So you're ready to go back to school? Good for you. The Continuing Education (CE) program at The Ohio State University offers tons of amazing opportunities, whether you're hoping to build your resume, satisfy a work requirement, or just learn something new.
Of course, like any education program, a CE program comes with its share of challenges. You may face some high expectations in a course, or in your course of study generally. You'll be asked to submit to the same disciplinary requirements as anyone else at Ohio State, and rules and regulations can sometimes chafe when you're an adult. Maybe most importantly, this won't be like the first time you went to college. Back then, all you really had to worry about was going to classes and studying. Now, you've got to balance your educational goals with all the other priorities in your life—your family, your job, and paying your mortgage on time.
So right now, while you're still in the early stages of this new experience, it can be useful to take a bit of time and think about what kinds of problems can come up and how you'll deal with them when they do.
For the most part, CE students face two kinds of issues.
- First, you'll be dealing with the same thing all students deal with: academics. If you're taking a course, you want to do as well as you can in it. That means studying, going to class, and getting all your assignments in on time.
- Second, while you're a student, you're also a member of the larger campus community, even if you're taking your classes online. Ohio State expects you to treat your instructors and your peers with respect and to uphold the values of the community.
Below, you'll find strategies on how to deal with problems in both of these areas. The most important thing you need to know, though, is that you're not alone on this journey. Attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team are on your side. They know what you're going through, and they want to see you succeed. They also know all the tips and tricks for dealing with the often complex bureaucracy of higher education. Whatever problem you might be facing, they're here and ready to help.
Academics
The whole point of going back to school is to learn new things. That's an exciting proposition, but it can also be a little scary. Let's start, then, by talking about academics at Ohio State.
In terms of subject matter, the world is your oyster. Ohio State's CE program offers courses in everything from forensic anthropology and health information management, to coding and golf course management.
Your experience, though, will ultimately be shaped by what kind of credentials, if any, you're seeking.
- Undergraduate Academic Certificate (Post-High School): These are available for individuals with a high school degree, including students who are actively working on their undergraduate degrees. A certificate requires 12 hours of course credit, in all of which you must earn a C- or better. In addition, to remain in the program, you must maintain a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA.
- Undergraduate Academic Certificate (Post-College): These certificates are designed for those looking to supplement their college education in some way. Again, certificates require 12 hours of course credit. Only courses in which you earn a C- or better count towards the certificate, and to remain in good standing, you must earn a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better.
- Graduate Academic Certificate: A kind of middle ground between an undergraduate degree and a graduate degree, these programs are open to anyone who has already earned an undergraduate degree. The course load is, again, 12 hours, and to receive credit for a course, you must earn a C- or better. In this case, however, the minimum GPA to remain in the program is a 3.0.
- Workforce Development Certificate of Completion: These certificates are specifically aimed at those who need new skills for the jobs they already have. The course load is usually less than 12 hours and can involve as little as a single course, a seminar, or a workshop. Students do not earn credit, so there is no specified GPA requirement.
- Technician Certification Programs: These programs are meant to provide coursework necessary to be licensed in a particular field or to be eligible to take licensing exams. Hours depend on the particular licensing requirements, and again because these courses aren't for credit, there are no GPA minimums.
- Professional Certification Programs: Also meant for those who need to meet specific licensing or certification requirements. These courses are taken for credit. However, course loads and GPA minimums depend on the particular license or certificate.
Finally, you should keep in mind that even if you're not taking courses for credit, faculty and program administrators will expect you to put forth your best effort if you want to earn certification.
Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
If you receive any type of financial aid to pursue your continuing education, you're also subject to another set of academic standards. All colleges and universities are required by the federal government to maintain what's known as a Satisfactory Academic Progress, or SAP, policy. The purpose of such policies is to ensure that students are making genuine progress toward their degree and not just taking advantage of the aid system for financial gain.
Ohio State uses three criteria to evaluate satisfactory progress at the end of each academic year.
- Cumulative Grade Point Average: First, you must meet a particular grade point requirement in order to continue to receive financial aid. Specific GPAs are based on your program. For most undergraduate certificates, the minimum number is 2.0. For most graduate certificates, it is 3.0.
- Completion Percentage: In addition, to remain eligible for financial aid, you must successfully complete at least 66 percent of all the courses you attempt. Note that “complete” doesn't simply mean finishing out a course. Failures do not count as completed courses.
- Maximum Timeframe: Finally, you are required to complete your program in a certain amount of time, usually 150 percent of the published hours needed to complete it. For instance, if your particular certificate requires 12 hours of coursework, you can receive aid for a maximum of 18 hours.
As soon as you fail to meet any one of Ohio State's three SAP criteria, your financial aid is suspended. You can regain aid again once you meet the criteria, but this means you must finance at least a semester of coursework out of your own pocket.
