There is no more serious punishment you can face as a college student than dismissal. Dismissal means you can't continue at Troy University, and that is necessarily a hassle. But dismissal comes with a transcript notation as well, a notation that explains all the details of your dismissal. That can keep you from getting into other colleges and universities. Dismissal, then, doesn't just mean separation from Troy. It likely means the end of your academic career altogether.
If you're in trouble at Troy, if someone has mentioned the possibility of dismissal, you simply can't afford to take the situation lightly. You need a plan, and you need the very best help you can get in executing that plan. The Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team has helped hundreds of students get the justice they deserve. We'll fight for your rights, and we'll stand beside you from start to finish to make sure you get the best possible resolution to your case.
What can we do for you? Call 888-535-3686 to find out, or take a few minutes right now and fill out an online form.
Reasons for Dismissal from Troy University
Let's start with the basics. Just what is it that can get you dismissed from Troy? It turns out that's a long list. We can simplify it for you, though. There are basically only four categories of offense.
- Academic Deficiencies: It won't surprise you to learn that you can be dismissed for a low GPA. After all, you're a student. Studying and going to class is essentially your job. Troy's academic standing policy requires you to maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0. Anything lower means probation, and if you continue to struggle while on probation, you can also wind up dismissed.
- Academic Misconduct: Troy's Division of Student Services publishes a complete list of all the rules governing your behavior on campus. At the top of that list, you'll find prohibitions against all forms of academic misconduct, including cheating and plagiarism. One mistake won't doom you to dismissal. Normally, instructors utilize in-class sanctions when they catch students for the first time. If you should find yourself accused a second time, though, dismissal is definitely on the table.
- Disciplinary Misconduct: Division of Student Services rules extend beyond the classroom as well. Troy University regulations include everything from weapons possession and underage drinking to trespassing and assault. In this case, any Responsible (guilty) finding can get you dismissed if it is serious enough.
- Sexual Misconduct: Finally, like all colleges and universities, Troy is required by federal law (Title IX) to enforce restrictions on sexual discrimination and harassment, including such offenses as stalking, dating violence, and rape. The minimum penalty in such cases is usually suspension, but more often, students found Responsible (guilty) are dismissed.
Misconduct Defenses
There are a lot of rules at Troy, but there are also a number of ways to deal with the threat of dismissal. If you've been charged with misconduct, for instance, the university must prove your guilt before it can subject you to any sanction. There is a defined process for dealing with allegations, and you have a number of due process rights to help you defend yourself.
- Cases typically begin with a complaint lodged with either the Division of Student Services or, in the case of Title IX misconduct cases, the school's designated Title IX Coordinator.
- Before it can pursue a case, the university must provide you with a Notice of the Charges. That Notice should apprise you of your rights and provide details of the allegation.
- Among your several rights, you are allowed to select an advisor, someone to accompany you to meetings and hearings. That advisor can be an attorney, which means your Lento Law Firm attorney can be at your side from the moment you are charged until your final appeal is exhausted.
- The university should conduct some type of investigation. If you've been accused of academic misconduct, the investigation could be as simple as collecting examples of your work. On the other hand, a sexual misconduct investigation can last for several months and involve multiple witness interviews.
- Once the investigation is complete, the university sets a time and date for a formal hearing and appoints one or more trained decision-makers to hear the case.
- At the hearing, you have the right to put forward arguments for your innocence or claim mitigating factors to explain your behavior. You may introduce physical evidence, and you may call witnesses to testify. In addition, you have the right to raise questions for any witnesses against you. Of course, the other side in the case has these same rights.
- All cases at Troy are decided using a legal standard known as “preponderance of the evidence.” Based on this standard, decision-makers must find you Responsible (guilty) if they are more than fifty percent convinced you committed an offense.
- You also have the right to appeal the hearing outcome. However, Troy University recognizes just four grounds for appeal:
- The violation of your due process rights
- A decision based on bias or prejudice
- A sanction that is disproportionate to the offense
- The discovery of new evidence that could have some impact on the outcome
This general outline applies to all cases. There can be differences in procedure, though, based on the exact nature of the charges against you. In sexual misconduct cases, for example, only advisors may question witnesses. That can significantly impact how you prepare your defense.
One thing you can be sure of is that your Lento Law Firm attorney is well-versed in all Troy judicial processes. They'll guide you through your entire case, make sure the university respects your rights, and help you use procedural rules to your best benefit.
Academic Dismissal Cases
You might have noticed that there has been no mention so far of how to defend yourself from academic dismissals. The fact is, it can be harder to fight such dismissals because they are based on established facts. Your GPA either is or isn't above the required 2.0 standard.
Even in these cases, however, your Lento Law Firm attorney will know some useful strategies for helping you salvage your future. For example,
- If you've been dealing with extenuating circumstances, such as a family emergency or a serious illness, you can file an appeal for more time to improve.
- If you consistently struggle in your courses, you might try getting tested for a learning disability. If you have such a disability, you can petition the university to drop low grades from your GPA and let you retake courses once appropriate accommodations are in place.
- Anytime you feel you are being mistreated in the classroom, you should report this to your instructor's department head. You may be entitled to some form of grade review.
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.
