So Much For An Education..

[num1habsfan]

I'm still too angry to say much about it, but this is ridiculous..

The university I go to told me to do something (reduce my course load so I could have 2 semesters to increase my average), so I listened. It was one of the academic advisors who said it.

WELL I got a letter in the mail yesterday telling me I'm being kicked out of Business Admin AND university for 2 semesters because I failed to increase my average to the required amount.. this was after only ONE semester.

I talked to the local gov't and he said fax an appeal, then mail one. I typed one up saying this was for medical reasons and that if one university could go out of there way to make sure I passed it then why should they be any different.

I CANNOT believe they did this to me!! Because of this, I can no longer apply for a student loan, either.

Clearly being registered with the disability office was also no use. Definitely makes a person feel stupid when they dont take that into consideration and kick you out anyways

~ Lisa ~

[Jestgar]

Can you go public? Contact the local newspaper, television, whatever and tell them the whole sad story of how sick you've been, but still have tried to continue your education. You got no help from the professors regarding delaying exams and when you tried to go through proper channels to improve your grades they threw you out.

[Fiddle-Faddle]

Do you have anything in writing from them proving that they told you to reduce your course load? That would certainly help. If not, email whoever told you to reduce your course load, reminding them that they advised you to do this, and tell them what has happened to you.

KEEP A COPY OF THIS EMAIL FOR YOUR OWN RECORDS. Always, always ALWAYS have a paper trail--proof of what you have done and of what you have been told to do by those in authority.

What you typed up ("if one university could go out of their way,etc.") is not going to help you. It sounds whiny and it doesn't emphasize that you reduced your course load because you were advised by the university to do so. (And I hope you spelled it "their," not "there." I'm not kidding, poor spelling turns a lot of academic-type people off, and then you pack less of a punch, so to speak. If you want these people to respect you, you have to present yourself in the best light possible, just like politics! And there is no place as political as a university...

It's kind of like you have to be your own lawyer here. And the winner is the person who presents their case better, not necessarily the one who is RIGHT (that would be you).

I also agree with Jestgar's advice. Go public!

Best of luck--I hope it resolves your way, and quickly!

[Ursa Major]

I agree about going to your local newspaper with your story. A lot of people have been helped when stories like yours have been all over the news/newspapers, because it makes those people look bad, and it is then in their best interest to set things right to save face. Universities don't like bad publicity, especially when it comes to mistreating people with disabilities.

Also, go to the local disabilities association (whatever they are called), they might be able to help you with advice and lobbying.

Do you know the name of the academic adviser who told you to reduce your course load, and that you would have two semesters to increase your average? It is very important that you know exactly who said that. Otherwise you won't be able to prove it. And yes, do you have that in writing?

[num1habsfan]

Yeah I'll have to go back to Regina and get that proof..not even sure WHERE I have that information.

I plan to keep raising this issue with the government.

The lady who TOLD ME to reduce my course load is the one who sent this letter!

I was on probation, but since I didn't take 5 classes she said didn't have to increase it in just one semester, and would have 2.

If anybody wants a copy of my appeal letter let me know!

~ Lisa ~

[gfp]

  num1habsfan said:

Yeah I'll have to go back to Regina and get that proof..not even sure WHERE I have that information.

I plan to keep raising this issue with the government.

The lady who TOLD ME to reduce my course load is the one who sent this letter!

I was on probation, but since I didn't take 5 classes she said didn't have to increase it in just one semester, and would have 2.

If anybody wants a copy of my appeal letter let me know!

~ Lisa ~

Lisa, as Fiddle-Faddle pointed out be meticulous with spelling and grammar. You need to get at least one other person, preferably several to read it before you send it.

I agree also that you must not sound "whiny", this is not about feelings it is about fact as YOU present it.

However: You are fighting a bureaucratic system, they do not CARE they are simply following a set of rules/procedures in a manner that creates the least amount of work for them. You on the other hand have everything to win/lose. This is overwhelmingly to your advantage if you keep to facts.

Unless you offend this bureaucrat they have nothing to gain or lose from you continuing, receiving your grants and getting on with life except the extra work it might entail. The more you create extra paperwork for them in denying you this the more likely they will decide its easier to just give you a pass or find another way through that doesn't increase their workload.

If you offend this person or write something that will implicate they did not do their job correctly then they will fight and they will start to care about the outcome. Unless you offend them then they have no reason to care other than the amount of work it entails.

Be careful about going public because this will automatically put them on the defensive. Also even though they may be wrong this will then escalate and their superior may decide its easier to defend them that say they were wrong...

Keep in mind, this person has no malice against YOU. They are not involved other than you are one of thousands of people in a system. Make it as simple as possible for them to help and require (in a nice work) a lot of paperwork for them to not help. Wear them down with paperwork and at some point the chance is they will just see its less work to actually help you!

Best of luck

  Quote

Yeah I'll have to go back to Regina and get that proof..not even sure WHERE I have that information.

Ask for it. Make it clear you have it but its in Regina. Keep asking for paperwork in an official way... it creates work for them.

It is their job to keep the paperwork .. not yours (though strongly in your interest).

