If you're in trouble at Wright State and someone has mentioned the possibility of dismissal, you probably have lots of questions. The Lento Law Firm can help, not just by answering those questions but also by responding to this threat and getting your academic career back on track.
What exactly can we do? Our Student Defense Team was founded to protect student rights, so as a starting point, we'll make sure the university treats you fairly. We also know how WSU administrative and judicial systems operate. Whether you're struggling to keep your GPA up or you've found yourself accused of sexual misconduct, we can help you navigate these systems and even show you how to use them to your advantage. We are the premier student defense team in the country. We're always on your side and committed to getting you the best possible resolution to your case.
To find out how we can help you, call 888-535-3686 or take a few minutes right now and fill out one of our online forms.
Reasons for Dismissal from Wright State University
Your first job when you're facing dismissal is to find out exactly what you've done wrong. That's not always easy. Wright State maintains dozens of rules and regulations. For the most part, though, these can all be organized into four basic categories.
- Academic Deficiencies: Your job as a student is to attend classes and study. To make sure you do these things, Wright State maintains an academic standing policy. According to that policy, a GPA below 2.0 means probation. If you can't bring your GPA up while on probation, you're then subject to dismissal.
- Academic Misconduct: Alongside its academic standing policy, WSU also maintains an academic integrity policy to ensure you're earning your grades honestly. That policy prohibits cheating, plagiarism, and any other action that might tend to give you an unfair advantage in earning your degree. First offenses can mean lowered course grades up to and including course failure. Get caught a second time, though, and dismissal is the most likely punishment.
- Disciplinary Misconduct: Your general campus behavior is under as much scrutiny as your classroom behavior, if not more. The Student Code of Conduct contains more rules and regulations than any other campus policy, including prohibitions on everything from who can consume alcohol to how loud you can play music in your dorm room. Any violation can lead to dismissal if it is serious enough, even a first offense.
- Sexual Misconduct: These offenses almost always lead to dismissal. Sexual harassment and discrimination on college campuses are barred by federal law under Title IX. You can be certain Wright State will investigate any credible complaint against you and assign harsh penalties if you're found Responsible for (guilty of) an offense.
Misconduct Defenses
There is always a way to respond to the threat of dismissal. If you're facing a misconduct charge, Wright State must conduct an investigation and provide you with the opportunity to defend yourself. More than that, it must afford you certain due process rights, such as the right to a presumption of innocence.
- Your case will likely start with a complaint. Anyone may lodge such a complaint against you, but the university must decide this complaint is credible before pursuing formal charges.
- You are further entitled to Notice of the Charges if you are under investigation. This notice must identify your accuser and provide details about the allegations against you.
- Perhaps your most important right as the Respondent (the accused) is the right to a support person of your choice. You must present your own case. However, this rule means a Lento Law Firm attorney can accompany you to meetings and proceedings to help you answer questions and offer advice.
- Investigations are always stressful but keep in mind that the university cannot move forward with your case unless it uncovers some evidence. In this sense, an investigation can be of benefit to you. In addition, you always have the right to give your side of the story, submit evidence, and suggest witnesses.
- Any investigative findings become the foundation for a hearing. The university will appoint one or more decision-makers to preside over this hearing, but you have the right to question any decision-maker you feel could have a bias against you.
- At the hearing, you have the chance to present your full case. You may introduce evidence, call witnesses to testify, and cross-examine any witnesses against you.
- Finally, should you lose your hearing, you have the right to appeal the outcome. This right is limited, though, to issues of fairness. You must have specific grounds for your appeal, such as new evidence, a conclusion not justified by evidence, or a sanction that is disproportionate to the offense.
An investigation and hearing can be far more complex than this brief outline suggests. Your situation can be further complicated by the specific nature of your charges. For example, if you've been accused of Title IX sexual misconduct, you'll have the opportunity to cross-examine your accuser. They'll also have the chance to cross-examine you. Preparing to defend yourself involves an in-depth knowledge of Wright State's processes and procedures and an ability to map out a strategy.
You never want to take on such a task alone. The Lento Law Firm, though, understands all of WSU's various judicial processes and can help you navigate them from the moment you're charged to the point where your last appeal is exhausted.
Dealing With Academic Dismissal
The one type of dismissal you can't defend yourself from—at least in any formal way—is an academic dismissal. These are based almost exclusively on your GPA, and there's really no grounds for debate when it comes to your grades.
However, if you're dealing with academic probation or you think you might be struggling academically, the attorneys at the Lento Law Firm can offer some useful suggestions for avoiding more serious sanctions. For instance,
- Wright State doesn't offer a formal appeals process in academic dismissal cases, but if your deficiencies are the result of extenuating circumstances, you can try filing an informal appeal with the dean of your college.
- If you should discover you have a learning disability, you can ask the university to drop low grades from your transcript. Then, you can retake those courses once appropriate accommodations have been put into place.
- You can sometimes negotiate grades with instructors if you have a good argument to make. For instance, if your final exam score was especially high, you might try asking an instructor to use it as your course grade.
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.
