Going back to school certainly has its rewards. Maybe you need a few extra hours to maintain your professional license or certification. Maybe you're looking to improve your credentials so you can move up at work. No matter what your goal is, you're bound to wind up knowing more, and a course on your resume or a CE certificate offers proof to others that you take what you do seriously.
No reward comes, though, without hard work. Any time you're taking classes, you're going to have to worry about studying, researching and writing papers, completing projects, and taking exams. And you're not just a student: you're a member of the Oklahoma State community, which means you're expected to follow all the rules and procedures. Finally, though, you have challenges the typical undergraduate or graduate student doesn't have. You've likely got a boss to worry about, a family that demands your attention, and mortgage payments to make each month.
How do you manage all of that?
It helps to have a plan. You want to know exactly what's expected of you as a student, how to avoid trouble, and how to deal with trouble if, despite your best efforts, it should find you anyway. You'll find information on all of that below.
One of the most important parts of any plan? Knowing how to get help when you need it. Most faculty and administrators who work with CE students know what kinds of demands they face. Not all of them are understanding, though. You'll run across a few instructors who have no sympathy for the fact that your kids are sick or you have a huge report due at work the next day. When that happens, it's useful to have attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team on your side. They know the OSU system. They also know your rights under the law. Whether you're looking to negotiate a better grade or you need to appeal your financial aid status, they're committed to helping students solve problems.
Academics
Student problems typically come in two varieties: either you run into trouble with academics or you run into trouble with campus regulations. The whole reason you're going back to school, though, is to be a student, so let's start by looking at academics.
OSU's continuing education program is spread out over several departments, including the College of Engineering and Architecture, the Center for Legal Studies, the School of Veterinary Medicine, and the Center for Health Sciences. Each of these offers a unique set of courses designed to help professionals in various fields stay current in their disciplines. For example,
- The Spears School of Business offers conferences, seminars, and Zoom courses through which participants can earn certification in subjects like women's leadership, tribal finance, and municipal clerkship.
- The College of Engineering and Architecture offers advanced firefighter training in subjects like building construction, wildland fire origin, and fire tanker operation.
- The Center for Health Sciences offers dozens of courses through its Health Ed Today program, including specialized training for dental assistants, pharmacy technicians, nurses, and medical administrators.
At present, OSU does not offer any degree programs. This means that whether you are looking to take individual seminars or courses or a series of classes leading to certification, you don't need to worry about grade points or academic standing requirements.
However, you can expect rigorous course requirements and demanding instructors. Oklahoma State takes its responsibility to educate professionals seriously and doesn't give credit to anyone who hasn't passed a course.
Of course, high expectations are one thing. If you should find, however, that instructors aren't willing to recognize the particular demands you face as a CE student, Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team are here to make sure you are treated fairly and that you get every opportunity to succeed.
Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
None of OSU's continuing education has an academic standing policy. In other words, while you need to pass courses in order to receive credit, you don't have to worry about whether your overall GPA is high or low.
Unless you receive financial aid, in that case, you're subject to Oklahoma State's SAP (Satisfactory Academic Progress) policy, and that can bring your GPA into play. The federal government requires all colleges and universities to maintain SAP policies. These provide a set of standards students must meet to prove they are engaged in serious study and not trying to defraud the financial aid system.
OSU's SAP policy has three standards:
- You must earn your degree or certificate within 150 percent of the published length of your program. If, for example, your certification requires 30 hours, you'll lose your financial aid as soon as you go over 45 hours.
- You must complete—not attempt, but complete—at least 67 percent of the courses you register for.
- You must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA. For undergraduates, that number is 2.0. For graduate students, that number is 3.0
OSU does provide students with a Warning semester should they fail to meet these standards. If you cannot improve during this Warning semester, though, you become ineligible for aid unless you can demonstrate that your deficiencies are the result of extenuating circumstances, such as a family emergency or a long-term illness.
It's not always easy to convince a financial aid committee that you deserve a second chance. An SAP appeal requires paperwork; you'll need a compelling argument, and you'll want to provide documentation to support that argument. The process itself can be complex.
Luckily, attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team know exactly what's required. They've helped hundreds of students respond to SAP requirements. They know how appeals work; they know what committees look for; they know how to make you look good on paper. If your education hinges on SAP requirements, and you're worried about your academic progress, they may be able to help.
