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Hello anyone,
I am in a dilemma and it is quite a long story, please forgive me in advance but I will make it as short as possible.
I was interrupted wrongly by my university and believe it breached my contract when the staff behaved in what I believe was a negligent manner
by avoiding to address the issues directly.
Background.
1) I attended a placement and the mentor said students were not allowed to sign drug chart and it was their Trust policy and they wrote it in the book
please note, we had training to complete and sign drug charts both at university and at placement, so it was not lack of knowledge.
Our new academic assessor who had insufficient knowledge and was still under supervision marked the mentors assessment
as passed in March 2022.
2) In August 2022 at the end of year placement, the academic assessor decided to raise the issue and claimed that "you did not complete the element
regarding drug chart signing". The academic assessor had to consult their counterpart (mentor) to get clarity clarity on this issue before making any decisions, however,
the did not contact the mentor. I requested to challenge it, but they insisted that I should repeat it in another placement of different year. I found out later that the reason
why they did not contact the mentor was that "it was too late to contact them and it was nearly 7 months"
3) Whilst my request to challenge the idea that I did not complete the element was ignored, they pushed for me to repeat( which should have been a retake.
had I failed or not completed, I was required to only retake that element according to their own regulations). I decided to move along with the retake whilst
challenging so that they do not use it against me. I achieved the element again as they instructed me to in December 2022.
4) 27 Jan 2023, I receive a letter saying I should interrupt my studies from 13 Feb 2023 because I have not "completed the element" and the decision was made using
"chairs action" which I did not know the meaning. I disputed this because the mentor had marked it on the book/practice assessment document. I requested for
a meeting with the Deputy Head and was agreed. During the meeting, the did not allow me to make my point as kept interrupting me and not allowing me to show them
my book/PAD stating that, they had already seen it virtually. They told me that if I did not agree with the interruption, they will have no choice but to withdraw me.
That if I wished I may appeal.
I left the meeting as it seemed it was getting out of control. (I found out later from their superior that they did not know how this book/PAD was assessed). The following day, this person sent an email claiming that I had agreed to the interruption after the meeting which I did not.
5) I appealed immediately, and they dismissed my claim despite the evidence in the book/PAD and the violation of their own regulations on the basis that it was an academic judgement
and I cannot challenge that and also, my appeal had elements which fell under complaints. I believe the issue had nothing to do with academic judgement. They instructed that I take my issues to the Office of the independent adjudicator (OIA).
6). I appealed and complained and they became 2 separate cases but on made on separate occasions. During the OIA process, the university communicates with the OIA directly and asks the OIA
that they were handling my complaint and that they put my appeal on hold so that they complete the process and maybe deal with the cases alongside each one. I found this odd and suspicious because the OIA did not know about the complaint at the time and how they came about this idea. Anyway, I agreed.
7) At the end of the university's complaint process, the university had offered to give me back £2,312.50 and £250 for delaying to deal with my complaint. I declined the offer, because it was unfair. I was wrongly interrupted which put me in £7000 debt and £25,520 extra year student loan plus interest. The OIA put my case on hold and changed another adjudicator. After a while, the case went ahead.
At this point, I contacted the mentor of March 2022 where this mess started to support my claim. They were surprised that I was interrupted and they clarified their comment to the university and in my book.
8) The new adjudicator suddenly informs me that the university had decided to settle the complaint based case amount of £7,300. They said" if I did not agree with the offer, they would consider that an offer was made and I declined in case I decided escalate the cases and if I accepted the offer, both cases would be closed" and I was given a week to decide. This put me in a difficult position because my academic year was starting and I did not want to start with the stresses of the case. I was in debt and behind my rent, council tax etc. So I accepted the offer.
9) Shortly, the university writes to me and state that "the settlement does not override their decision to interrupt me, therefore, their decision still stands". When I contacted the OIA, that I wished to return their money as they said both cases would be settled, I was informed that the cases were closed and there was nothing I could do. However, documents were shared with me
10). Since then, the university has continued with its return plans it made when it interrupted me. As I see, they breached the settlement and the fact that the mentor clarified to the university, they still pushed this narrative. I have tried communicating with them, they blatantly avoid to speak about address the issue. Also, many students have fallen victim of wrong interruptions.
I do apologise for this very long thread, but there is no way I could shorten it to make a bit of sense.