In addition, OSU does have an appeals process in cases of suspension. If your academic deficiencies are the result of extenuating circumstances, you can submit an appeal with supporting documentation to the Financial Aid Appeals Committee. If successful, you can continue to receive aid for one additional probationary semester.
You can, of course, study at Ohio State even if you aren't meeting SAP standards, assuming you are still meeting the requirements of your academic program. However, many students find it difficult to finish their certificates once they lose funding.
Attendance Policies
Ohio State does not maintain an attendance policy as such. However, many departments at the university do, and even where departments don't, many individual instructors do. Requirements should be noted on the course syllabus, along with potential sanctions. In general, faculty have a good deal of latitude in how they conduct their courses, and that extends to attendance policies. Some instructors, for example, may simply lower your grade once you've missed too many times. Others, though, may drop you from the course entirely if you go over the established limit.
Academic Misconduct
Finally, while it may seem obvious, it's worth repeating that, as you complete your coursework, you should adhere to the highest standards of academic honesty and integrity.
Ohio State takes classroom misconduct particularly seriously. The university's Academic Misconduct Policy lists 11 separate offenses to avoid.
- Violation of course rules
- Violation of program regulations
- Providing or receiving information related to an assignment or exam
- Possession of unauthorized materials relating to an assignment or examination
- Providing unauthorized assistance on coursework
- Fabricating any material related to the course
- Plagiarism of any type
- Falsifying lab results
- Asking another person to take your exam or taking an exam for another person
- Altering grades
- Altering university forms or records.
Minor, first-time offenses are usually handled within the classroom, with instructors deciding on whether you committed a violation and assigning an appropriate penalty. These can include
- A verbal or written warning
- Re-submission of the assignment or makeup work
- Additional assignments on the nature of academic honesty
- Lowered grade on the assignment in question, up to a zero
- Lowered grade in the course, up to an F
More serious and repeat offenses are handled by the school's Committee on Academic Misconduct and can result in probation, suspension, and even outright dismissal.
You have the right to challenge any accusation of dishonesty and any assigned sanctions. However, procedures can be complex and difficult to follow. Having Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team on your side can be an enormous help in navigating Ohio State's judicial systems.
Academics: What Could Go Wrong?
Some students are surprised by the idea that a lawyer could help them with anything related to academics. And it is true: Joseph D. Lento and his team can't take your courses for you or write your papers. They're not qualified to serve as tutors in calculus or biology, or any other subject you might be taking.
However, student success is often as much about navigating bureaucracy as it is about how well you do on your exams. Sometimes raising your GPA or hanging on to your financial aid package is as simple as knowing who to talk to and what to say.
No one understands bureaucracy better than lawyers. And no lawyers have more background and experience working in educational bureaucracy than Joseph D. Lento and his team. Whether you're trying to negotiate for a higher grade or you need to file a formal SAP appeal, you can count on them to guide you through the process from start to finish.
Disciplinary Misconduct
When you're caught up in classroom projects, studying for exams, and finding time
to meet professors during their office hours, it's sometimes easy to forget that attending school isn't all about being a student. In fact, all of your behaviors, inside and outside of the classroom, are closely scrutinized, and violating a campus rule can get you expelled, even if it has nothing to do with a specific course you're taking. In fact, you can be dismissed for things that aren't related to the university at all. Get issued a DUI, for instance, and you may be expelled, even if that DUI happened miles from campus.
Ohio State University's Code of Student Conduct is lengthy, and contains seventeen separate categories of offenses, including
- Endangering health and safety
- Destruction of property
- Weapons use and possession
- Dishonest conduct
- Theft
- Failure to comply with university officials
- Drug use and possession
- Unauthorized alcohol use
- Unauthorized presence
- Disorderly conduct
- Hazing
- Abuse of the conduct system
- Violation of local, state, or federal laws
- Riotous behavior
- Recording or distributing without consent
- Public urination
- Retaliation
The Code is just the beginning. If you live on campus, you're subject to Residence Life policies that dictate everything from how loud you can play your music to who's allowed to be in your dorm room after hours.
Further, your conduct online is subject to the same scrutiny as your “real life” conduct. In taking online courses, for instance, you must remember to
- Behave professionally
- Treat others with respect
- Avoid profanity and socially-offensive language
- Dress appropriately when others can see you
- Avoid inappropriate surroundings
Last, but certainly not least, one particular category of disciplinary misconduct is so serious that it's typically treated as its own type of violation: sexual misconduct. Such behavior isn't just a matter of school policy. Title IX of the 1972 US Education Amendments requires schools take allegations seriously and pursue investigations and adjudication zealously. As a result, the minimum penalty in such cases is usually suspension. The more likely penalty is expulsion.
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'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 888-555-3686, or use our automated online form.
