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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think if you're on holiday, you're on holiday

100 replies

JanineStHubbins · 30/06/2014 12:06

And shouldn't be hassled to work?

Today is the first day of my holiday - the first proper one I've had in three years. Last year I went abroad for a week, but ended up bringing work with me as I was behind on a writing deadline (I work in Higher ed).

I'm on the way to the airport, and just got an email from one of our administrators, telling me I have to set a resit exam paper for a student who didn't turn up for the original paper (and didn't submit coursework) by Friday.

AIBU to just ignore this email? My out of office is on. Advice welcome, especially from fellow academics!

OP posts:
KitKat1985 · 30/06/2014 12:51

Ignore it completely. The administrator will have got your 'out of office' reply and will find another way to deal with it. One of your colleagues will either have to set the resit paper or it can be done when you return.

Don't check your work e-mails again for the duration of your holiday. If you need to take your laptop away to keep in touch with friends / family then fine, but maybe have separate e-mail addresses for friends / family and for work, and separate mobiles. Refuse to check your work e-mail / phone when you are on leave and let people know before you go that you won't be contactable during this time.

Groovee · 30/06/2014 12:54

Go non contactable and enjoy your honeymoon.

Ibizatime · 30/06/2014 13:07

Very confusing, aren't there students that need to resit for whatever reason every year?

PuppyMonkey · 30/06/2014 13:09

I assume that they've only found out today that the student didn't do it by Friday, so op couldn't have planned for it? Confused

bronya · 30/06/2014 13:09

The student should have turned up, or at least sent you an email to explain why, back when exams were being taken. Then you'd have had plenty of time to arrange this. Perhaps you could reply with: I'm about to get on a plane and will have no internet access for 3 weeks so unfortunately am not able to help you or receive further emails. Then refer the administrator to a previous year's exam paper or ask them to re-sit the original one?

OnlyLovers · 30/06/2014 13:16

YANBU. Just ignore it. They've got your out-of-office response so they're in the picture.

But stop looking at work emails outside work time and you'll never have to worry about this again!

CombineBananaFister · 30/06/2014 13:22

Crikey, I must be really old/out of touch or possibly both Grin but if you don't turn up for an exam don't you just fail it and get a bollocking??

Or at least you ring in advance with VALID reasons, surely it's not all left to the last minute to sort out? Seems really lax.

Anyway, YABU to check your work emails whilst on holiday then feel peeved that they have actually contacted you - just don't check.

YANBU to not do a resit exam whilst on holiday, because, ...er, you're on holiday !!

rubadubstylee · 30/06/2014 13:22

PuppyMonkey
I assume that they've only found out today that the student didn't do it by Friday, so op couldn't have planned for it?

No I think OP is saying she has to set the resit exam by Friday.

Admittedly I am looking at this from the side of administrators but I'm surprised at the number of "ignore, let someone else sort it" responses. I have had countless experiences of trying to get academics to sort something they should have done before leaving for holiday - it was hardly ever unforeseeable.

Original poster
JanineStHubbins · 30/06/2014 13:25

I noted to the administrators when I returned the marked scripts to them that there was one no show. That was over 2 weeks ago. I don't want to make life difficult for my colleagues but I'm inclined to say it's not possible for me to meet the reuest til I come back.

OP posts:
OnlyLovers · 30/06/2014 13:30

You don't need to say ANYTHING. They know you're not there. End of story.
They should have noticed that there was a no-show and started whatever the procedure is then.

Original poster
JanineStHubbins · 30/06/2014 13:34

I don't think I'm super important, far from it! I'm the most junior person in the department! But I was the only person teaching on this particular module.

OP posts:
lottiegarbanzo · 30/06/2014 13:39

So what did you think was going to happen about the 'no show'? What is the protocol? Didn't you, or shouldn't you have known that a resit paper might be needed?

If not - if that is not in any handbook, protocol and no administrator has ever told you, then that's the departmental management's fault for poor administration, I'd say.

Original poster
JanineStHubbins · 30/06/2014 13:45

Nothing about resit papers or no shows in any of the exam memos we have received this year.

OP posts:
hamptoncourt · 30/06/2014 13:49

janine you must stop this right now!

You are supposed to be on honeymoon FGS!!!

Forget about it - you never saw it.

OK?

Original poster
JanineStHubbins · 30/06/2014 13:50
Grin

Touché.

OP posts:
OnlyLovers · 30/06/2014 13:50

hampton, you are the voice of reason.

TunipTheUnconquerable · 30/06/2014 13:50

I'm amazed they let you go on holiday at this time - my old dept wouldn't have done - but given that they did, someone else ought to cover it.

Has no-one else ever taught that module before?

PeterParkerSays · 30/06/2014 13:51

Leave the bloody exam stuff at home. It is the student's fault that they didn't turn up or submit coursework on time. They may have a really good reason - mum died, car crash, slipped in shower and broke arm, or they may just have woken up late and forgotten, but they can now wait for someone, whether that is you after your holiday or someone else. It's not student says jump, you say how high.

sorry, can you tell I work in a university?

Enjoy your holiday, do not do anything with that blasted exam paper. The more inconvenient the delay is for the student, the less likely they are to pull a no-show without prior warning again.

Sisyphus85 · 30/06/2014 13:51

Sorry but YABU.

If it can't be put off until you get back, and no one can step in and cover for you... then it is your responsibility and holiday or no holiday it's got to be done.

It sucks losing holiday time - and you should be able to claim back a day in lieu - but in senior jobs (even if you are the junior in the dept) you can't just clock off and say you are not interested.

Original poster
JanineStHubbins · 30/06/2014 13:53

Why shouldn't I go on holiday now? Teaching is over, the exam board has met. It's not term time. There was absolutely no issue with the timing of my holiday.

It's a new module, this is the first year it has run.

OP posts:
ArcheryAnnie · 30/06/2014 13:54

I'm another one suggesting that you can no working email for the duration of your holiday.

Lweji · 30/06/2014 13:54

Isn't there a resit period? What happens to pupils who fail the exam?

It sounds like an ad-hoc request and quite unreasonable.

TunipTheUnconquerable · 30/06/2014 13:55

Oh sorry, I assumed the exam board still hadn't happened and they were trying to get it in before then.

Lweji · 30/06/2014 13:56

If it needs to be internally and externally approved, I bet there will be many more people on holiday.

But... action plan for next year: prepare two versions of the exam. :)

PuppyMonkey · 30/06/2014 13:57

Oh, I see, thanks rubabdub. Smile Still, bloody students, eh?