Don’t Let Dismissal Define You: Fighting for Your Future at Rice University

When it comes to colleges and universities in the United States, Rice University is undoubtedly one of the best. Attending this prestigious institution can set you up for a lifetime of professional success, but making it through four years of tough courses and demanding professors isn’t a walk in the park. In fact, very few students make it out without at least some degree of difficulty along the way. The question is how you will respond when things get tough.

Every year, countless students leave Rice University for good – don’t let yourself become one of them! If you’re facing dismissal or have already been dismissed, Todd Spodek and his team at the National Student Defense attorney-advisor office are here to help safeguard your future. With years of experience handling all manner of disciplinary issues on college campuses around the country, Todd Spodek knows precisely what you’re up against and how he can help.

At Rice University, there are essentially four areas where students often run into problems that could result in their dismissal from school:

1) Academic Performance: Maintaining top-quality academic performance is key to staying enrolled at Rice University – failure to earn at least a 1.67 GPA per semester or maintain a minimum 1.67 cumulative GPA could land you on probation or worse.
2) Academic Misconduct: Holding yourself to high standards of academic honesty is vital as well; Rice’s Honor Code requires that students pledge never to submit work that isn’t wholly their own creation or report other incidents of academic dishonesty.
3) Disciplinary Misconduct: Beyond academic honesty, Rice has stringent expectations for student conduct outside the classroom as well; violations such as drug possession or assault could result in students being dismissed from school altogether.
4) Sexual Misconduct: Sexually-based offenses go beyond disciplinary misconduct and rise instead to violations outlined by federal law such as Title IX. Dismissal from university is highly likely in any situations involving sexual misconduct.

If you’re facing a potential dismissal for any of these kinds of actions or have already been confronted by a judicial hearing, what should your next steps be? At Rice University, different judicial processes apply to each kind of violation:

1) In cases of Honor Code violations, students can expect to face an investigation followed by a hearing before the Honor Council, which is entirely composed of student representatives elected by their peers.
2) Disciplinary misconduct allegations are handled by Rice’s Student Judicial Programs (JPS), and proceedings usually include either University Court or College Court hearings with student panels. All participants are allowed to call witnesses and present evidence as part of their argument, with decisions based on “preponderance of evidence.”
3) Sexual misconduct allegations have procedures governed by federal law (Title IX), which requires involvement from the Title IX Coordinator, Investigator, and Hearing Officer. Similar to JPS proceedings, all parties involved may make arguments and call witnesses; appeals are also more broadly available in these cases.

Once a hearing has occurred and a decision has been delivered, students do still retain limited rights to appeal dismissals on specified grounds such as new evidence emerging or perceived bias during proceedings. Even if you appeal, though, bear in mind that this will involve written statements versus the live hearings typical during initial investigations.

In some instances – such as those related to academic cause – pursuing extra credit projects can help increase your GPA and avoid dismissal altogether. Regardless of the nature of your dispute with Rice University, though, fighting back against powerful academic institutions can seem overwhelming.

This is where Todd Spodek and his experienced team come in. They are tireless advocates for students just like you who need assistance navigating complex judicial systems on campus. You don’t have to take on your campus’s legal team solo – contact Todd Spodek today by phone at 212-300-5196 or use his online form. Together, you can fight for the future you deserve.