Returning to school to expand your education or advance your career can be a major undertaking. But making the commitment can give you the opportunity to learn new skills, enhance job performance, and improve your future earnings. It can also satisfy the requirements of numerous professional licensing and accrediting bodies that require continuing education to preserve your good standing in a particular industry.
Students at Texas A&M University's Continuing & Professional Education program must abide by the same Aggie Code of Honor, which states: "An Aggie does not lie, cheat, or steal, or tolerate those who do."
But sometimes, people are put in circumstances and can act in ways they would usually not. When this occurs, the university's Aggie Honor System Office steps in. The Aggie Honor System Office serves as a centralized organization to educate students, faculty, and staff about the honor code, respond to potential academic misconduct of students, and facilitate remediation efforts for students who violate the honor code.
The Honor System Council will hold a disciplinary hearing. These hearings can have a long-lasting effect on your future. You will need to build a strong case in your defense, which can be difficult if you don't fully understand the school's disciplinary process.
Facing disciplinary action can be scary and nerve-wracking. But students at Texas A&M have the right to an advisor who can, in most cases, be a parent, a friend, or even an attorney. Having the support of a knowledgeable advisor is a tremendous benefit.
Attorney Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm are trusted attorney-advisors. They are available to help you understand disciplinary proceedings, should you face any, and can help you get the best possible outcome for your case. Call today.
Academics at Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University began in 1876 as a rural military and agriculture school. Students are known to be loyal to the school's traditions and values.
Texas A&M University's Continuing & Professional Education department offers several programs for adults looking to advance their education, develop their professional skills, or complete certificate programs. Some of these programs include:
- Antimicrobial Resistance
- Classroom Management
- Concussions: Health & Safety
- Conflict Resolution for Teachers and Coaches
- Institute on Demystifying Dyslexia
- Game-Based Learning for Educators
- Managing Crises and Emergencies in Telehealth
- Mentoring and Coaching
- Teacher Instruction on Literacy
- Smoking Cessation Strategies for Diverse Populations
- Understanding and Defining Conflict
Degree Certificate Requirements
Texas A&M University offers Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees after completing a curriculum developed around a chosen field of study.
Students are awarded certificates after completing a shorter program concentrating on a specific field of expertise. Students are given certificates at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.
Texas A&M University's Continuing & Professional Education department offers several undergraduate and graduate certificate programs.
Some undergraduate certificates include:
- Biomedical Research
- Business Economics
- Communication and Global Media
- Corporate Finance
- Engineering Concept, Creation, and Commercialization
- Equine Science
- Health Communication
- Hospitality Management
- Investment Banking
- Landscape Management
- Latin American Business
- Public Health Entomology
- Recreation and Park Management
- Safety Engineering
- Strategic Communication
- Youth Development
Some graduate certificates include:
- Adult Education
- Africana Studies
- Business Law and Compliance
- College Teaching
- Dental Public Health
- Education for Healthcare Professionals
- Forensic Healthcare
- Global Health
- International Business
- Latino/a and Mexican American Studies
- Maternal and Child Health
- Nuclear Security
- Petroleum Geosciences
- Risk Management and Compliance
- Wealth Management
- Women's and Gender Studies
Texas A&M University offers three types of certificates with different sets of requirements:
Major-dependent:
Admission to these programs requires students to pursue a specific degree or major at Texas A&M University. This type of certificate program usually serves as a track within a program. Students receive certificates at the same time as their degrees.
Degree-dependent:
Admission to the degree-dependent program requires students to be in the process of pursuing a degree at Texas A&M University. Students receive certificates when they complete the requirements of that certificate.
Stand-alone:
Students may pursue stand-alone certificates without being enrolled in a degree program. Students are awarded certificates upon completion of the certificate requirements.
Satisfactory Academic Progress
The term "Satisfactory Academic Progress" (SAP) refers to a student's successful completion of classwork toward a certificate or degree. Students who don't maintain the minimum standards of SAP may lose their eligibility for federal, state, and university aid.
There are three components to Texas A&M University's SAP:
- Maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 for undergraduate students or 3.0 for graduate students.
- Successfully complete at least 67% of all credit hours attempted, including all institutional and transfer credit hours.
- Complete degree pursuits within a maximum time frame.
The university's Financial Aid Office reviews the minimum standards of academic progress for each student at the end of every semester to determine eligibility for aid consideration for the upcoming year. If the student does not meet the minimum requirements, they will be ineligible for financial aid.
These students will be placed on financial aid warning status, meaning they will remain eligible for financial aid for one semester during the warning. Those who fail to meet the SAP minimum after being placed on financial aid warning status will be placed on financial aid suspension and will immediately lose financial aid eligibility.
Students who do not meet the maximum time frame standards will be placed on suspension and will immediately lose financial aid eligibility. There is no provision for a warning period for these students.
Students placed on financial aid suspension can appeal to have their financial aid reinstated. Students are limited to two appeals during their undergraduate years and two during their graduate years.
It can be challenging to get your financial aid reinstated on your own. An experienced attorney-advisor can help you gather the evidence and documentation needed to make your case.
Attendance Policies
Texas A&M University views class attendance in two ways — as an academic issue and an individual student responsibility. All students should attend class, complete assignments, and be truthful when discussing any issues with their ability to complete academic work with their professors.