Academic Misconduct
You're not just expected to do well in your coursework. You're expected to complete that coursework honestly. To that end, OSU also maintains a strict policy on academic integrity. That policy prohibits plagiarism, cheating, and basically anything that might give you an unfair advantage in completing your degree.
Primary responsibility for identifying and responding to academic misconduct rests in the hands of OSU's faculty. Your instructors have the authority to accuse you of misconduct, to determine whether or not you are Responsible for misconduct, and to assign you a sanction as necessary. Generally speaking, first-time offenses are punished with a range of sanctions, including
- Reprimand
- Makeup assignment or assignment re-submission
- Educational assignment on the nature of academic integrity
- Loss of credit for the assignment up to a zero
- Loss of credit for the course, up to an F
In addition, your instructor must report any misconduct to the university. In the case of multiple or particularly egregious violations, the university has the power to issue additional disciplinary sanctions, including
- Suspension
- Dismissal
- Expulsion
However, you have the right to challenge any finding of misconduct. Or, you may accept responsibility for a violation but challenge the severity of the sanction. OSU's appeals process allows you to defend yourself at a formal hearing, where you may present evidence and call witnesses to testify on your behalf. Further, you have the right to cross-examine any witnesses against you.
University judicial processes are never simple, though. Your best chance of success is to have someone on your side who understands the rules and procedures and who has experience helping students defend themselves. Your best chance is to contact Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team.
Academics: What Could Go Wrong?
You may be surprised by the notion that an attorney could help you with academics. After all, it's not like someone from the Lento Law Firm can take your courses, write your term papers, or help you prep for an exam.
Here's what they can do: help you navigate OSU's bureaucracy. It turns out that knowing who to talk to and what to say when you have a problem can be just as important as attending office hours or finding the right tutor. Sometimes the difference between a passing grade and a failing grade can be a good explanation or documentary evidence.
No one is better at dealing with institutional bureaucracy than lawyers. It's sort of what they're trained for. And no one is better at dealing with educational bureaucracy than the attorneys at the Lento Law Firm. So, before you decide your CE program is too hard for you, that you just can't meet this or that instructor's demands, or that there's no way to maintain your financial aid package, it's always worth contacting Joseph D. Lento and his Team to find out what they can do to help.
Disciplinary Misconduct
Academics aren't the only thing you need to worry about at Oklahoma State. Your behavior outside the classroom is under as much scrutiny as your behavior in it, if not more. In fact, you're more likely to be dismissed for disciplinary misconduct than for a low GPA or for cheating.
OSU's Student Code of Conduct is extensive, with prohibitions against
- Theft
- Forgery
- False Representation
- Disorderly Conduct
- Disruption or Obstruction
- Property Damage
- Unauthorized Entry
- Tobacco Usage
- Weapons Possession
- Harassment
- Retaliation
- Physical Violence
- Hazing
- Unauthorized Alcohol Possession
- Drug Possession
- Gambling
- Failure to Comply
- Misuse of Fire Safety Equipment
In addition, “Conduct action may also be taken for any violation of local ordinances, state, or federal law,” whether those violations occur on or off campus. In other words, a DUI or an assault conviction can get you dismissed from the university, whether the incident happened on campus, two blocks from campus, or in an entirely different state.
You should also know that sexually-based offenses are generally treated as a separate type of misconduct. These offenses aren't just a violation of school policy but, under Title IX, of federal law as well. Colleges and universities are under government mandate to investigate thoroughly any credible complaint, and in the current political climate, schools tend to issue harsh sanctions. The minimum punishment should you be found Responsible for sexual misconduct is typically suspension. Far more likely, OSU will expel you.
Finally, it's important you recognize that your online behaviors are subject to the same Code of Conduct as your “real world” behaviors. A sexual harassment allegation made about a comment in a digital forum, for instance, is investigated the same as any other allegation of classroom harassment might be. Plus, OSU has particular expectations of your online behavior.
- Behave professionally
- Treat others with respect
- Avoid profanity and socially-offensive language
- Dress appropriately when others can see you
- Avoid inappropriate surroundings
Joseph D. Lento: Continuing Education Student Attorney-Advisor
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 find, though, that an instructor won't let you make up an exam you missed because one of your kids was down with the flu or an administrator wants to dismiss you from your program because you didn't put a quotation mark in the right spot, know that you have options.
Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team have helped hundreds of students just like you deal with school-based issues. They know the law as it applies to education, and they are 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 888-555-3686, or use our automated online form.
