HELP!!! my D is in serious trouble at her college

<p>I cannot post too many details, but my D who is a serious hard-working average student has been charged by her school with several student violations, and is very close to being suspended for 1 year.</p>

<p>The charges did not involve a crime, or anything academic, or dangerous, or drugs etc. etc. All I can say is that she has tried to clear her name, and it is not going well.</p>

<p>She is a Senior, and the impact of this is going to be quite devastating. Before the actual suspension is handed down, which could be in the next week, she wants to send out transcripts and transfer applications to other schools.</p>

<p>I am in shock and disbelief, but want to help her through this, and do anything to stop her from sinking into a depressed state.</p>

<p>What are the possibilities? Can one spend 3 years at 1 school and then transfer to another for the final year? Where would one's degree be from? How can we go about finding schools that would accept a Senior transfer? How can I stop crying?</p>

<p>You usually cannot do a senior transfer because most school require that roughly 40% of units come from them and that the last x amount come from the school.</p>

<p>If it’s just a suspension, take it. Its better than being expelled or anything. I mean, take a year off, get a job, etc…</p>

<p>Also, it would help to know where we are at with the “crime”. I mean, its like “HELP ME! I was arrested and I want to know the consequences”</p>

<p>Maria –</p>

<p>Take a deep breath. Then take another.<br>
Has your daughter gotten advice from her departmental adviser? An attorney? Has there already been a “case” or a hearing? </p>

<p>There are options for finishing up a degree, but they may be less desirable than simply waiting out the 1 year suspension. Depending on her school, she might be allowed to study abroad for a semester, take summer school classes or something similar.</p>

<p>I am a nervous wreck, so I cannot imagine her state.</p>

<p>Yes, there has been a hearing, but it was a “he said, she said” and the staff adviser said it did not look promising. Unfortunately in a college setting, there does not have to be evidence or proof, and in this school, just a hearing before one appointed “judge”. No attorneys allowed, but she did consult with one.</p>

<p>If suspended, she would not be allowed to study abroad, nor take summer classes. In any case, a 1 year suspension involves NO CLASSES at the school for 365 days: this Fall, next Spring and next Summer.</p>

<p>No, she has not met with her department adviser yet.</p>

<p>I’m racking my brain trying to think of something that could result in a one year suspension and has nothing to with academics, drugs, or criminal/dangerous behavior. Not trying to imply anything, just a bit confused… </p>

<p>Regardless, I hope everything works out for your D. <em>hugs</em></p>

<p>As others have said, senior transfers really aren’t doable. If she is suspended, it might be more time and cost efficient for your D to work for a year and then go back, barring things like health insurance, and provided she still has some allies there.</p>

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<p>I work at a college and have been involved in student judiciary. I do not understand how a student can be suspended from college unless it involves at least one of the categories mentioned above. “Anything academic” includes charges of academic dishonesty, the most common source of judiciary complaints. Was your daughter accused of plagiarism or cheating?</p>

<p>If she transfers at this late stage, she will most likely lose credits. Most colleges require students graduating with their institution’s name on the the diploma to have earned a minimum of about 1.5 year’s worth of credits there (generally 21-24 credits), regardless of transfer equivalences. I agree with arabrab that it is probably best for her to remain at her current institution and apply for reinstatement if necessary.</p>

<p>I’m with everyone who thinks it must involve a crime, academic, or something along those lines. About the only thing that hasn’t been covered is athletics, and it’s possible that she broke some rule about playing or sports gambling or something. Regardless, here is one suggestion:</p>

<p>Rather than transferring out of the school, she can take a certain number of credits at other schools and transfer them in to the one she is suspended at after the suspension is over. Then she can graduate on time or close to it.</p>

<p>I too am trying to figure out what the daughter could’ve done that wasn’t academic, dangerous, or illegal that got her suspended.</p>

<p>Maybe she goes to a really conservative school and she had a male visitor over? Yeah, that’s all I can come up with. <em>scratches head</em></p>

<p>Usually, when a student is suspended from a college, part of the suspension includes not taking classes at any other college during the suspension. </p>