If a student is absent from class for an excused reason for an unreasonable amount of time during a semester, the academic dean or another designee of the student's college may give the student a grade of W (withdrawal) or NG (no grade) when posting the final grades.
If a student is absent for an unknown reason for an extended period of time, the instructor may initiate a welfare check on the student by contacting the head of the department of the student's major or the dean or designee of the student's college.
Violating the school's attendance policy can lead to disciplinary action by the Aggie Honor System Office and the Student Code of Conduct. Disciplinary action can result in sanctions that can have long-term consequences on your career and quality of life.
Academic Misconduct
The Aggie Code of Honor reads: "An Aggie does not lie, cheat, or steal, or tolerate those who do." The code unifies Aggies toward higher ethics and personal dignity. The school considers academic misconduct a violation of this honor code.
Texas A&M University identifies the following as academic misconduct:
Cheating: Intentionally using unauthorized notes or information in any academic exercise.
Fabricating: Making up results or data and reporting or submitting them.
Falsification: Misrepresenting or not accurately representing research by manipulating or omitting data.
Multiple submissions: Submitting substantial portions of the same written or oral work for credit.
Plagiarism: The misappropriation of another person's ideas, processes, results, or words without giving credit to the other person.
Complicity: Knowingly or intentionally helping another person commit an act of academic misconduct.
Abuse, misuse, and unauthorized access: Misusing, abusing, or gaining unauthorized computer access or information in any academic exercise.
Violation of college, program, departmental, or course rules: Violating college, program, departmental, or course rules relating to academic matters is not permitted.
Academics: What Could Go Wrong?
Students accused of academic misconduct can face a wide range of sanctions, including:
- Probation
- "F" grade designation
- Academic sanctions (i.e., grade reduction in a course or zero on an assignment),
- Educational sanction (i.e., community service or completion of an Academic Integrity Development Program),
- Suspension
- Expulsion from the university
If the Aggie Honor Council charges you, they will present you with the charges in written form. You will have at least three university business days to prepare for a hearing. In all Honor Council Proceedings, panel members presume that the accused student is not responsible for violating university rules until the evidence proves a violation has occurred.
If you receive a notification from the Honors Council, you must act quickly. You could have as little as three days to make your case. Students shouldn't face these hearings alone. An experienced attorney-advisor can help you make the best case and avoid sanctions that can have long-term consequences.
Disciplinary Misconduct
Texas A&M University has a list of rules and regulations defining expected conduct standards. Committing misconduct is subject to disciplinary sanctions as well as civil or criminal charges should the behavior also violate the law. Texas A&M University will cooperate with law enforcement and other agencies to enforce any criminal law violations on campus.
Prohibited conduct includes:
Dishonesty: Withholding information from the university, making false statements to any university official or law enforcement officer, forging or misusing any university document, or submitting false information at the time of admission.
Harassment: Any behavior that is severe, pervasive, or persistent to a degree that a reasonable person would be prevented from accessing an educational opportunity. This includes a variety of mediums, including physical, verbal, graphic, written, or electronic.
Physical abuse: Any attempt to cause injury or inflect pain, or causing injury or inflicting pain. This includes causing physical contact with another person knowing that the other person views it as offensive or provocative.
Theft: The unauthorized removal or stealing of personal or public property, on or off campus.
Damaging property: Behavior that results in damaged, destroyed, or littered property on or off campus.
Hazing: Any act that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student. This also includes any act that destroys or removes public or private property, and assisting in causing others to participate in degrading behavior or behavior that causes ridicule, humiliation, or embarrassment for the purpose of initiation or admission in a group or organization.
Drugs: Using, possessing, manufacturing, or being under the influence of illegal drugs or illegally obtained controlled substances.
Alcohol: Using, possessing, manufacturing, or distributing of alcoholic beverages on university grounds or at university-sponsored events, unless expressly authorized by the university regulations.
Explosives or weapons: Illegal or unauthorized use, possession, or storage of fireworks or explosives, or other weapons or dangerous chemicals at university-sponsored activities.
Disruptive behavior Disrupting or obstructing teaching, research, administration, or other university activities.
Sexual contact: Attempting to or making sexual contact with another person who is physically, mentally, or legally unable to give consent.
Animal cruelty: Intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly torturing, killing, or causing serious bodily injury to an animal.
Joseph D. Lento: Continuing Education Student Attorney-Advisor
Anyone can register a complaint to the Aggie Honor System Office. The Honor Council will review the initial complaint and decide if there is enough evidence to proceed with disciplinary action. If you are facing a charge of academic or disciplinary misconduct, you must act quickly. Don't think that not responding to the charges or not showing up to the hearing will protect you. It'll only make matters worse.
You must present a strong defense at your hearing. Having an experience attorney-advisor on your side can have a strong effect on the level of sanctions you receive if you are found responsible for the alleged conduct.
Attorney Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team understand the time and effort you put into your professional and continuing education. They are knowledgeable and experienced in student discipline defense. They can help you navigate the disciplinary process, gather relevant evidence and witness testimony, and build a strong defense that will help preserve your future. Call 888-535-3686 today, or schedule an online consultation.
