Does my daughter stand a chance at all?

[triff123]

This is a copy of her reddit post:

My dissertation was due today at 12 and the university’s policy is that any work submitted 1 hour after the deadline will not receive any penalties, so I submitted my work at 12:58. After which I went on my email to let the course leader know that I’ve submitted it and saw the email she sent 6 weeks ago that said because this is a resubmission, work must be submitted by the deadline or they won’t be marked and the assignment failed. I don’t know what to do, I’ve not emailed anything to the course leader because I’m panicked, scared, angry, sad and can’t think straight, and I’ve also not received an email form anyone. This was my last piece of work. I don’t know what to do

Is there anything she can do?

[quote RJnomore1]**@triff123. this is important

I don’t know if you saw my post earlier but she needs to look for a mitigating circumstances form and submit it ASAP if there is one.[/quote]
Hi, thanks for this. However, I doubt they willaccept her case as a mitigating circumstance as it wasn't mentioned beforehand? In this case it may just look like an excuse? Maybe if I also contact the university it may support her.

@Ardsallagh

a deadline minute is just absurd. What about last minute power outages or technical problems?

That is why there was an hour's grace period for the original submission, to allow for power cuts or technical problems -- our submission guidelines are very clear that these are not valid excuses for late submissions. This was an resubmission, with an extra six weeks, so there is really not much excuse for tinkering down to the wire.

OP, I'm an academic. In my institution, in other years a late dissertation submission would be marked, but penalised (capped at 40%, so it would pass if it was of passing quality, but not get a distinction, for instance), but a clear, apologetic email explaining the misunderstanding, and referring to a history of depression MH problems, if already documented with her tutor/the institutions counselling or disability services etc, would be very likely to mean it was marked on its merits, particularly this year.

But we can't take into account what we don't know, so your daughter needs to communicate with her tutor./supervisor. Best wishes.

Thank you for this.

@MindyStClaire

Very often the academics don’t understand the rules in the same way support staff do and can give confusing information.

This is an excellent point, and I say that as an academic. I despair of my colleagues sometimes.

I'm a university academic registrar, it's the job of my team and I to understand and interpret academic regulations. I also have oversight of assessment, extenuating circumstances and academic misconduct. We're the experts on the rules.

Please don't (as one PP suggested) go wading in talking about lawyers and suing - on what bloody grounds? In fact we wouldn't even talk to you as your daughter is an adult and we aren't allowed to discuss those kind of things with you. Don't be THAT parent.

I hope that there will be a measure of kindness and leniency applied but it depends on the particular provider and its academic regs.

Universities don't want to fail students of course but students do fail all the time.

Get her to tackle it head on asap and good luck to her.

Just put the mitigating circumstances form in for goodness sake! Ideally before hand but get her to do it now.

And the uni shouldn’t talk to you if you contact them btw unless there’s an agreement in place.

Another one who works at uni and cannot see this be an issue. Usually, I would expect an email and apology from the student and go from there. If I am aware of ongoing (or on-and-off) mental health issues I would send a gentle email, congratulate them on getting it in at all in these times, and explain briefly that I will need a pro forma 'so sorry, misunderstood the instructions, my apologies'-email and that is it.

P.S. If she does not want to contact the module/class/course/whatever leader, the uni should have a counsellor and/or mental health service - if she explains the situation, they should be able to issue a letter on her behalf. It is not unusual for students to spiral and feel unable to contact the responsible person directly, because they feel too much pressure. Taking babysteps can help with that.

Apologies as I haven't read the full thread but if she hasn't already go to the student union and speak to the advice centre staff there. They will represent for her and may have the ability to get things sorted for her.

It’s important she writes herself OP rather than you writing. Like others have said they will listen to genuine mitigation as want her to do her best.

Thank you. However the university is shut for to covid, so she can't go face to face.

Her tutor may well be able to set up a Teams meeting (like Skype) at short notice if she needs someone to talk to- I know I would under such circumstances.

With covid etc I had online exams (2nd year) and every exam for some reason wouldn't up load for me. My final one being 2 and a half hours late. I emailed explaining each time (but before the dead line) and no questions were asked and I was marked without being penalised. I think Unis are really trying to work with and not against students just now. Fwiw I didn't make any late changes even tho the temptation was there!

I hope your daughter manages to get it sorted and good luck for a pass!

I hope you were able to persuade her to make contact yesterday.

It’s probably not very helpful but when my dcs have needed to make contact on time sensitive things recently it’s taken forever to get a reply.

If the University's policy is an hour's grace, it can't change on the course tutor's say-so. Perhaps her/she was talking generally (eg some allow a week late with a cap of 40%.) He/she might have said "by the deadline" to avoid this, possibly has a tight marking deadline

hi, yes! she sent the email. now waiting for a reply.

I've been watching to see if she got in contact with them. Such good news that she has. I hope she gets the result she wants.

How is she today OP?

@triff123

hi, yes! she sent the email. now waiting for a reply.

That is good news. I really hope things work out for your DD

Crossing everything for her.

I hope things work out for your DD.

Did your dd hear back from uni?

Hope she gets a reply soon

Hope it gets sorted out for her. We are all human!

Keeping everything crossed for her (and you!).

@triff123

Hello - just wondering how your DD got on? - I really hope all works out for her.........

@triff123

hi, yes! she sent the email. now waiting for a reply.

My heart breaks for her. Please update us with how it goes. I work in a similar role (not quite) and for what it's worth if I were her tutor I would have accepted it.

I do hope the tutor has been able to get back to her. It's been a busy week!

Also keeping fingers crossed for your DD.

Three years work gone for the sake of 58 minutes would be a travesty and in no ones favour.

Hopefully your DD will have had a big kick up the behind but still get her qualification.