<p>If the worst case scenario is a one year suspension with the ability to come back and complete her program, it’s not the end of the world. She can spend the year working, earning money, and addressing whatever issue it is that earned her a suspension. When the year is up, she can apply for readmission to go back and finish her degree.</p>

<p>This could be a ■■■■■. Hopefully not, but we have a new member with a low post count, and you never know.</p>

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<p>That’d be a really good question to clear up with the school. </p>

<p>If she can’t, then all she can do is wait out the suspension.</p>

<p>I’m not a ■■■■■. I started posting just to seek help for this problem.</p>

<p>I’m sorry that I cannot say more about the charges. It was not academic. I suppose that the closest description would be something that was potentially injurious, but in reality wasn’t. Please stop guessing, as I don’t want to feel the need to clarify.</p>

<p>I know in my heart that it’s not the end of the world, but right now, while it’s happening, it’s huge, and seems like the end of her world to her, especially as she feels like some of the stuff has been twisted and that there is not true justice on campus.</p>

<p>If this had happened any other year at college, she could freely take classes at another school and transfer those credits in, but since she is a Senior, it won’t work. Like many schools, your final year (or final 25% of credits) must be earned there.</p>

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<p>I know you want us to stop guessing, and there is no need to respond to these ideas. But to keep the discussion going and to provide you with some assistance, we need a frame of reference to think about the situation. I just thought of something that will get you suspended because it is potentially injurous but didn’t. It’s a prank, like using pennies to prevent someone from leaving their room, or any of a number of other pranks. Or it could be something like leaving an explosive device lookalike somewhere or dumping flour into a mailbox or something along those lines.</p>

<p>In any of those situations (again, what it was doesn’t matter but I’m mentioning those to give people a frame of reference), I don’t see there is much that can be done. Any of them could have caused great injury so the universities tend to be very strict about the policies.</p>

<p>Maria,
It’s hard to give any advice or guidance when you have us guessing what you’re dealing with. Since she’s a senior, it’s not likely that she even planned to do a semester abroad, because that’s usually taken in the junior year. Hopefully she can finish her fall semester, or at least take incompletes until after the suspension. </p>

<p>It seems as if most of the course of her options are already determined: she can’t go to another college, she can’t complete this semester or do a sem. abroad. Seems her only option is to take the year suspension. However, hopefully you can find a lawyer who might negotiate a “lighter sentence”, like a shorter term.</p>

<p>Think of it as a gap year.</p>

<p>She probably cannot send transcripts now because her records will be officially on hold. Prof I know dealt with a similar possible-suspension matter. The punishment is usually a reflection of the outrage. I will ask him advice tmrw. The student in his case was suspended and returned one year later as if nothing had happened.<br>
Worst case, I agree that she should do a gap year project. Preferably something max hours and seriously positive. More later. If you wish to PM me, ok- I will PM you if there is anything helpful from the prof. Good luck. Help her keep it together.</p>

<p>Everyone, please stop guessing. Clearly, this is not a prank. Clearly nothing is to be gained from Maria posting more details publicly. Thanks.</p>

<p>We are keeping our fingers crossed for the suspension to be less than 1 year, like perhaps a semester. Or for them to allow her to complete this semester, which we have paid for, and in which she has an overload of courses, and defer the suspension to Spring semester. </p>

<p>And I keep thinking really stupid things, like, the job market is so bad she would quite likely not find a job if she graduated in the Spring.</p>

<p>Ugh. Now to try and get some sleep.</p>

<p>Thank you LookingForward.</p>

<p>One thought- can she negotiate that the suspension would later be expunged from her record? Ie, worst case, take it, commit to them to do something of serious value during te absence, possibly commit to supervised behavior when she returns- in return for it being cleared from her record? And, if you have not, I believe you must speak with the school asap. An adult can sometimes navigate and negotiate better. Bottom line may be damage control.</p>

<p>Be sure to get a lawyer to represent her. That may help to reduce the amount of time of the suspension. And they think of other details, like long term issues.</p>