Can I ask for refund of college course fee over an undisclosed requirement?

Emmia

I'd contact the college, and ask this question - if they're still requiring face masks, they're markedly out of step with the rest of social practice.

arielsmelody

There is no Covid material on the main website at all, so I think it is the tutor's own personal preference, not a college policy. I'm waiting for a reply to my email to the tutor to ask.

They can't force me to wear a mask, but I think it's unreasonable to put me in an uncomfortable situation in conflict with my tutor without stating it up front when I enrolled. (The course materials mentioned when I enrolled were pencils, paints, watercolour paper - no face masks!)

Is it reasonable for a tutor to add an extra requirement like this for class members out of the blue? It feels as if it should be against their employer's policy. 

Penguin_

The only way you can be sure is to contact the college.

It may be that the tutor is still using old literature.

cannugec5

I recently booked a hotel online. 

I got all the email blurb about COVID restrictions in response. 

I ignored it and was correct in my assumption that nobody had bothered to update a template. 

When we stayed everything was ‘normal’. 

arielsmelody

Well, I've phoned the college and sure enough, they knew nothing about it. They've spoken to the tutor who has confirmed that is 'just a recommendation'. So I'll turn up to the class and see how it goes. The tutor probably hates me now but being on the phone to the college has confirmed to me how panicky even talking about it makes me feel.

Penguin_

It's good you have contacted the college & they have confirmed it will be ok.

I very much doubt the college have said the name of the person to the tutor so please try not to worry.

eskbanker

Penguin_ said:

It's good you have contacted the college & they have confirmed it will be ok.

I very much doubt the college have said the name of the person to the tutor so please try not to worry.

The tutor will be able to guess....

arielsmelody said:

The sheet was emailed to me by the course tutor and the email asked us to read it so I have to assume this is coming from the tutor. The class has already been split over two dates because of the number of students (about 20 total) - it was so we can get more one-to-one attention, but I'm now thinking it was really because of social distancing within the studio, they just didn't want to say that. I've emailed the tutor to ask for confirmation.

arielsmelody

I'm beyond caring now. If the tutor is off about it, I'll just pack up and leave, and kick up a fuss asking for my money back.

lincroft1710

arielsmelody said:

I'm beyond caring now. If the tutor is off about it, I'll just pack up and leave, and kick up a fuss asking for my money back.

You're very unlikely to get your money back, especially as the course will have started.

CouldntResist

In my voluntary work I come across lots of members of the public who make criticism of the way we do things.

If your tutor is anything like me and my colleagues he will be spending no time at all fretting about you.

The truth is that to others we are generally all a lot less important than we think we are and realising that is a great stress relief...

Walking away from a course over this would be silly