<p>This is rough sailing - I need timely advice. D got suspnd for academic violation at private college. They say it will be on the perm record. I am really worried how this all effects the future. Lots of veteran parents out here. Please help!</p>
<p>brn - Your post sure looks like a ■■■■■ wrote it. But I’m willing to give you the benefit of the doubt.</p>
<p>Speak with your D. Then write a follow up post, and include:
(a) what the violation was
(b) what your D said about the violation
(c) what the college said about returning to school in the fall.</p>
<p>OK… firstly I don’t understand what you mean by ■■■■■ - I am just looking for help at a very difficult time in our life. I though parents will surely understand either through their own experience or through helping others know how hard this can be. </p>
<p>D collaborated during an exam and got cited. She says she did not show her paper to the other student. School says it violated their code so she got suspnd. She has to spend a year away and cannot return in the fall. She tried to appeal but was already shattered and they were not allowed to have any attorney representation so did it on her own. We were experiencing a family illness at the time so she did not want burden us further with her worries. Now I wish I could have helped at that time and if I can reactivate the appeal as a parent. I am just heartbroken to learn of this all since she is such a good person who used poor judgement. But that still leaves me worried about what to do next. I am concerned about D’s emotional well being even if she returns. She was unhappy at the college and really does not want to return. As a parent what should I do?</p>
<p>Just so we’re clear:
Your D was not happy at her school, but was OK academically until she was accused of cheating on a test. The school’s academic council decided the infraction was valid, and that it warranted a one-year suspension. Your D appealed, and the appeal failed. She did not tell you anything about this until after the Spring semester. Your D is not interested in returning to the college.</p>
<p>The possibilities for action are virtually endless. What does your D want to do? Do you agree with her wishes? If she wants to continue her college career, where would she prefer to attend? Does that school have open enrollment (which means they probably wouldn’t take the suspension into account)? If not, you might want to have your D speak with the prospective school’s Transfer Admissions people about the affect her suspension would have on her chances for admission. If the details of academic probation will be a problem, you may wish to have your D contact her original school to make sure the documentation about the infraction is accurate and fair.</p>
<p>Good luck with all this. Things would be a lot simpler if your D had simply avoided this particular patch of trouble. You might want to have a serious adult talk with her about that … when she’s up to it.</p>
<p>Your daughter should follow the steps that her college asked her to in order to qualify for reinstatement. Many colleges and universities that she would apply to as a transfer will ask for evidence that she is “in good standing” at her first college. She might not be able to get that kind of letter right now. </p>
<p>I expect that she is angry, and unhappy right now. It may be best if she does take the year off. She can investigate all of her options, make a little money, and gather her emotional forces together before she goes back to college (either at the original college or somewhere else).</p>
<p>Wishing both of you all the best.</p>
<p>NewHope, telling someone they should have avoided this problem is something they likely already know.</p>
<p>If your D was a freshman, she can likely live at home and attend CC and get credits. If she was finishing her junior year, transferring will be tough, I would suggest she look for volunteer work. She can write an essay, saying what a better person she is now, and why she should be reinstated. </p>
<p>What are her life plans?</p>
<p>OP- your D needs to get in touch with the Dean of Students at her college and get in writing the steps she needs to talk to get reinstated. when they say it will be on her permanent record that could mean many things- if she is reinstated next year (i.e. not September 2011 but 2012) it could get recorded as “withdrew” which is pretty innocuous- kids withdraw for all sorts of reasons ranging from taking a leave of absence due to finances, to illness, or whatnot. Or it won’t be recorded as Withdrew- it will be something else. So without more facts we can’t help you. And the nomenclature is important- there’s a mile of difference between your daughter taking a leave of absence vs. being suspended due to cheating, and we can’t tell you what the college is going to consider the absence until your D finds out.</p>
<p>So get some facts before you get riled.</p>
<p>Then, you need your D to be forthcoming about what she wants and what she plans to do. Was she already not planning to return to her college when this happened? Was this a pattern of bad judgement or a one time lapse? And if she doesn’t return- what is she going to do with her life???</p>
<p>Thank you NewHope - you explained it well in your first para. </p>
<p>I’d like to learn more about the “possibilities of action are virtually endless”
Yes D certainly wants to get a college education - just not at the same place. Seeing how harsh the college was I do support her since as every parent knows in their heart they want the best for their child no matter what the mistake. We have talked at lengths and while it is not consoling, mistakes like this happen especially with freshmen - it is a new landscape for them and they have not yet developed the maturity to think things through. Yes you are also right in saying that it would have been best if this patch was avoided. She feels terrible and vows to keep her eyes open in the future.</p>
<p>I am trying to see what to do looking forward. Can a parent appeal at a private college?
Could you also explain the ‘open enrollment’ portion more. Sorry I did not go to college here so I really don’t know/understand terms which might be common to others - all the more why this is so overwhelming to begin with. </p>
<p>Also about the documentation at the original school - does the transfer school get a copy of it? Anyone know about the FERPA implications?</p>
<p>don’t get ahead of yourself- you don’t know what “documentation” you’re talking about. At the moment your D’s transcript may read “suspended” or it may say “voluntary withdrawal” or 'honor code violation" or “dismissed and not in good standing” or something else. So before you worry about the next college down the line, you need to deal with the college you’re already enmeshed with!</p>
<p>All - it is helpful to get your advice.
