Broken Financial promise from dept head

BugglesMcHair

Dear people,

Please bear with me....

My boyfriend finished his 3rd year of a 4 year degree in May. Less than 10 people passed the year and of those, only 4 had originally applied for the 4 year Honours degree, him included, so they were only obliged to make accommodations for those 4 people. The college said they couldn't afford to run the year for so few people and tried to fob them off with a few options but they each had to agree, unanimously, to one option.

First, they were offered €5000 to leave with their 3 year, ordinary level degree and or, the possibility of completing their degree in another college.
(he applied for a 4 year honours degree, he is entitled to complete it, leaving for another college was not an option for any of the 4)

Second, they were offered part of their final year in the form of distance learning modules (this was done in previous years and was not a success, 1 of the 4 didn't want this)

thirdly, they were offered a waive of their fees for the year (€2500) if they agreed not to return until january (second semester), most of which comprises of work experience so it wouldn't be any work for the college. They would then return the following september for the current semester with next years students.
(he gets his fees paid by the VEC so they said they'd give him a cheque for this figure instead. This seemed the best option as they also said they would find work experience for them until January)

Despite repeated assurances that they would definitely get the money, paid directly to them, it is now 5 weeks into what should have been their second last semester and they have now been told that the "college cannot be seen to be giving a sum like this to a student" and they "don't know what to do". The last few conversations were recorded, the promise and the subsequent doddering around. As of today, they were told that the college will pay them through a recruitment agency at a rate of €15 per hour for 14 weeks on a weekly basis, giving a total of €2100, not the promised €2500. Their response when questioned on this was that they would have to pay VAT and recruitment agency fees totaling €400. This may also be taxed and may possibly effect back to education allowance.

for several years now there has been less than half a dozen people completing this course each year, so the college should not be offering a 4 year degree in the first place. this happened last year and they opted for the distance learning option. €2500 no questions asked cash to a poor student seemed too tempting.

Instead of finishing his degree next May, he will now not finish until next December.

The head of department and financial departments both made a promise that they had know idea whether or not they could fulfill.

I'm not posting this to a particular institute in case it effects outcome, I'm just looking for general suggestions.

I would like to go to the press and expose the college for this. I think future students should know about this. It's been a pain in the arse dealing with this going back to April of this year. However, he is concerned about how he will be seen in the eyes of the college when he returns to complete his degree. He also thinks there's just no point, nothing would come of it.

I just wanted a rant really but any similar experiences, Advice, Suggestions, reassurances would be welcome.

cheers

Annasopra

Talk to the Students Union. Thats what they are for.

BugglesMcHair

mango salsa wrote: »

Talk to the Students Union. Thats what they are for.

Thanks, but unfortunately the students union are utterly useless. Children playing at being grown ups

Annasopra

BugglesMcHair wrote: »

Thanks, but unfortunately the students union are utterly useless. Children playing at being grown ups

Is that an experience or opinion? I often find that people falsely hold such opinions of students unions.

BugglesMcHair

Both, they just don't come under my radar as folk who could help in such a thing. Blow a lot of hot air, organise the same fruitless protests and plan parties. But seeing as you suggested it, ok, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

Thanks