to the past and present uni students

[tris-]

im in a bit of a dilema at the minute as one of the tutors has decided to be a cock.

the story
last tuesday we were advised a trip was happening on the wednesday afternoon. our student union has had a rule in place for shit knows how long that wednesday afternoons are ONLY for activities with the students union (clubs and the like). any teaching can only be done by the student volunteering to attend a class. to me, being told the day before the trip is happening is very short notice. so of course no one could attend this trip for all kinds of reasons. there was no emphasis on how important this trip was.

the next day one of the teachers came into the class with a very pissed off atitude. she said something along the lines of "hope you all enjoyed the trip, you now have a 1200 word essay to write about it". of course she knew full well no one attended it.

i have checked everywhere and no where was it ever stated an assignment would be done on this. all assesments get laid out in a hand book showing how much they count towards gaining credits for the year. but it seems we are being forced to do it, even though it counts for fuck all. for this particular module we have 4 assesments and one exam which all equal 100% of the weighing towards the credits.

ive complained the tutors and the lady who you goto if you want to complain about the tutors. so far no one is telling me what it exactly counts for and why the hell i should spend the little time i have to do work that counts for nothing.

then suddenly as everyone complained, she said its mandatory to do it to meet criteria set by the accrediting body.

now the questions

• is the accrediting body not the uni?
• if this counts towards nothing in terms of gaining credits, why should i have to do it?
• has anyone else had this happen to them before?
• if i get no satisfactory response from the tutors, who do i turn to next?

dont get me wrong, im not trying to be lazy and get out of it. i will do it without any issues if i knew why i had to do it and what it actually counts for. it seems they are doing it just because they are pissed no one turned up, but what the hell were they expecting.

 

[throdgrain]

Fuck off student!!!!

 

[tris-]

Fuck off student!!!!

im not just a bum, i also have a job and pay taxes

 

[TdC]

that's a bit crap innit? first they toss prior agreements to the winds, and then punish you for not complying? ha!

 

[inactionman]

You might want to get a group of you together and contact the head of department about it, or your course leader. I suggest you talk to the student union about it as well, they may be able to give more specific advice.

 

[tris-]

You might want to get a group of you together and contact the head of department about it, or your course leader. I suggest you talk to the student union about it as well, they may be able to give more specific advice.

that stroke of genius came to me just a moment ago. i explained the situation in full detail to an advisor. ive been told the tutors are in breach of section 3 of the student protocol and guilty of mal administration of an assesment.

im off to pick up a complaints pack, i got a couple peoples names i can put down too

 

[JingleBells]

is the accrediting body not the uni?

This depends on the course, my degree course Comp Sci @ UMIST was accredited by the British Computer Society (BCS), meaning I had a log book to fill in for my placement year, and upon graduation I was able to instantly become a member (rather than an affiliate) as my degree was accredited by them.

 

[Moriath]

but its only 1200 words you could have done a couple internet searches and bashed out 1200 words in the time and energy you spent figuring out if it needed to be done or not

 

[dysfunction]

They can do what they want...its not a democracy at Uni...

Just live with it. Do what they ask and Get it done....

It may be "unfair" but thats life I'm afraid...

 

[anattic]

They can do what they want...its not a democracy at Uni...

Just live with it. Do what they ask and Get it done....

It may be "unfair" but thats life I'm afraid...

True, it's not a democracy. However, today's students (unless you're in Scotland) are paying fees. Doesn't this make them 'customers' with all the associated rights?

 

[tris-]

They can do what they want...its not a democracy at Uni...

Just live with it. Do what they ask and Get it done....

It may be "unfair" but thats life I'm afraid...

if you like people walking all over you then thats fine by me

our tutors have told us we are paying for the course, effectively paying for a service. so if we feel something is not right we have every right to complain.

and no they cant do what they want. maybe back in africa its another story. at my uni the, union actually has a purpose. one of which is a department only interested in the students welfare and the service we recieve off the university its self.

but its only 1200 words you could have done a couple internet searches and bashed out 1200 words in the time and energy you spent figuring out if it needed to be done or not

so far its taken me approx 40 minutes to make my complaint. thats including traveling to get a pack, talking on the phone and sending emails. id like to see the genius who does a 1200 word essay in that time. about a trip you never went on and about issues you have no idea about.

 

[dysfunction]

True, it's not a democracy. However, today's students (unless you're in Scotland) are paying fees. Doesn't this make them 'customers' with all the associated rights?

I paid a bloody fortune to go to Uni. No government grants and what have you. 100% was paid by me. You may be a "customer" but don't expect any customer service!

Yes you could complain and make a fuss but it was unlikely to get you anywhere.
Its basicly their rules and they tend to make them up as they go along.

You have paid for the lectures and tutorials etc so yes you could take action if they didnt supply that....but if they decide to add optional extra's along the way I'm afraid you have to live with that.

I know one student was dismissed once from one of the residences. there was a huge riot which lasted about a week. In the end the student was still dismissed...

and no they cant do what they want. maybe back in africa its another story. at my uni the, union actually has a purpose. one of which is a department only interested in the students welfare and the service we recieve off the university its self.

Just out of interest what have they accomlished in the time you have been there? Anything of importance?

 

[tris-]

well my good man, complaining has worked in my favour again.

i emailed the tutors stating i was making a formal complaint and now the whole story changed rather quickly. its gone from "you have to do this" to "you only do this if you think you need help with writing essays".

complaining gets you no where?

 

[dysfunction]

This is the problem in this day and age.

No discipline and Tutors and lecturers have no backbone...

 

[tris-]

This is the problem in this day and age.

