You've decided to go back to school. Good for you. Continuing Education (CE) programs can help you move up at work; they can give you the foundation you need to find an entirely new career; most of all, though, they allow you to explore your world in more depth, to learn new things and master new skills no matter your age.
You've picked a good school, too. Georgetown has an international reputation for academic excellence. Of course, that means you'll be facing some pretty high expectations. You also have a few challenges the average student doesn't: a job, a family, a car payment, or a mortgage. You can handle it. You're smart and dedicated, or you wouldn't have signed up for CE in the first place. It's always nice to know you have backup if you need it, though, right?
The Lento Law Firm was built to help students navigate the sometimes confusing bureaucracy of university life. All students have to deal with the stress of balancing life and course loads, but we recognize that CE students face more pressure than most. Professors don't always understand that you might need a due date extension when your kids come down with the flu. We do, and we can help you help them understand. You may come across administrators who want to punish you for cheating or plagiarism when you just made an honest mistake because...well...it's been a minute or two since you were in school. We're ready to fight for you.
You're ready for this, but prepare for the unexpected too. Before you sign in to your first class, make sure you know how to get help when you need it. You can always contact the Lento Law Firm at 888-535-3686 or just fill out the automated online form.
Academics
When problems come up in CE programs, they usually have to do with one of two issues: academics or student conduct. You came to Georgetown to continue your education, so let's start with the academic side of the equation.
Educational Options
Your first challenge, of course, is to decide on a particular course of study. That can sometimes be more difficult than you might think, especially at Georgetown's School of Continuing Studies (SCS), where you have lots of great options.
- Master's Degrees: GU offers a range of master's degrees in subjects like Higher Education Administration, Sports Industry Management, and Applied Intelligence. Most of these require between 30 and 36 hours of coursework, but many classes are offered at night and on weekends, and most can be taken online.
- Liberal Studies: If you're looking for a more broad-based degree, you can sign up for either a master's degree or a PhD in Liberal Studies. Courses in this program focus primarily on the arts and humanities.
- Certificates: Certification offers a great way to bolster your resume without having to complete an entire degree program. Georgetown offers certificates in everything from Legal Concepts for Decision Makers to Social Impact Branding. Some programs require multiple classes and can take as long as nine months to complete. You can zip through others in as little as four weeks.
Educational Requirements
No matter what course of study you ultimately decide on, you can expect courses to be challenging and instructors demanding. You can't just sign up for a class and get credit. You have to pass, and that means going to class—or at least logging in—participating in discussions, studying, performing research, and taking exams.
If you're going for a degree, though, you'll also be subject to the Georgetown SCS Academic Standing policy (see the Student Handbook, 65). Under that policy, undergraduates must maintain a minimum 2.0 grade point average. Anything below that number, or a single F, means Probation. Should you continue to struggle, you can be dismissed from your program entirely. Graduate students must maintain a 3.0.
We said it before: you're bright and hardworking, but you're not the average undergraduate. Their biggest concern might be what's for lunch in the cafeteria. You've got to work out how to study for your midterms when you're on break at work. For the most part, your Georgetown instructors understand what you're going through, and they're eager to work with you to solve whatever problems might come up. Unfortunately, there are those faculty and administrators who refuse to bend even when your situation calls for it. When you run into them, remember that the Lento Law Firm is on your side. We want to make sure you're treated fairly and that you have every opportunity to earn your credentials.
Satisfactory Academic Progress Financial Aid Policy
If you receive any form of financial aid, you're also responsible for meeting Georgetown's SAP policy (Student Handbook, 47). The federal government requires all schools develop a Satisfactory Academic Progress, or SAP, policy to ensure no one can game the system and live off federal funds indefinitely. These policies set clear criteria you must meet in order to retain your aid.
At Georgetown, there are three criteria:
- You must earn a GPA in line with the Georgetown SCS Academic Standing policy—2.0 for undergraduates and 3.0 for graduate students.
- You must successfully complete at least two-thirds of the courses for which you register. Keep in mind “success” means finishing the course and earning a passing grade.
- Finally, you must complete your degree in 150 percent of the published required hours for that degree.
Of course, you don't have to meet SAP criteria to continue at Georgetown. As long as you're meeting Academic Standing requirements, you can take courses indefinitely. Most students, though, find it difficult to finish school once they've lost their aid package.
In addition, you should know that Georgetown does offer an appeals process for students who have lost their aid. However, appeals are typically only granted in cases of extenuating circumstances, such as a death in the family or a serious illness. The school does not offer a probationary or warning semester. Once you lose aid, you must meet SAP criteria again in order to get it back.
If you're worried about meeting SAP criteria, it's important you contact the Lento Law Firm as soon as possible. The attorneys at the firm may be able to help, but financial aid is time-sensitive, and you want to act quickly.
