You may not want to talk about the possibility of dismissal from Valdosta State. Most students don't. If you're in trouble, though, and the possibility of dismissal has come up, you need to be thinking through your options.
Your very best option? An attorney from the Lento Law Firm. Our Student Defense Team was founded to protect student rights. We know what you're up against, and we understand the stakes. We're familiar with Valdosta State's administrative and judicial systems, and we can show you how to use them to your advantage. We have experience working with hundreds of students just like you, defending them from all types of charges.
We can do the same for you, no matter what kind of trouble you're in. First, though, you have to contact us. Call 888-535-3686, or take a few minutes right now and fill out one of our online forms.
Reasons for Dismissal from Valdosta State University
Let's start with the basics. Just what is it that can get you dismissed from Valdosta State?
- Academic Deficiencies: You can be dismissed simply for failing to meet academic standards. The university maintains an academic standing policy that sets markers based on how many hours you've completed. If you fail to meet these markers, the university will place you on academic probation. Continue to struggle while on probation, and you can also wind up dismissed.
- Academic Misconduct: The university also expects you to earn your degree honestly. Cheating and plagiarism, for example, are explicitly barred under the school's academic integrity policy. First offenses usually result in some sort of classroom penalty, and these can be harsh, including outright course failure. Second offenses, though, can result in dismissal.
- Disciplinary Misconduct: Your nonacademic conduct is governed by Valdosta State's Code of Conduct. Here, you'll find rules against things like trespassing, hazing, and weapons possession. Any violation of the Code can result in dismissal, even a first offense, if it is serious enough.
- Sexual Misconduct: These are among the most serious offenses with which any student can be charged. Acts such as stalking, sexual harassment, and dating assault are prohibited by federal law under Title IX. Schools are required to investigate complaints of sexual misconduct and are encouraged to impose severe penalties such as dismissal.
Misconduct Defenses
If you've been charged with misconduct, whether academic, disciplinary, or sexual, you are entitled to due process. That means the university can't simply accuse you and dismiss you. It needs evidence to substantiate any charges. It must give you an opportunity to respond to that evidence. And there are a number of additional rights designed to protect you and ensure justice is done.
- As a starting point, while anyone at the university can accuse you of misconduct, the university must believe the accusations are credible before they proceed.
- Next, you have a right to notice of any charges filed against you. Notice should include a description of the allegations and a complete list of your other due process rights.
- You have the right to an advisor, someone to help you with your case. Further, you may select an attorney to serve as your advisor. In short, a Lento Law Firm attorney can be at your side from the moment you're charged to help you answer questions and present your defense.
- The university must have evidence to substantiate any allegations against you. This means it must conduct some type of investigation. You always have the right to give your side of the story. In addition, you have the right to review any evidence the university should uncover against you.
- · Once an investigation is complete, investigators turn over their findings to the university. The university then sets a time and date for a hearing and appoints one or more decision-makers to preside over this hearing.
- At the hearing, you have the right to present an argument in defense of your innocence or to otherwise explain your actions. You must back up your arguments with evidence, however, such as witness testimony. The other side will make its case as well, and both of you will have an opportunity to raise questions about one another's evidence.
- All cases at Valdosta State are decided using a legal standard known as “preponderance of the evidence.” According to this standard, you are responsible (guilty) if it seems “more likely than not” that you committed the offense.
- Your last right is the right to appeal the hearing outcome. You cannot simply appeal because you disagree with that outcome, though. You must have grounds, such as evidence that the university made a procedural error, new evidence to present, or an argument to make about the severity of your sanction.
While this outline applies to all misconduct cases, the details of every case are different. Your Lento Law Firm attorney can make sure that you are fully prepared for every eventuality. If you're facing Title IX sexual misconduct charges, for instance, they'll help you come up with questions for your accusers and make sure you're ready to answer questions from them. Lento Law Firm attorneys know the university judicial system and how to use it to protect you.
Dealing With Academic Dismissal
An academic dismissal defense isn't quite as straightforward. You can't really debate the facts of the case since the only relevant fact is your GPA, and that's pretty much established.
You can file an appeal if you've been dealing with extenuating circumstances, such as a long-term illness or a family emergency. Your Lento Law Firm attorney can help you document your circumstances and file the appeal itself.
However, your Lento Law Firm attorney also knows ways to use the Valdosta State University system to your advantage. Put these to work early on, and you can likely avoid the threat of dismissal altogether. For example,
- Low grades sometimes indicate a more serious problem, such as a learning disability. If you can prove you have such a disability, you can petition the university to drop low grades from your transcript. Then, you can retake those courses once the appropriate accommodations are in place.
- You are always entitled to fair treatment in every classroom. Any time you feel an instructor is mistreating you, you should report this to their department head. You may be entitled to some form of grade adjustment.
- You can also simply ask instructors for extra credit and makeup work. It could be that an extra lab assignment or a paper rewrite is enough to bump your grade up a level.
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.
