So, my daughter is in her PhD program for clinical psychology, and they’re threatening to kick her out over an alleged professional breach. She says she didn’t do anything wrong, and it all started because they accused her of plagiarism in a document she submitted. She appealed it, and the case got dropped, but now they’re still saying she’s getting dismissed. She’s honestly really upset. Anyone have any advice on what she can do next?
That sounds so stressful! Was she given any formal notice like an email or letter saying she’s being kicked out? That could help with next steps.
Archer said:
That sounds so stressful! Was she given any formal notice like an email or letter saying she’s being kicked out? That could help with next steps.
Yeah, she got an email late last night saying she’s being dismissed. I’m not sure where to go from here.
@Teo
OK, so if there’s a formal letter, she might have some grounds to challenge it. I’d definitely look into hiring a lawyer for that.
Whoa, that’s tough. If she was accused of plagiarism but didn’t actually do it, maybe there’s a chance to appeal? It sounds like they didn’t give her a fair chance to explain the situation.
Keenan said:
Whoa, that’s tough. If she was accused of plagiarism but didn’t actually do it, maybe there’s a chance to appeal? It sounds like they didn’t give her a fair chance to explain the situation.
Yeah, exactly. She said she was just responding to a document and forgot to cite it properly, but it wasn’t intentional. I hope that’s enough to appeal.
It might be worth looking into whether she’s being treated unfairly based on her race, especially since you mentioned she’s from Jamaica. There could be a discrimination angle here too.
Jamie said:
It might be worth looking into whether she’s being treated unfairly based on her race, especially since you mentioned she’s from Jamaica. There could be a discrimination angle here too.
Yeah, we’re worried about that too. She’s feeling pretty singled out, and we don’t want that to be a factor. Definitely going to bring it up when we talk to a lawyer.
Has she been given a chance to meet with anyone from the school to explain her side of things? Sometimes universities have processes to follow before taking such drastic steps.
Roan said:
Has she been given a chance to meet with anyone from the school to explain her side of things? Sometimes universities have processes to follow before taking such drastic steps.
I don’t think she has. They just sent the email and said she’s done. Seems like they’re not even listening to her side.
@Teo
That’s a bit unfair. She should definitely push for a hearing or a chance to explain herself before they make any final decisions. Universities usually have procedures for this.
If you haven’t already, maybe reach out to a lawyer who specializes in education law. They can help guide you through the process of challenging her dismissal.
Ashton said:
If you haven’t already, maybe reach out to a lawyer who specializes in education law. They can help guide you through the process of challenging her dismissal.
Thanks for the advice! We’re definitely looking into finding a lawyer. Just worried about the whole situation. Seems like a lot to handle.
@Teo
I get it. It’s a lot, but with the right lawyer, she can probably get a fair shot at keeping her place in the program.