Academic Misconduct
Of course, with all of these high academic standards to meet, you won't be surprised to hear that some CE students resort to cheating. The thing is, cheating can get you dismissed from Georgetown as fast as a low GPA, if not faster.
The SCS Academic Integrity policy (Student Handbook, 17) prohibits cheating, plagiarism, and any other activity that might tend to give you an unfair advantage in completing your coursework.
Generally speaking, first offenses are punished within the context of the course. That is, if your instructor decides you've committed a violation, they'll issue a sanction that's connected to your coursework. This could include
- Oral or written warnings
- Makeup assignments or rewrites
- Extra assignments on the nature of academic integrity
- Lowered grades on assignments, up to a zero
- Lowered course grades, up to an F
However, all instructors are required to report violations to the Georgetown Honor Council. That body keeps records of offenses, and multiple offenses are usually punished with more serious sanctions, such as
- Probation
- Suspension
- Dismissal
Of course, the fact that you've been accused of academic misconduct doesn't mean you actually committed misconduct. Your instructor has carte blanche to accuse you and assign a punishment, but you have the right to challenge their decisions to the Honor Council. You're entitled to a hearing, to present evidence, and to examine and cross-examine witnesses. In addition, you have the right to bring a support person to the hearing, and that support person can be an attorney.
You always want someone from the Lento Law Firm beside you in these types of cases. A university hearing can be a complex affair. The attorneys at the Lento Law Firm understand how campus justice operates, and they've helped hundreds of students get the fair treatment they deserve. They can help you to do the same.
Disciplinary Misconduct
You probably think you have enough to worry about keeping up with Georgetown's academic expectations. You also need to have a strong grasp of the school's conduct policies, though. The fact is, a low GPA usually just means probation. Break the wrong disciplinary rule, and dismissal could be immediate.
There are dozens of rules at Georgetown, all of them contained in the school's Code of Student Conduct.
The good news is, they won't all apply to you.
For instance, you likely won't have to worry about being cited for underage drinking. And, if you take online classes, prohibitions against trespassing, theft, and vandalism probably won't apply either.
There are some rules that apply particularly to you as a CE student, though.
- First, you can be sanctioned at Georgetown for violations of local, state, and federal laws, no matter where those violations occur. That means even something small like a DUI or a conviction for assault could get you dismissed.
- You're also subject to Title IX, a federal law that bars sexual discrimination and harassment. In this context, “discrimination” and “harassment” refer to a wide range of activities, including simple verbal harassment and far more serious offenses like stalking, domestic violence, and rape. The minimum penalty in such cases is usually suspension, but the more likely sanction is dismissal.
- If you're taking online courses, you want to remember that your online behavior is subject to school policy, just like your in-person behavior is. Make an inappropriate comment in a course forum, and you could be charged with harassment. In general, you want to follow best practices when you're logged on to a school site:
- Act professionally
- Treat others with respect
- Avoid profanity and other types of socially offensive language
- Dress appropriately if others can see you
- Avoid video chat in inappropriate surroundings.
Here again, however, you are entitled to defend yourself from any allegations, and you have a number of due process rights to help you do so. The school must conduct an investigation and afford you a hearing. You're entitled to a presumption of “Not Responsible” (innocent). You also have the right to review any evidence in the case, to receive advanced notification of all meetings and procedures, and to be treated the same as the Complainant in the case.
By far, the most important right you have at Georgetown, though, is the right to an advisor. This advisor can be an attorney. An attorney from the Lento Law Firm can't speak for you during investigative meetings or your hearing. However, they can work with you to develop your defense, help you organize evidence, give you practice in making your presentation, and sit beside you to offer advice.
The Lento Law Firm: Continuing Education Student Defense
If you've been out of school for a few years, you need to know that things have changed in education.
- Cheating is on the rise, so professors are more hyper-vigilant.
- Academic expectations grow higher every year.
- In today's political climate, no school can afford to be seen as soft on discipline, and every school conducts rigorous investigations and doles out stiff penalties.
It's worth recognizing, though, that you've changed too. Sure, you care about passing your courses and getting your degree, but that's not the highest priority in your life anymore. You've got a partner, a mortgage, and kids to worry about. Satisfying your boss's demands is probably far more important to you than pleasing your professor.
Most continuing education faculty understand the particular kinds of stresses you're under, and most are willing to work with you to make your educational experience rewarding. If you should run into issues, though, it's important you know that there's help available.
The Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team has helped hundreds of students just like you deal with school-based issues. Lento Law Firm attorneys know the law as it applies to education, and they're practiced in dealing with faculty and administrators. Whatever problem you might be facing, from issues with technology to accusations of sexual misconduct, don't wait to see what will happen. If you're in trouble, contact the Lento Law Firm today at 888-535-3686 or use our automated online form.
