you do if you've been charged with an offense? You defend yourself, of course. If you're facing dismissal, you've got nothing to lose. If you've been accused of misconduct—academic, disciplinary, or sexual—you have the right to a thorough investigation and to challenge the charges in a formal hearing.
- Most cases begin with a Complaint or allegation made to the Office of Student Conduct or, in the case of sexual misconduct, the Title IX Coordinator.
- Throughout the process, you have a number of important due process rights. For example, you have the right to know the exact details of the charges against you. You have the right to be presumed “Not Responsible” (innocent). You have the right to examine all evidence in the case. Among the most important of your rights is the right to an advisor. In fact, in most cases, this advisor can be an attorney. That means someone from the Lento Law Firm Team can be beside you from start to finish.
- Investigators typically start by meeting separately with both sides in the case. In addition, they'll interview any witnesses and collect any physical evidence.
- The investigators' findings are compiled into a written document, and this becomes the foundation of the next phase of the case—a hearing.
- The hearing is a chance for both sides to formally make their cases. You may offer evidence, for example, and call witnesses. You may also ask questions of any witnesses testifying against you.
- All misconduct cases at UNLV are decided using the legal standard “preponderance of the evidence.” This legal standard requires decision-makers to find you Responsible if they believe you “more likely than not” committed the offense.
- Finally, you have a limited right to appeal the hearing outcome. Grounds for appeal include procedural error, inadequate time to prepare a defense, a decision not supported by evidence, or a sanction disproportionate to the offense.
While this general outline applies to all misconduct cases, there can be important procedural differences based on the exact nature of the charges. You aren't allowed legal representation at an academic hearing, for instance. No matter what the charges, though, an attorney from the Lento Law Firm Education Law Team can play a vital role in helping you defend yourself. They know how to craft a solid defense, what questions to ask witnesses, and what makes the best evidence. And even if they can't accompany you to hearings, they can coach you on how to present your case.
Academic Dismissals
Academic cases work somewhat differently than misconduct cases. Dismissals for academic deficiencies are based on objective fact—your grade point—and that's not ordinarily open to debate.
Nevertheless, even in these cases, the attorneys at the Lento Law Firm know a number of strategies for helping you avoid problems. For example,
- You can always ask instructors for extra credit or makeup assignments. Completing an extra lab assignment or re-writing a paper might be enough to raise your course grade and, by extension, your GPA.
- Students with learning disabilities are often entitled to classroom accommodations such as extra time to complete assignments or access to digital technology during exams. If you should discover at any point that you have such a disability, you can not only get accommodations but also ask the school to drop low grades from your transcript while you retake those courses with the accommodations in place.
- You should never suffer mistreatment in the classroom. If an instructor is treating you unfairly, you should report that treatment to their department chair. You may be entitled to some form of grade relief.
Just as with misconduct dismissals, you can count on the lawyers at the Lento Law Firm Education Law Team to help you put together a plan for your particular situation and to work with you to put that plan into action.
Fighting for Your Future
By this point, you probably 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 likely be against you.
You need someone watching over your shoulder, making certain you're treated fairly and that you get the justice you deserve.
The Lento Law Firm Education Law Team was built on helping students just like you handle all types of misconduct charges. We know how to negotiate with faculty and administrators; we know how to interview witnesses; we know how to put together water-tight appeals. To find out more about exactly what the Lento Law Firm can do for you, contact us today at 888-535-3686 or use our automated online form.