This is what we know. Right now D is not in good standing since she is not an enrolled stdnt. So is it possible to get reinstated during the suspnsn so she could apply as a transfer - please clarify.</p>
<p>How can we request it to get recorded as ‘withdrew’ instead of ‘suspended’</p>
<p>About returning - like I explained D was unhappy due to the overall campus atmosphere. Many students expressed that they should have gone somewhere else so that was the general feeling. Yes it was a one time thing which unfortunately had a severe consequence. Can she reapply as a freshmen next year somewhere else to get a clean start at college life? anyone know if prior college enrollment is traceable?</p>
<p>Blossom: how do I find out what D’s transcript will read? True it is important how hat will get interpreted</p>
<p>Your daughter was an academically dismissed for a honor code violation. There will most likely be some indication on her transcript that will state her dismissal. If your daughter can pull up a student copy of her transcript she will be able to see if there are any notations on her transcript.</p>
<p>Even if it does not appear on her transcript, when she applies as a transfer to another school, the application will ask if if she has ever been on probation or dismissed because of academics or discipline and she will have to answer honestly (or be dismissed from that school for willful misrepresentation). She needs to find out the terms of her dismissal from the college as she may not be able to take classes or apply to another school for the one year period.</p>
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<p>No she cannot reapply again as a first tme freshmen. Where ever she applies she will have to indicate that she was previously enrolled in a school and that school will request a transcript. She can try to circumvent the process if she wants but at the end of the day all she will have is a worthless piece of paper as school number # 2 can and will rescind her degree for misrepresentation. Remember your daughter has to sign the application stating that all of the information on the application is true. Prior college enrollment is traceable thru a number of ways. The easiest would be thru finanical aid, she will easily be caught on the FAFSA, or through the stafford loan process.</p>
<p>I don’t know if this is feasible, but if she would ultimately like to transfer, perhaps she could serve out her suspension, go back for one semester, or even two, and then apply as a transfer. </p>
<p>I can understand that she never wants to see the place again right now, but after she has has had a year to process everything she may feel differently.</p>
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<p>There are two things that strike me about this. Firstly, it is unclear what she actually did. Did she provide answers to someone, passively let someone look at her paper or simply fail to report it if she realized someone was looking, or get answers from someone? Was this a take home exam? Secondly, I continue to find it infuriating that students are required to go before a court that has the power to throw them out of school and significantly affect their future with NO assistance or support from anyone. It simply is not right, IMHO.</p>
<p>Consolation: that is a valid approach to return and then transfer though it will be an emotional overload for certain. </p>
<p>There was no direct evidence of sharing the answer except that they very convinced the code was violated.
Thank you for supporting the obvious fact that it is tragic how the college impacts the kids future without any support system in place. To that point do we have a card to negotiate a compromise. What would you do?</p>
<p>Unfortunately, you only know what your daughter told you and you really have no way of knowing if she has told you everything. Schools with honor codes value them and strictly enforce the code. I understand that she felt your family was going through a lot , however, becuause of the seriousness, I do not understand why daughter did not tell you at the beginning when she was being suspected of violating the code.</p>
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<p>Unfortunately, if we’re talking about a private college, such colleges are allowed to set such judicial administration policies practically as much as they see fit and students implicitly agree to be bound by them as a condition of matriculation. </p>
<p>While I don’t agree with the way many universities/colleges effectively curtail/short-circuit due process guarantees we expect from our constitution, private colleges are treated like private entities separate from the government. </p>
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<p>Many colleges…especially many larger ones in the elite category do not see it as their duty to provide support systems or to be concerned about such students’ future…especially if they viewed them as “guilty” of some something…especially something serious as cheating. This is unfortunate considering the curtailed/short-circuited judicial administration procedures…but far too true from what I’ve heard/observed from classmates and Profs/TA friends who had to take part in such proceedings. </p>
<p>Before trying to negotiate a compromise, I’d try to get more advice from those who have had experience with this situation. Considering how private colleges are treated as private entities free to set their own judicial administration policies with far less due process rights/guarantees(i.e. no lawyer), pointing this fact out won’t do much to strengthen your negotiating position.</p>
<p>OP- you don’t have enough facts right now to make any decisions. Your D needs to get with the Dean of Students to:</p>
<p>review her case
review her transcript and make sure she understands the nomenclature that’s already there
find out what has to happen in order to go back to this college
find out what this college will divulge to the next college down the line assuming she returns and then applies somewhere else as a transfer student
ascertain what it would take to get the record expunged</p>
<p>If your D has a relationship with any of her professors, who might be willing to sit in on the meeting with the Dean that would help enormously.</p>
<p>I don’t think you have all the facts here-- and don’t think you can make any decisions without those facts.</p>
<p>The college’s website will probably have some information about the process. At S’s school (don’t ask me how I know this… 
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<p>All - I don’t know how to do an embedded quote but would like to hear from more parents like Cobrat said
" Before trying to negotiate a compromise, I’d try to get more advice from those who have had experience with this situation."
please offer your advice or PM me if you prefer - I’d like your help to navigate this all. If you have been in my shoes you know the agony.</p>
<p>I agree with those who have said that before the parent jumps into the picture, s/he needs to get all of the facts from the school. People are notorious for just telling parts of a situation and you can be slam dunked if you are missing essential pieces. Find out what the university procedures are for such situations and what representation you can have and what releases you need to get all of the facts.</p>
<p>From what I have seen, private colleges can do just about anything they want in terms of throwing out kids.</p>