Lecturer MIA and Masters graduation on hold.

Blush_01

Long, long story slightly shorter: I finished my MA last September/October. I waited (and waited, and waited...) for my results, which were due in Spring this year. I hadn't received grades for some of my assignments, but wasn't too worried about it, as I had been working so much after the official close of term and knew from experience that my grades would all be on my record anyway, whether I had physically been given a copy of my result or not.

In April (when I had heard nothing about graduation) I contacted my department, to find out that the course co-ordinator had been taken ill the previous January or thereabouts, and nobody had known that I hadn't graduated as normal.

Since then I have spent weeks sorting things out, confirming grades and ensuring everything is in order. My supervisor has been very helpful and all of my grades have been as I expected - with the exception of one. (Keep in mind, in the four years I spent in Uni, I never failed anything.)

I have been given an F- grade for one of my essays - which was submitted on time, complete, with required references and adequate wordcount. It's not the most amazing assignment I have ever written, but it answers the question (competently, in my opinion) and I believe it should have passed at least. I contacted my supervisor, the department secretary, the postgraduate co-ordinator and secretary, however nobody has contact details for the lecturer who taught that course, as she was a temporary lecturer. I've googled her and e-mailed the two e-mail addresses that came up for her, but I'm at a loss as to how I can contact her past that. The department have no contact details for her, and a fail (and a pretty damn awful fail at that) will completely take the bottom out of my grade.

I'm getting a bit panic-y, as soon my graduation will have to be pushed back to next summer if I can't get in touch with her to find out her justification for the result. The college doesn't appear to have any record of her receiving the assignment, and there is no copy of the script on file in the department (as there should normally be) to which they could refer. They say that there were two F- grades handed down for the module - one for an assignment that wasn't received, and one for an assignment that failed. Using the process of elimination, they decided I must have been the student that failed (and based on my assumption of who the other person was, I can understand their process of elimination, as one of the other people in my class dropped out towards the end of the year). I can provide them with a copy of the assignment if they want it, but it seems like I've worn out whatever goodwill there was at the beginning of my inquiry and I'm at a loss as to what I should do.

Can anyone advise me as to what I might do next?

Hitchhiker's Guide to...

okay, it sounds like you have been completely messed about here.

They absolutely one million percent are not allowed to assume "by process of elimination" that your essay (which they can't find) and a grade (that they don't know who it belongs to) should be matched together. They have to show you your paper and why it failed.

You need to make this absolutely clear to them. It is unheard of, and any external examiner would go crazy if they thought your uni was treating grades in this manner.

I suspect that you are primarily being told this type of thing by administrators and not by the people who actually sit on exam boards in your department (e.g. like your departmental head).

Hitchhiker's Guide to...

Just realised that i never actually gave you any advice in my last post.

Given that you say you have "worn out whatever goodwill there was" you may as well play hardball with them:

1) Talk to your student union (if they are any good)

2) Write a formal letter to the Head of Department saying that you are unwilling to accept their current treatment of you with regard to the missing paper. They are not allowed to "assume" what your grade might be. All papers have to be kept for the external examiner to check as it is the external examiner that actually approves the grades.Ask the head of department to come up with a solution. They would presumably be able to come up with a number of alternatives: e.g. your grade in the exam in that subject stands as your overall grade in that subject, or you can resubmit the essay.

3) Say that you will be speaking to the head of college, dean of academic affairs if it isn't sorted out because proper academic procedure is not being followed.

I would try to keep the letter very sucienct (sic) and just focusing on the particular issue of the missing paper and the missing grade (because they are fully at fault in this part). If you discuss too many other points in the letter it will allow them to focus on these other issues and not address your main concern.

Drift

Hey OP,

I know in our department any subject that involves a guest lecturer has a permanent staff lecturer overseeing/organising it. This department lecturer ALWAYS has a phone number for the guest lecturer in case of any unforseen circumstances. Would it be possible for you to find out if things are organised the same way in your department. If so a personal visit to said lecturer might help.

Secondly - how well do you get on with your supervisor? Is he/she a personal supervisor for just you (i.e. one that you submitted at thesis to)? If you get on well with him/her it would be good to have someone on staff fighting your case. If not them is there any other lecturer you get on very well with?

These are the two informal routes I can think of. You mention that you think you have exhausted your supply of goodwill with the department. From what I've seen in my own experience it's a lot easier to exhaust the patience of someone who doesn't know you personally. If you have a friend/confidant in the department they will usually go to quite long lengths to help you out.

