Expectations of support at uni

[Kickstart]

Hi

Just wondering for my personal interest about how much people would expect support if things went wrong at uni these days.

Say you were on a course and coming up to your first year exams some things went badly wrong; eg, you saw some people you knew killed a few weeks before the exams. In such an event most peoples concentration would be undermined (some more seriously than others).

What kind of support would you think is reasonable or would you expect? Kicked off the course? Understanding and resits?

All the best

Katy
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[Azoth]

Two different questions:

1) What kind of support do I, on the Clapham omnibus, think would be reasonable in those circumstances?
2) What kind of support would I, on the Clapham omnibus, expect (as in 'reasonably anticipate or predict') to receive in those circumstances?

My response to the first question would be to ask who was killed, because the proximity between the student and the deceased would strongly determine the student's reaction to seeing them killed. For example, if they saw a close family member killed, their reaction would be extreme distress. Lesser distress would occur if they had seen a more distant relative killed. But no significant distress at all is to be expected in someone who, previously of sound mind, saw a complete stranger killed. Of course they would be upset, but not to the extent that it would sufficiently perturb their mental balance to justify special allowances in university assessments. It's completely unreasonable to make allowances, if there is no material relationship between those who were killed and those who witnessed the killing. These things happen. For example, lots of commuters might see someone commit suicide on a train line, but nobody expects or gives allowances for that.

My answer to the second question would be that, in those circumstances, the student, if he or she complained to the dean or someone responsible in an academic department, would almost inevitably be allowed to take the exams at a later date, exceptionally, because of what they had seen and the effect they, subjectively, had experienced. This is what usually happens, and is quite normal. The exception would be if the student is being sponsored by an outside agency to take the course, for example a company or a government department. Otherwise, nobody cares. The outcome stands to be just another year's worth of fees and another year's worth of loans.
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[Derivative]

I know of people who re-took a year because of similar events.

The biggest issue I can see is surrounding funding.

Applying some sort of modifier to examination results is not the approach I would expect at all.

[Polarbear]

Don't know about Uni, but in schools when taking GCSE's the teachers can send in a 'report' on what has happened to the child and why it could affect the result. They can then appeal the result and it is reviewed.

However that is kids at school, not adults ant Uni so is probably completely different.
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[.....]

I'd expect to progress to the second year. The results of the exams won't count towards the degree in the first year will they? They will be a good indicator of how far behind the person may be though.

[andyscooter]

[GhostRider]

Extenuating circumstances, and those sound like pretty fucking good ones, should mean you get a good level of support.

Kicked off the course would be the very last thing I would expect to happen. It would not reflect very well on them at all, and you need to remember that first and foremost, universities are a business and they need to protect their brand to keep the punters coming through the door - knowing that if something horrible happened to me where I saw people die meant I wasnt given some leniency in upcoming exams sure as shit wouldn't motivate me to make that institution my first choice, as if seeing people dying doesn't earn you any sympathy then I dread to think what turning up late for a lecture, or even asking for help for an assignment, would result in.

Anyways, more likely you'd get extra time, or a resit whereby the results werent limited (usually a 2nd attempt is limited to minimum pass mark, regardless of the actual result).

GhostRider
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[Baffler186]

It will differ depending on Uni, what year you're on and whether the faculty head is an arse or not. I deferred my dissertation because of personal problems. I also got extensions on assignments (only a week or so).
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[DrSnoosnoo]

I would expect the student would be given time to overcome the trauma. The Administration would also forward counselling information to the student to aid the process.

As for exams, this would be case by case.

If the student was performing well throughout the course to date, always attending lectures, submitting assignments on time achieving solid grades then this makes the decision easy(ier) for the Admin.

The academics could discuss the circumstance and with their record, ask the student to pass through to the next year.

They could also defer the exam dates to the resits, with no grade cap. (This is most likely, in my opinion)

They would not insist the student take the exams if very soon nor would they boot them out.
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[chris-red]

A friend of my had his dad die when he was at uni, I think they were fairly understanding and let him retake a load of stuff next year.
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[arry]

Wife is academic administration manager for higher education institute. She chairs Mitigating Circumstances Committee.

Any application for extensions and the like goes through MCC - most are approved where there's obvious distress. Some try ons are thrown out as you'd expect - likewise some people spin very convincing stories but when asked for evidence suddenly can't supply any, for some reason.

In short - quite a lot of support for genuine circumstances and there's a whole process around it designed to take out tutor bias and the like.

[Mawsley]

[Kickstart]

Hi

Thank you.

Fair range of opinions, from Tawny (which is pretty much what I would expect and have seen happen) upwards.

All the best

Katy
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[owl10]

Expect? None.

But most universities will offer a wide range of support.

This will probably sound harsh, but you will need to focus on the course at some point, and if you delay exams until a later date then you'll have more to do then as the course has moved on.

At the end of the course you need the highest grade possible, Employers won't give you an easier time due to distress on the course.
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[Ste]

Not entirely recent but I know back in 2004 when there was the car crash I was in, my sister told her uni that she wasn't going back for her exams because she was staying in Lincoln to be at the hospital with me. As it turned out they offered her some work to do over the summer instead of the exams she missed.

That seems like a perfectly reasonable compromise to me. Assuming the reasons are genuine then kicking someone off their course would be slightly OTT. You tell them what's happened and what you're going to be doing, if they're understanding and want to help you then that's great, if they don't then you'll know you did what was the right thing for you even if your uni were heartless about it.

(who've you killed? )

[Kickstart]

[Ayrton]

My brother was in hospital during most of the first term of his third year, which is kind of the same situation. The university made it so coursework he wasnt able to do didnt count towards his final grade. They where also quite lenient when i told them mine was late because i was in the hospital with him all week .

First year also doesnt count towards your final grade, so i doubt if they will care at all. I guess it would also depend on how long you expect to have off. If after 3 weeks your still not doing any work, then you should probably consider if you actually want to do you degree.

[woo]

best thing would be for said person to contact the University direct and speak to them.
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[DrSnoosnoo]

[Kickstart]