You've gotten into some sort of trouble at UNC-Greensboro. Maybe your GPA has dipped a little, or you've been accused of plagiarizing a paper. Maybe you got frustrated and shoved someone in the dining hall. Now, someone at the university has mentioned the possibility of dismissal, and you're looking for answers.
You've come to the right place. Students sometimes wonder how an attorney is supposed to help them with a college issue. The truth is that a university is a big bureaucratic system with its own policies and procedures. No one understands bureaucracy better than lawyers, and no one navigates educational bureaucracies like the lawyers at The Lento Law Firm.
No matter what type of accusation you might be facing, we're on your side and ready to do what it takes to defend your future. We can't help you, though, if you don't call. So dial 888-535-3686 today, or take a few minutes right now and fill out our online form.
Reasons for Dismissal from UNC-Greensboro
Colleges and universities take things pretty seriously these days. Some might even say they take things too seriously. There's a rule for absolutely everything, and punishments have gotten more and more severe.
In fact, there's not enough room here to detail all the rules at UNC-Greensboro. What we can do, though, is tell you the four categories all those rules fit into.
- Poor Academic Performance: Obviously, grades matter at UNC-Greensboro. The university maintains an academic standing policy that defines just what standards you're supposed to meet. “Good” standing means keeping your GPA above 2.0 and completing at least two-thirds of your courses every semester. If you fail to do that, you can wind up on academic probation. Continue to struggle, and you can wind up dismissed.
- Academic Misconduct: No school is going to allow you to earn your degree by cheating and plagiarizing your way through your courses. UNC-Greensboro maintains a strict academic integrity policy. Even one violation can result in course sanctions up to and including course failure. A second violation can be grounds for dismissal.
- Disciplinary Misconduct: UNC-Greensboro also maintains a Student Code of Conduct, which governs your behavior outside of class. Here, you'll find rules against things like trespassing, assault, drug possession, and hazing. Any rule violation can potentially lead to dismissal. Some, like weapons possession, almost always lead to dismissal.
- Sexual Misconduct: Sexually-based offenses also usually lead to dismissal. Such offenses aren't just a matter of school policy. Under Title IX, they're against federal law. Title IX requires schools to investigate all credible complaints, and it encourages them to make use of harsh sanctions.
Misconduct Procedures
No matter what kind of dismissal you're facing, you have the right at UNC-Greensboro to defend yourself.
If your dismissal has to do with misconduct, you are entitled to an investigation and a hearing. Here's how the process generally works.
- Cases begin with a Referral. That is, someone lodges a complaint against you, either with the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities or the Title IX Coordinator.
- If you are formally charged, you will receive a written Notice of the Charges. This Notice should provide details about the allegation and a list of your due process rights.
- You have the right to an advisor, and this advisor can be an attorney. Your Lento Law Firm attorney cannot speak for you or "represent" you as they would in a court of law. However, they can accompany you to all meetings and proceedings and offer advice when you need it.
- UNC-Greensboro policy makes no mention of a formal investigation. However, you can expect that officials will collect evidence to use against you at the hearing. As part of this evidence collection, a Conduct Officer will meet with you to get your side of the story.
- You are entitled to defend yourself at a full hearing. As part of that hearing, you may offer arguments, submit evidence, and call witnesses to testify. Of course, the other side in the case, whether that's the university or a specific individual, has these same rights.
- At the conclusion of the hearing, one or more decision-makers reviews all evidence and renders a decision as to your level of Responsibility (guilt). In doing so, they apply a legal standard known as “preponderance of the evidence.” Simply put, they must find you Responsible if they are more than fifty percent convinced of your guilt. Note that this is a far lower standard than “beyond a reasonable doubt.”
- Finally, you have the right to appeal the hearing outcome, but only on very specific grounds. These include
- Procedural error
- A decision not based on the facts of the case
All misconduct cases—academic, disciplinary, and sexual—follow this outline. You should know, however, that cases can differ in small but important ways depending on the nature of the charge. For example, you have two additional grounds for appeal in a Title IX sexual misconduct case: the discovery of new information and an allegation of bias on the part of a Title IX official investigating or adjudicating the case.
The good news is that the attorneys at The Lento Law Firm are experienced in all types of campus judicial procedures. No matter what type of charge you're facing, we know the system, and we know how to use the system to your best advantage.
Academic Dismissal Cases
Academic dismissal cases are unique at UNC-Greensboro in that there's no investigation and no hearing. Cases are based almost exclusively on your GPA and your course completion percentage, and neither of those is subject to debate.
However, the university does provide an appeals process for students with extenuating circumstances. If you've been dealing with a family emergency, for instance, or a long-term illness, you may be able to get more time to improve.
In addition, the attorneys at The Lento Law Firm know a number of useful strategies for avoiding all types of academic sanctions, including dismissal. For instance,
- If you've suffered any type of mistreatment in the classroom, you should bring this to the attention of your instructor's department head. You may be subject to a grade revision.
- If you should discover you have a previously undiagnosed learning disability, you may be entitled to classroom accommodations, such as extra time to complete assignments. You may also ask the university to set aside your low grades and allow you to retake those courses once accommodations are in place.
- Some instructors will assign makeup or extra credit work to students with borderline grades. You will probably have to ask them for this work, however.
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.
