Advice on Missing Feedback

[WendyWipe]

I'd appreciate some advice as to what to do next please.

My class were supposed to receive results and feedback on an assessed essay within the university's guideline return period.

We didn't receive the results and were told they'd be a week late with no explanation. We had an exam after the results were originally due and the feedback would have been incredibly useful. We didn't receive the results on the postponed date so contacted the administrators again and were told to contact the module tutor.

The tutor is not responding to calls or emails but the administrative team still direct us to the tutor. Some classmates tried the student union who advised them to go to the convenor, they did but received no response and it's now a week later.

We don't really know where to turn next and still don't have the results. Also it feels like we have missed out by not having the feedback when we should have as it would have helped with the exam but don't know who to speak to about this either.

How frustrating. Does the convener hold office hours?

It doesn't list office hours on his staff profile and when someone asked the admin team they said they only know where he is when he's teaching. I suppose we could track him down and wait outside of his class but it all just feels so silly, like we're having to do all the chasing and they don't see it as a problem.

I would go to the programme convener or Head of Education, even the Head of Department if there isn't one. This would be a Big Deal where I work, not least because the tutor hasn't communicated why this has happened, and the deadlines are taken very seriously. I suggest a few of you write a group email outlining the timetable of what's happened and asking what is going to happen next i.e. when you will receive your feedback. Your mistake is in going to the administrators who won't be as worried about the NSS results as our Head of Education would be! Good luck.

Thank you, it is a huge deal to us but feels like it's nothing to them.

There's a School Manager, Head of Learning & Teaching, Deputy Head of School and Head of School.

Which should we go for?

Not entirely sure, I'd probably send it to the School Manager/Head of Learning (if that's a Head of Learning in your School and not just a general person) and say you are not sure who to send it to, but do want to get this resolved, so please could they get back to you if they are not the right person to take this forward.

I would think that would get something moving...don't forget to put in all the details, like the module code/title, when the assignment was due, when the feedback was due, when the exam occurred and what has happened since. I get a lot of very general emails from students and I don't know which course they are talking about!

And don't apologise, it's perfectly reasonable to expect feedback on time, and communication about why not if not.

It is a really big deal. I would email the Head of Learning but cc it to the others. I would also get in touch with your student's union

Thank you for your help.

One last question, will it look bad on the individual student's email it comes from? The class are all in the same position and support the progression of the query but we can't send the email from a group account. Obviously it can be signed from all of us but someone needs to take the lead, so to speak.

I'm so nervous of some sort of backlash if I take the lead and send the email. That sounds terribly cowardly.

No it really won't but it will hold more weight if it is signed from all of you

Use the formal complaint process. That way you can be sure of a response. Be sure to note that you have not been able to apply feedback from component 1 to component 2 (exam) and as such your grades have been affected. Potential solutions would be for grades for the cohort to be adjusted by a given % or for you to have the opportunity to retake the exam once feedback has been delivered. All institutions have feedback timescales; if they cannot be adhered to notice should be given in writing stating the new feedback date and any other associated deadlines (exam) adjusted accordingly.