"Thank you for your letter, I am currently not in Regina but XXXXX and do not have access to my paperwork relating to this. Please could you forward me the letter you sent in XXXX in order I can include this in the appeal I have been advised to submit."

This is non-personal, you are not blaming the administrator, you are not saying you lost the paperwork, but you are not currently with it.. and the appeal implies this will create more and more work for them ???

[ravenwoodglass]

You have gotten some great advice already but I am going to give you a bit of a different take on this event. You have been VERY ill. It does not sound like they have kicked you out permanently, you stated that it is for 2 semesters. This tells me you are welcome back after that point. Could you perhaps use that 2 semester break to get your health back? That way you can return fresh, healthy and able to give the course work your full attention? This may not be a bad thing and may allow you to learn and achieve higher grades and knowledge when you return. Perhaps you could get things set up so that your return will be firmly in place when your health is a bit better.

[gfp]

  ravenwoodglass said:

You have gotten some great advice already but I am going to give you a bit of a different take on this event. You have been VERY ill. It does not sound like they have kicked you out permanently, you stated that it is for 2 semesters. This tells me you are welcome back after that point. Could you perhaps use that 2 semester break to get your health back? That way you can return fresh, healthy and able to give the course work your full attention? This may not be a bad thing and may allow you to learn and achieve higher grades and knowledge when you return. Perhaps you could get things set up so that your return will be firmly in place when your health is a bit better.

This went through my head too. Perhaps the hard work will be better directed in this direction ??

[bakingbarb]

Good luck with this.

I have a friend who's sister teaches at a University in Canada (srry don't know which one) but she was quite ill and they tried to fire her. In meetings they were all nice but then they pulled all kinds of crap on her. She took it as high as she could and kept her job but it seems similar. Makes you wonder about people.

[2kids4me]

I dont know which university you are at...I found this in a search and you may find it helpful. Its flabergasting that the same person who said: reduce your course load and take 2 semesters to improve your grade---is the same one who doesnt even give you that time? It's like she looked at your situation, realized it was health related issue, made it possible for you to stay and then pulled the rug out!

I would love to ask this person: Why did you tell me to reduce my course load, take 2 semesters to get my grades up and then tell me not to come back after only 1 semester?

anyway - here is a link , dont know if it will be of help, but worth a look.

Open Original Shared Link

  Quote

Submit in writing an explanation of why he/she was unable to meet or maintain the academic progress requirements; and

Submit all documentation that substantiates the student's circumstances, such as a letter from a doctor or copies of medical bills if a student cites medical reasons for not meeting the requirements.

I noted that many of the sites dicussing appeals have a 30 day deadline - you may want to check on that ASAP

I found this in a blog about appeals

  Quote

It should be concise, professional in style and heartfelt. Your goal is to persuade the reader to re-evaluate their decision.

You want to convey in a factual and professional manner exactly why you feel their decision is flawed, yet you need to also create an emotional bond with the reader to try and build a sense of compassion or connection. The goal is to persuade the reader and that requires a factual presentation that also creates an emotional connection while also maintaining the reader's interest.

It is a fine line to walk, but effectively doing so will not only result in a letter whose contents may sway opinion, but also in a letter that is an example of the excellent quality of work that the write is capable of.

And, as another answer indicates, it is critical to know your audience when attempting to persuade them.

Sandy

[Phyllis28]

Lisa,

I am sorry to here that the university didn't follow through on it's agreement to allow you two semesters to improve your grades. I don't have any advice on dealing with the university.

The only thing I can give you is the experience I've had with schools in general with my son who has Asperger's and Tourettes. I found that I had to match the school with his needs. Before placing him in school I would visit and make sure the school was a good match. Some schools simply don't want to deal with anyone who is different. They expect everyone to fit into their box. This maybe what happened to you. Your prior university worked with you and this one did not.

You have already received many good suggestions. One more idea to consider is to look into online college. My son has take two online classes and they have worked very well. There were deadlines to meet but he could do the work at anytime of the day or night at his pace. There are a limited number of majors that can be done this way and these are usually expensive. Make sure the college is accredited.

Hope everything works out and your health improves.

[num1habsfan]

I think i've decided that if they don't want to listen to my appeal, I will continue to pressure the government with it. Going to the media wouldn't be a good idea in this place - actually not really necessary. In these small towns all you have to do is tell one person and the word gets around very easily and spreads quickly!

Also decided that if I indeed can't return for 2 semesters, then I will apply for that computer course I want to take at another school. Not as close as the university, but still within walking distance during the fall/spring. Winter I could always take a taxi or something. I might as well get started on that instead of waiting until after I'm done my accounting.

If it was possibly to complete any major at the same community college (or those in the system), I would have. But 2 years for accounting is the most they offer, any other career is only the first year.

I know (i think) some of you suggested that I take time off, but I don't want to take anymore time off at this point. It would be good for me to maybe heal, and be easier to pressure the doctors, but I already lost 3 off-years. I could have completed both my Accounting Degree and my CST Diploma by now and actually working in the career that I want. I don't want to delay that anymore

Also I'm afraid that if I take the time off and give in to my zillion illnesses, then I will let it all get to me and maybe stop me from fighting it. That's the last thing we all want, right?

~ Lisa ~