Help.

dmg24

puresiesta wrote: »

My academic appeal failed in its first stage as the person who contacted me stated that It did not adhere to the uni's policies, procedures and regulations as it did not contain any relevant, new info that could not have been previously presented.

I would agree with them - what information that could not have been previously presented did you submit?

puresiesta

Everything that was subbmitted in the appeal. I had 10 days to contact the uni after the results were published through the R4R. If I did not or was late I would lose the right to any appeal!!!! Durring this time I saw my GP, was diagnosed, given a perscription and councelling.

At this point I began writing my appeal and gathering the evidence for why I failed my examinations.


My r4r was considering the original decsion and not my examination results, as I was initially refused the right to resits and a year retake!!!!

bestpud

What's R4R, please?

puresiesta

It is Request for Reconsideration.


My Uni's stages of appeal in order:

special situations form: up to 7 days after exams
R4R: up to 10 days after results published
academic appeal: up to 20 days after R4R decison
OIA offic of independant adjudictor: up to 3 months after completion of procedures letter provided with academic appeal decision.

melancholly

puresiesta wrote: »

Special situations is to be provided up 7 days after an examination.

Request for Reconsideration is to be provided up 10 days after a decison e.g. results day.

Exam timetable:

22nd May - June 8th

My state progressively got worse 2 weeks before up untill Given all I was at my Worst when I saw the GP. At that point I only saw the GP because the Student Councellers sympathised with me and that im not the only person who has had these problems. At the time it felt like I was the only person and that everything was against me suffering from stress, depression, anxiety and insomnia.

now i know that some people have reported special situations that were unexpected right up to results (e.g. death in the family, accident, sudden illness) - could there be an issue that this was not 'unexpected' but something that could (should?) have been reported earlier? what is the difference between special situations and mitigating circumstances or are we talking about the same thing?

puresiesta

In that sense yes I could report it earlier. But with no evidence from a doctor or councellar. at that point i would be claiming im ill. It is a very difficault issue to resolve in regards to mental health.

Would I be right or wrong not to tell the uni that I think I have depression because of so and so. OH uni i think i have depression so my exam results will be rubbish. how would they at the point no wheather i was or was not lying to them as a fail safe.

If i may use another example.

If someone has been drinking alot and taking drugs etc and its affected there results would you think that they should report it. At this point the person in question may not even truely believe that they have a problem (denial). then the student may think so and be afraid to talk to someone about it. the student eventually then seeks help through councelling and GP's as they need to do something about it. They are told then by the doctors etc that they do have a drug and drink problem and that they are an alcoholic. The recovery period begins.

This is exactly what happened to me but with Depression, anxiety, stress and insomnia.

Why do people think that in this sort of mental state or the state i was in that they would be able to report it. Anxiety--- you wouldnt want people knowing you are suffering etc.

thelastunicorn

Forgive me my bluntness, but I feel that this needs to be said.

Where drink and drugs are concerned, no University would want to take someone on unless their mental state had recovered to the point where professionals view them as capable of undertaking the course, as well as not being a risk to anyone - including themselves. They have a duty of care to you.

If you believe you were so depressed that it caused you to fail where you otherwise would've passed with ease, then you shouldn't be going back until you're mentally stable enough to achieve your potential. It's not fair to let someone continually resit - or even pass with a grade below the acceptable level - because they have depression. It's also not helpful for a depressed student to continually suffer failure, because it won't improve their mental health. If your performance was affected that drastically, then your illness won't be cured in a summer.

From the tone of your posts and the way they're written, you don't sound particularly academic. If I were your tutor, I would find it hard to identify whether you failed due to depression or if your depression was brought on because the course is beyond your capabilities, which would make the University reluctant to give you another chance. If you're just not suited to your course or University-level work in general, then you shouldn't be going back either.

Not everyone gets on with University; a fair few find it too hard for them and drop out.

Also - bloody hell, if you think admitting depression is the "hardest part of the illness", then I doubt you're very severely depressed! Try losing all your friends and family and forgetting to wash yourself, that's the kind of depression that would probably earn you some re-sits. Being depressed and having clinical depression are two very different things.

puresiesta

Who are you to comment on what type of depression I have. I have been back to the GP on several occassions to discuss several matters including the medication and to take some phycological tests.

I suffered from insomnia, I could sleep for hours on end, go days without sleep, sleep anywhere and everywhere at any time with no regualer pattern.

My anxiety at Its worst meant that I did not leave my house for 3 weeks.

My depressive state resulted in a severe lack of confidence.

Not all depression is brought on by matters you have stated. Your naivety is unbelievable. If I had progressed into university from college how am I incaable?? If I passed through year one of the course am i incapable?? If my grades are fine the 1st two terms of the year am I incapable??


My spelling and grammer can be totally disregarded on a bloody interent forum you complete stuck up xxxx

Nicky321

Sorry to butt in but I sympathise with the OP, my son has had a few rough years, he was only diagnosed as severe dyspraxia, dyslexic and dysgraphia in his 2nd year at college. The following academic year, uni yr 1 he suffered a lot of personal upheaval, leaving him suffering from depression, anxiety, lack of self confidence and suicidal tendencies. He saw his GP in the November and the GP recommended prescribed medication, which he refused. My son never told anyone within uni and managed to hide his symptoms (he didnt want to admit he had problems, felt the world was against him etc) it was only through my perseverance that I managed to get him to see the doctor again in the March, and he was put down for counselling. The waiting time for counselling was approximately 3 months. Around May my son actually contemplated ending his life and it was only then, from my frantic phone call that he was seen by a crisis team the same day and put on medication. At this point he was unable to attend uni and had daily visits from the crisis team, he had to put in for extenuating circumstances which we never had a written outcome about, and an extension was given. Obviously, anyone suffering from MH problems know these things dont just suddenly disappear. His next deadline was quickly arriving and work had still not been completed. He was advised to apply for another extenuating circumstances and was given a letter from the MH crisis team to state that he was and had been suffering from a MH crisis. He had now been accepted onto his 2nd year and is still struggling although he is improving.

My point is MH problems are used by many, sometime geniunely, sometimes not. The Health profession take there time to determine if someone has MH Problems, I cant praise them enough for what they have done for my son now, but at the start my son didnt seem to get the help he needed, because he managed to hide things well and not admit to himself that he needed help.

melancholly

puresiesta wrote: »

Who are you to comment on what type of depression I have. I have been back to the GP on several occassions to discuss several matters including the medication and to take some phycological tests.

I suffered from insomnia, I could sleep for hours on end, go days without sleep, sleep anywhere and everywhere at any time with no regualer pattern.

My anxiety at Its worst meant that I did not leave my house for 3 weeks.

My depressive state resulted in a severe lack of confidence.

Not all depression is brought on by matters you have stated. Your naivety is unbelievable. If I had progressed into university from college how am I incaable?? If I passed through year one of the course am i incapable?? If my grades are fine the 1st two terms of the year am I incapable??


My spelling and grammer can be totally disregarded on a bloody interent forum you complete stuck up xxxx

ok.... if you post on a public forum you will hear a mixture of opinions - that's the way it works! it's great that you're seeing the GP more regularly and i hope it helps, however, step back and take everyone's point of view on board without lashing out (or just chose to ignore things you don't like - but ranting won't help anything right now)

Nicky321 - your son's story sounds very stressful and difficult - what it does show, though, is that if you tell the uni about mitigating circumstances before deadlines, they can be supportive. unfortunately, the OP didn't do this and will therefore now be fighting an uphill battle.