If you are sure that there is no way to informally solve it then Roundtowers advice is spot on. I have found personally thought that in most cases the informal route provides much quicker results if it can be taken.

magooly

HI OP

My next port of call would be the Students Union Presidents office, not too busy this time of year. This kind of situation is exactly why we elected them and how they earn their place. They have considerable clout.

Good luck

randylonghorn

Hi Blush,

God, what a mess!!

Roundtower2 wrote: »

okay, it sounds like you have been completely messed about here.

They absolutely one million percent are not allowed to assume "by process of elimination" that your essay (which they can't find) and a grade (that they don't know who it belongs to) should be matched together. They have to show you your paper and why it failed.

You need to make this absolutely clear to them. It is unheard of, and any external examiner would go crazy if they thought your uni was treating grades in this manner.

I suspect that you are primarily being told this type of thing by administrators and not by the people who actually sit on exam boards in your department (e.g. like your departmental head).

I agree with the above.

It really sounds to me as if they know what the problem is, but no-one is taking the responsibility for fixing it. You need to put the pressure on to force someone to take that responsibility.

I would advise writing formally to the relevant Head of Department, and I would be inclined to suggest copying the letter to the Registrar (or equivalent post in your College, but it would normally be the Registrar who has ultimate responsibility for the examination system.)

The paper trail is important in bureaucracies, and Unis / colleges are as bureaucratic as hell!

I would agree with this:

Roundtower2 wrote: »

I would try to keep the letter very sucienct (sic) and just focusing on the particular issue of the missing paper and the missing grade (because they are fully at fault in this part). If you discuss too many other points in the letter it will allow them to focus on these other issues and not address your main concern.

If at all possible (i.e. if you are not out of the country or something) indicate that you would be willing to meet with them to discuss the issue if they wish. They may not take you up on it, but it helps pump up the pressure on them to do something NOW.

You shouldn't have to rely on goodwill, you have been messed around, and it is their responsibility to fix it.

That said, it is never sensible to deliberately get peoples' backs up unless you're left with no choice. For that reason, I would be inclined to go this route rather than the SU route initially, and to be courteous but firm.

Bear in mind that your final results will have to go through an Exam Board, etc., and the next round of these will be coming up fairly soon. You need to move now!

helimachoptor

Op I agree with the posters on getting in touch with a personal contact in the college if you have one as they can be lifesavers.

I was repeating a couple of exams and my car broke down and I was 90 mins late for my exam which lasted 2 hours. I went to this lecturer and he just sat me in his office to do his exam. Sound guy.

He helped me out with a couple of other things too.

Also as said above be polite but firm, they have screwed up big time.

lee_arama

Seems a mighty mess. I'm ex-Student's Union myself so I'd always advise a call into them. They'll have access to Governing Body and Academic Council, and both of those will be needed to fix your mess.

Your ghost lecturer is an interesting one. You're entitled to a script review, so any marked assignment MUST be made available to you to see where you went wrong. If the Dept can't provide that then it is they who are at fault, not you. They can't simply give you an F because there was one remaining grade to be given and you seemed like the only one left. That's like coats at the end of a party "It's the only one left so it MUST Be yours", when you're there saying it's not.

If you've consistently scored solid grades throughout your course, and this is the only assignment which marks below that standard then surely the Dept must smell a rat?

Simply demand that this 'F' be rechecked and when they can't do so they'll need to come to an arrangement with you.

Keep hassling them. Colleges are pricks when it comes to upsetting the graduation plans.

Also get in touch with the Area Convenor from USI (Southern, Western, Northern, and there used to be more than 1 for Dublin).

Ostrom

Your examinations office would be a good place to go also, they may put you in touch with the extern, and you do have a right to explain your situation.

Your department head should have been all over this, based on your academic record and the nature of your lecturers position. I dont know what relationship you have with your supervisor, but if it were me I would ask for a second opinion, and they should back you up. Dont let it sit anyway, there are very specific terms for processing and archiving student work which have not been followed here. If it does go to appeal, you have an excellent case.

I would try keep it within the department as much as you can, introducing externs and other admin departments can get messy

MsFifers

Do not feel apologetic in the least about contacting & annoying them until they sort this out.

I used to work in a uni and I can tell you people have sent solicitors' letters for much less than what you have experienced.

Take above advice re: writing letters - go to the Head of Department/Dean.