No discipline and Tutors and lecturers have no backbone...

you might want to think out side the box a little.
some students of course do nothing but get up late and get drunk.

then some like me do the full hours, do the REQUIRED work, read all the books then also do 20+ hours paid work per week. believe it or not, we also like days off like everyone else. so doing unneccesary work isnt something id get a boner over.

i know you will come back with "but real life isnt about days off". so save those fingers

 

[anattic]

No discipline and Tutors and lecturers have no backbone...

...or, a victory for the consumer?

 

[dysfunction]

you might want to think out side the box a little.
some students of course do nothing but get up late and get drunk.

then some like me do the full hours, do the REQUIRED work, read all the books then also do 20+ hours paid work per week. believe it or not, we also like days off like everyone else. so doing unneccesary work isnt something id get a boner over.

i know you will come back with "but real life isnt about days off". so save those fingers

I wasnt going to say that but that is a fair comeback....

I do think you do need to do some late sleeping and getting drunk though

 

[tris-]

I wasnt going to say that but that is a fair comeback....

I do think you do need to do some late sleeping and getting drunk though

i do the getting pissed thing. rather than get up late i get minimal sleep and stumble into class still stinking of what ever shaking like a withdrawn H addict.

but i get there, more than can be said for a lot of others

 

[TdC]

I get minimal sleep and stumble into class still stinking of what ever shaking like a withdrawn H addict.

hey I still have that!

 

[rynnor]

then some like me do the full hours, do the REQUIRED work, read all the books then also do 20+ hours paid work per week. believe it or not, we also like days off like everyone else.

Jeez you poor bastard! Getting pissed, not doing any work or turning up to lectures for weeks on end are every Students right! I bunked so many lectures people used to be shocked if they saw me and there were several rumours that I had left - we should start a new charity - GTP - "Get Triss Pissed!"

They should never have got rid of grants - its disgusting.

 

[Tilda]

tris, tbh, sure, wednesdays are traditionally free, but a trip for your couse should take priority.
I'd try and do the essay anyway, do some reading about it or something, or ask someone who went. From experience, in a legally based couse, you'll want plenty of help with your writing style, and this is an opportunity to get some useful feedback.
Sure it may not count to your course, but thats like saying "well I wont do any practice exam papers unless they count" it all helps you develop a clear and comprehensible writing style which will make doing exams that much easier.

Tild

 

[leggy]

The accrediting body is not the University. It will no doubt be an external entity of some description. Usually an institution like the IEE (Institution of Electrical Engineers) for the engineering departments.

In order for the degree course to be accredited by that body (i.e. to not be a useless piece of paper that you'll collect on graduation day) then unfortunately (or not as I see it) the uni has to include the mandatory course work set by them; which includes these visit type things.

 

[Damini]

I might be being blind, but what was the reason you couldn't go on the trip?

 

[Tom]

Apparently it wasn't fair.

Oh if only life could be so simple! "I wasn't expecting that tax bill, its not fair! How can I get away with not paying?"

 

[Athan]

I might be being blind, but what was the reason you couldn't go on the trip?

last tuesday we were advised a trip was happening on the wednesday afternoon

i.e. 24 hours or less notice. Given the Wednesday afternoons are usually 'free time' (at least when I was at Uni this was, at least in part, so that inter-University sports could take place) people could easily have plans already by then, including things like medical appointments, driving tests, seeing their bank manager, and all manner of other things they couldn't just blow off because their tutor decided to change/make plans for them at the last moment.

Given the rapid backpedal by the tutor(s) once a formal complaint was made I can't see how the tutors could possibly have been in the right, else they'd be willing to contest it.

And tris-, ignore dysfunction, he's just being a trolling retard

-Ath, in no mood to put up with fuckwitted bureaucrats given the screwup the DWP has made...

 

[tris-]

Apparently it wasn't fair.

Oh if only life could be so simple! "I wasn't expecting that tax bill, its not fair! How can I get away with not paying?"

come on sonny jim weve been through this already. ive already said i know someone would come back with this. it really doesnt mean anything. i am paying for a service, im not in secondary school where teachers can bitch slap you and rape you in the shower after PE. i know many people dont mind being fucked around. personally, i dont stand for it.
the reason for not going on such a trip is no ones business except the individuals. especially on a day when everyone assumes is free. tom is indeed incorrect on my reason for not going.
thats not even considering the tutors breached protocols and are guilty of mal-administration of an assesment

tilda - this trip wasnt based around the law modules. ive already had a year of experience in writing all kinds of essays (for uni) and gained feed back. all of which i still possess in my secret draw

Given the rapid backpedal by the tutor(s) once a formal complaint was made I can't see how the tutors could possibly have been in the right, else they'd be willing to contest it.
.

all i did was inform them i had the forms and was completing it so a formal complaint could go ahead. the story changed quite quickly and the whole thing came to an abrupt end. i knew from the start something wasnt quite right.
im hoping i will become famous when i return to uni on thursday and people with be wearing t shirts with my face on them.

 

[TdC]

im hoping i will become famous when i return to uni on thursday and people with be wearing t shirts with my face on them.

or goatse ones!!!1

 

[Damini]

I don't know Tris, to me it makes a difference if you couldn't go because you had something planned because it was a wednesday, or if you didn't go because it was a wednesday and you could have hypothetically had something planned, so just didn't go on principle. I'm not trying to dig at you, just calling it as I see it. I'd be arsey if a bunch of students refused to go out on a trip on a wednesday because it would impede their option to play netball if they so desired, but actually didn't desire in the slightest - that's why I'm asking.

It'll help us understand the grade of evil to apply to your tutor

 

[dysfunction]

And tris-, ignore dysfunction, he's just being a trolling retard

You barstand!! I wish I had never given you backup in the days of Battlfield 2!!

 

[dave]

I never got to go on a single trip at university, I would have gone on a day out!