You probably don't want to think about the possibility of dismissal from Wayne State University. Most students don't. It happens to more students than you think, though, and not just for academic deficiencies. Stalking, theft, and even cheating on an exam can get you dismissed.
How do you avoid it?
- First, you make sure you're familiar with all of the university's rules, especially those that can result in dismissal.
- Next, you learn all you can about the WSU judicial process. The thing is, trouble can sometimes find you despite your best efforts, and when it does, you want to be prepared.
- Finally, it's essential you know how to get help if you're in trouble. If you're facing dismissal, that help is not going to come from your university. You need someone in your corner who will protect your rights, who knows the WSU system, and who has experience working with student clients. In short, you need someone from the Lento Law Firm. Reach out at 888-555-3686 or through our online form.
Reasons for Dismissal at Wayne State University
It turns out there are lots of reasons Wayne State University can decide to dismiss you. In fact, there are so many that we can't list them all here. Most, though, fit into one of four categories. Know those, and you should be reasonably safe from making a serious mistake.
- Academic Performance: You probably already recognize that you have to study and go to class if you want to remain a student at WSU. All schools and colleges, such as the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, maintain academic standing policies. Most require you to keep a minimum 2.0 GPA. You won't be dismissed for simply falling below that number. Instead, you'll be placed on Probation. Continue to struggle while on Probation, though, and you can wind up dismissed.
- Academic Misconduct: WSU also maintains a strict academic misconduct policy, barring things like cheating, plagiarism, and fabrication. As with academic deficiencies, one violation isn't enough to get you dismissed. Multiple violations are often punished with dismissal, though.
- Disciplinary Misconduct: You must also abide by the university's Student Code of Conduct. This document addresses misbehavior like vandalism, underage drinking, and assault. Any violation can get you dismissed. Some—such as hazing, drug usage, and weapons possession—almost always lead to dismissal.
- Sexual Misconduct: Finally, you're also subject to Wayne State's sexual misconduct policy. Though sexual misconduct is technically a form of disciplinary misconduct, most violations fall under Title IX, a federal law, so they are treated as their own category of offense. Here again, the university punishes almost all offenses with dismissal.
Misconduct Procedures
Even if you abide by every rule in every policy, you can still wind up charged with misconduct. The fact is, misunderstandings happen. People make false allegations. Or you might just have made an honest mistake.
In any case, you need to know how to defend yourself if you should wind up charged. Whether the allegation has to do with academic, disciplinary, or sexual misconduct, you have the right to defend yourself, and WSU has clear procedures in place that allow you to do so.
- Cases begin when someone lodges a complaint against you. The university then assigns a Student Conduct Officer to handle the matter.
- Throughout the process, you have a number of important rights. For instance, the university must presume you are Not Responsible (innocent) until such time as you are proven Responsible (guilty). You have the right to review all evidence in the case. And, importantly, you have the right to an advisor, who may be an attorney. That means someone from the Lento Law Firm can represent you from the moment someone makes a complaint until you've exhausted your last appeal.
- The first part of the process is an investigation. Investigators typically start by meeting separately with both sides in the case. They then go on to collect any physical evidence and interview any relevant witnesses.
- Investigators must submit a written summary of their findings. The university then sets a time and date for a formal hearing and assigns one or more decision-makers to preside over it.
- At the hearing, both sides get a chance to make their cases, including submitting evidence, calling witnesses, and cross-examining any witnesses against them.
- Once the hearing has concluded, decision-makers apply a legal standard, “preponderance of the evidence,” to determine whether or not you are Responsible for an offense. Unlike “beyond a reasonable doubt,” this standard requires them to find you Responsible if they are more than fifty percent convinced you committed a violation.
- Finally, you also have the right to appeal the hearing outcome, though grounds for appeal may be limited in some circumstances.
Judicial procedures can differ in small but marked ways depending on the specific charges against you. For example, disciplinary and academic misconduct appeals are directed to the President and may be filed on any grounds. Sexual misconduct appeals, on the other hand, are handled by a Title IX Appeals Officer and can only be filed if new evidence is discovered, a procedural error occurred, or you can demonstrate bias on the part of a Title IX official.
No matter what charges you face, the attorneys at the Lento Law Firm are prepared to help you navigate the process. They're experienced litigators, but they also have experience dealing specifically with university misconduct cases.
Academic Dismissal Cases
You may have noticed that there's been no mention yet of dismissals for academic causes. That's because such cases work quite differently from misconduct cases. If you're being dismissed because you're GPA is too low, you shouldn't expect an investigation or a hearing. The university considers your GPA a fact that's not open to discussion and, further, that you've had several opportunities to improve your grades prior to being dismissed.
Even in these cases, though, the attorneys at the Lento Law Firm know strategies that can help. For example,
- If your deficiencies are the result of extenuating circumstances, like a hospital stay or a death in the family, you can appeal to your school or college dean for more time to improve.
- If you should discover you have an undiagnosed disability, you can ask the university to remove low grades from your GPA and allow you to retake those courses with accommodations in place.
- You can always try negotiating with faculty directly. If, for example, your grade is borderline, you might ask for extra credit or makeup assignments to help you make up the difference.
Fighting for Your Future
By this point, you should have a clear sense of why you need the help of an attorney to fight dismissal decisions. 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.
The Lento Law Firm built their practice helping students just like you handle all types of misconduct charges. Their Education Law Team has dealt with everything from plagiarism allegations to rape charges. They know how to negotiate with faculty and administrators; they know how to interview witnesses; they know how to put together water-tight appeals. Most importantly, no matter what problem you're facing, they are on your side and will do everything in their power to get you the very best possible resolution to your case.
To find out more about what they can do for you, contact the Lento Law Firm today at 888-555-3686, or use our automated online form.
