If you've been at Worcester Polytechnic for more than a minute, you've had time to discover that college isn't just about taking classes. Oh, those are important. If your GPA should fall too low, you can certainly find yourself dismissed from the institute. You can be dismissed for lots of other reasons, too though: plagiarism, underage drinking, misuse of computer resources.
Whatever your particular problem, if you're facing dismissal, you should know: you don't have to handle it all by yourself. In fact, you shouldn't. Dismissal is always a serious matter. It doesn't just mean expulsion from WPI. You'll find it difficult, if not impossible, to find a school that will accept you once you've been thrown out of another school.
Who can you turn to for help? Attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team. They know the law as it applies to education. They also know how your school operates—what the rules are, how the judicial system works, who to talk to, and what to say. Most important of all, they have the background and experience to help you with any problem you may be facing. They've worked with hundreds of students to deal with everything from cheating accusations to charges of rape. They can help you too.
Reasons for Dismissal at Worcester Polytechnic Institute
There are actually so many reasons why Worcester might dismiss you that it would be impossible to list them all here. Luckily, there's a shortcut. It turns out that all these reasons can be grouped into four basic categories.
- Academic Deficiencies: Your grades were good enough to get into WPI, but you have to continue to excel in your classwork if you want to stay in WPI. Fail a single class, and you'll find yourself on Warning status. Continue to struggle, and you can be put on Probation, Suspended, or even Dismissed entirely.
- Academic Misconduct: WPI maintains an extensive Student Code of Conduct. The first item in that code is academic honesty. Cheating, plagiarism—anything that could potentially give you an unfair advantage in completing your coursework—is expressly forbidden. A first offense likely won't get you dismissed. A second offense, though, very well could.
- Disciplinary misconduct: The Code of Conduct goes on to list many other types of misconduct, including tampering with fire equipment, damaging property, and making unauthorized recordings. Any violation of the code can result in dismissal. Some violations, like drug possession or hazing, almost always result in dismissal.
- Sexual misconduct: These offenses are typically punished with dismissal as well. In fact, sexual misconduct allegations are deemed so serious that they are usually treated as a separate offense, even though they are technically a form of disciplinary misconduct.
Defending Yourself From Misconduct Charges
You don't have to simply accept dismissal if you're school has accused you of misconduct. You can and should defend yourself. WPI has clear procedures for doing this.
- Cases almost always begin with an allegation, a complaint, made against you to either the Dean of Students or—in cases of sexual misconduct—the designated Title IX Coordinator.
- The school then performs a preliminary assessment to decide if the complaint is credible. If so, it initiates an investigation.
- As the accused, you have a number of important due process rights designed to ensure you are treated fairly and that justice is served. For example, you have the right to notification of the charges against you and to examine all evidence in the case. Among your most important rights, you have the right to an advisor, and this advisor can be an attorney.
- The Investigator meets separately with both sides in the case. This is your first chance to offer your side of the story. In addition, they collect any physical evidence and interview potential witnesses.
- At the conclusion of the investigation, the Investigator completes a written report summarizing their findings. This serves as the primary evidence at the hearing.
- Next, the school conducts a formal hearing. This is your chance to lay out your entire case, including arguments, evidence, and witness testimony. You also have the right to cross-examine any witnesses testifying against you.
- Once both sides have presented their cases, decision-makers then deliberate as to your level of Responsibility (guilt). In doing so, they use a legal standard known as “preponderance of the evidence.” This standard is far less strict than “beyond a reasonable doubt.” Essentially, if they believe it is “more likely than not” that you committed an offense, they must find you Responsible.
- You can appeal the outcome of the hearing, but only for very particular reasons: new information, the denial of fair process, or a sanction that's disproportionate to the offense.
This general outline holds for every type of misconduct case at WPI. However, you should know that sexual misconduct cases are usually subject to federal law—Title IX—and, as a result, differ from other cases in small but meaningful ways. For instance, only advisors may cross-examine witnesses in Title IX hearings, and if you don't have an advisor, this means the school must appoint one for you.
There is no question that defending yourself from misconduct at WPI can be a complex process, especially when you can't be sure how the specific rules that govern specific cases might differ. Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team have experience with all of them, though. They are well-versed in Worcester's judicial procedures and can help guide you through whatever you may face.
Academic Dismissal Cases
You may have noticed academic dismissal cases haven't come up yet. That's because they're treated quite differently from misconduct cases. There isn't an allegation against you or arguments to be made about whether you are guilty or innocent of committing an offense. The reason for your dismissal is an objective fact: whether or not you've passed the requisite number of courses in a semester.
Fortunately, WPI does have a process for appealing academic dismissal. It involves submitting documents and forms explaining what led to your deficiencies and how you plan to improve going forward. If you're fighting this sort of dismissal, Joseph D. Lento and his team can work with you to gather evidence and offer the strongest arguments for why you should be allowed to continue as a student.
You should know, though, that there are other, less formal ways of responding to the threat of academic dismissal. Joseph D. Lento is well-versed in these as well. For instance,
- If you discover you have a learning disability, you can appeal your grades, even if your disability was undiagnosed at the time you took the course.
- Some faculty are open to the possibility of grade negotiation. If you have a strong argument—maybe you aced the final exam and think this deserves a higher course grade—you can always try asking a professor to reconsider your work.
As with misconduct issues, Joseph D. Lento and his team can work with you, no matter your situation, to help you come up with the best plan for avoiding dismissal.
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. Plus, it's no exaggeration to say that your entire future is on the line. You're facing dismissal, and you know what happens to people who go into the workforce with no college degree.
You need someone watching over your shoulder, making certain you're treated fairly and that you get the justice you deserve.
The Joseph D. Lento law firm was built on helping students just like you handle all types of misconduct 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. To find out more about exactly what Joseph D. Lento and his team can do for you, contact the Lento Law Firm today at 888-555-3686, or use our automated online form.