Please help if you can.
I am in a dilemma and it is quite a long story, please forgive me in advance but I will make it as short as possible.
I was interrupted wrongly by my university and believe it breached my contract when the staff behaved in what I believe was a negligent manner
by avoiding to address the issues directly.
Background.
1) I attended a placement and the mentor said students were not allowed to sign drug chart and it was their Trust policy and they wrote it in the book
please note, we had training to complete and sign drug charts both at university and at placement, so it was not lack of knowledge.
Our new academic assessor who had insufficient knowledge and was still under supervision marked the mentors assessment
as passed in March 2022.
2) In August 2022 at the end of year placement, the academic assessor decided to raise the issue and claimed that "you did not complete the element
regarding drug chart signing". The academic assessor had to consult their counterpart (mentor) to get clarity clarity on this issue before making any decisions, however,
the did not contact the mentor. I requested to challenge it, but they insisted that I should repeat it in another placement of different year. I found out later that the reason
why they did not contact the mentor was that "it was too late to contact them and it was nearly 7 months"
3) Whilst my request to challenge the idea that I did not complete the element was ignored, they pushed for me to repeat( which should have been a retake.
had I failed or not completed, I was required to only retake that element according to their own regulations). I decided to move along with the retake whilst
challenging so that they do not use it against me. I achieved the element again as they instructed me to in December 2022.
4) 27 Jan 2023, I receive a letter saying I should interrupt my studies from 13 Feb 2023 because I have not "completed the element" and the decision was made using
"chairs action" which I did not know the meaning. I disputed this because the mentor had marked it on the book/practice assessment document. I requested for
a meeting with the Deputy Head and was agreed. During the meeting, the did not allow me to make my point as kept interrupting me and not allowing me to show them
my book/PAD stating that, they had already seen it virtually. They told me that if I did not agree with the interruption, they will have no choice but to withdraw me.
That if I wished I may appeal.
I left the meeting as it seemed it was getting out of control. (I found out later from their superior that they did not know how this book/PAD was assessed). The following day, this person sent an email claiming that I had agreed to the interruption after the meeting which I did not.
5) I appealed immediately, and they dismissed my claim despite the evidence in the book/PAD and the violation of their own regulations on the basis that it was an academic judgement
and I cannot challenge that and also, my appeal had elements which fell under complaints. I believe the issue had nothing to do with academic judgement. They instructed that I take my issues to the Office of the independent adjudicator (OIA).
6). I appealed and complained and they became 2 separate cases but on made on separate occasions. During the OIA process, the university communicates with the OIA directly and asks the OIA
that they were handling my complaint and that they put my appeal on hold so that they complete the process and maybe deal with the cases alongside each one. I found this odd and suspicious because the OIA did not know about the complaint at the time and how they came about this idea. Anyway, I agreed.
7) At the end of the university's complaint process, the university had offered to give me back £2,312.50 and £250 for delaying to deal with my complaint. I declined the offer, because it was unfair. I was wrongly interrupted which put me in £7000 debt and £25,520 extra year student loan plus interest. The OIA put my case on hold and changed another adjudicator. After a while, the case went ahead.
At this point, I contacted the mentor of March 2022 where this mess started to support my claim. They were surprised that I was interrupted and they clarified their comment to the university and in my book.
8) The new adjudicator suddenly informs me that the university had decided to settle the complaint based case amount of £7,300. They said" if I did not agree with the offer, they would consider that an offer was made and I declined in case I decided escalate the cases and if I accepted the offer, both cases would be closed" and I was given a week to decide. This put me in a difficult position because my academic year was starting and I did not want to start with the stresses of the case. I was in debt and behind my rent, council tax etc. So I accepted the offer.
9) Shortly, the university writes to me and state that "the settlement does not override their decision to interrupt me, therefore, their decision still stands". When I contacted the OIA, that I wished to return their money as they said both cases would be settled, I was informed that the cases were closed and there was nothing I could do. However, documents were shared with me
10). Since then, the university has continued with its return plans it made when it interrupted me. As I see, they breached the settlement and the fact that the mentor clarified to the university, they still pushed this narrative. I have tried communicating with them, they blatantly avoid to speak about address the issue. Also, many students have fallen victim of wrong interruptions.
I do apologise for this very long thread, but there is no way I could shorten it to make a bit of sense.
Please help if you can.