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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU in my interpretation here or is the Uni?

98 replies

Welshmaenad · 30/03/2015 18:11

I'm a first year full time student working towards a degree and professional qualification.

On Mother's Day I was bitten by a dog. It fractured the top of the index finger on my dominant hand and bit through my nail down to the bone. There was a lot of concern as I'm a diabetic and an infection in a compound fracture could be very serious. There was talk of keeping me in on IV antibiotics but they agreed to let me home on strong oral antibiotics and painkillers. I was seen several times at fracture clinic, am now discharged, but was under strict orders to rest until the wound was fully healed - it's getting there but still not healed and is still painful. I also reacted very badly to the tetanus jab and was ill for over a week.

I have applied for an extension to one essay via extenuating circumstances through student services. The original submission date has passed. I was advised to ask for 4 weeks and my module leader supported my application (she actually wants me to apply for extensions for other essays too). I submitted a 2 week sick note supplied by fracture clinic, my clinic appt card, and actually showed them the wound.

They've come back and asked for a further sick note up to the amended submission date I've requested. My argument is, when submitting via Turnitin we are required to initial a field to confirm we are 'fit to sit'. If I'm expected to be signed off as 'unfit' until the date I submit, where is my 'fit time' to complete the work, and why am I being asked to simultaneously declare myself fit and provide a note saying I'm unfit?

I don't think I should require documentation saying I'm unfit for the entire length of the extension and gave communicated thus. I'm waiting to hear back but would like to know if I'm BU.

Before anyone points out I've typed this, yes I have, with one finger, and it took me ages, it's not feasible for a 2000 word essay.

If it's relevant, all other work has been submitted on time, I've not asked for EC before, my attendance is good and I'm getting 1:1 equivalent marks on most things submitted.

OP posts:

ginmakesitallok · 30/03/2015 18:14

It's totally feasible for a 2000 word essay. Might take you a bit longer, but you certainly don't have to wait until totally healed to get it done.

LindyHemming · 30/03/2015 18:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Dawndonnaagain · 30/03/2015 18:17

You are expected to do the work sometime before the extension date. If you are currently unable to do the work, ask for a longer extension. Other than that there are a number of options - is it possible to borrow some voice activated software from the university, that way you can speak your work into the computer and it will type it for you, takes a couple of days to 'train' the software, but good stuff. Perhaps there's an emanuensis available to whom you could dictate your work? I'd check with your uni.

AlternativeTentacles · 30/03/2015 18:18

Yes, if you are unfit in the intervening two weeks, when will you actually write the damn essay? You need a period of fitness to be able to actually write.

JeanneDeMontbaston · 30/03/2015 18:18

When was the original submission date? Maybe they have misunderstood the time scale (I don't follow it myself).

I do think you could type a 2000 word essay, TBH. I wonder if they're thinking that, if the problem is basically just physical, it's fair for you to have so much extra time to plan the argument, compared to the others?

SmillasSenseOfSnow · 30/03/2015 18:19

I get it, OP. They're supposed to extend by the amount of time you have lost, surely? But I'm not sure if they'll decide that is the case. I would assume that they can't argue with giving you at least a week after the point at which your doctor would deem you able to type normally again. I hope it turns out OK for you.

SoonToBeMrsB · 30/03/2015 18:20

I'm an admin in a uni department and you wouldn't have gotten that long an extension from us, especially not without concrete medical evidence. I've seen car crash victims and a student hospitalised due to their cystic fibrosis only get two weeks (and that was on their dissertation!).

You've asked for an extension longer than your med cert covers.

YABU.

chocoshopoholic · 30/03/2015 18:20

When was the bite compare to the hand in date?

If for example your essay was due on the 15th March, and the bite was the 13th March, I would expect of my students that most of the work had been completed and a shorter 'fit time' would be required to make finishing touches rather than type a whole essay which i would support if the bite was well in advance of the handout date and left you unable to do any of it.

fairylightsbackintheloft · 30/03/2015 18:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AlternativeTentacles · 30/03/2015 18:22

Have you thought of using software which will type as you talk?

Rosieposy4 · 30/03/2015 18:27

It really does not take ages to type 2000 words with one finger. I have typed this message in one (Ok ran out of time for last word which was to be minute but that was one fingered and 20 words) you presumably actually have one whole hand to type with, whilst simultaneously resting the sore hand. I think YABU to request a whole 4 week extension for such a short piece of work

TwoOddSocks · 30/03/2015 18:28

Tricky situation. When I was at uni if you were sick you didn't ever get an extension to cover absolutely all of the lost time, you were expected to catch up more quickly. Especially if they feel the injury is completely physical then you could do all of the reading as usual and just type it up one handed or use voice activated software.

I guess it also depends on your personal situation, we were mainly young adults with no other commitments (no kids etc.) so if you were ill you just missed out on a bit of social life as you caught up. It would be much harder now I have a kid and less free time.

Original poster

Welshmaenad · 30/03/2015 18:29

I was only going to ask for two weeks, it was student services who suggested four. Injury was a week prior to hand in so all my planning is done, it just needs putting together. I'm more than happy to start doing that tonight, albeit slowly, and submit on Friday, I'm just struggling with the logic that I'm expected to be simultaneously certified unfit, and sign a document saying I was fit to complete the work.

OP posts:

SandStorm · 30/03/2015 18:30

Have you got a friend who could type it up for you as you dictate it? I know I would do that for a friend.

JeanneDeMontbaston · 30/03/2015 18:31

Oh, come on, if you were injured a week before hand-in you can't expect four weeks' grace! Two off for injury, ok, plus another week to make up. But why four?

I think your student services people made a mistake.

mommy2ash · 30/03/2015 18:35

if the injury happened a week before it was due then a four week extension is way too much. as you have most of the work done surely someone will type it up for you.

Original poster

Welshmaenad · 30/03/2015 18:36

Trauma doc stated a 4-6 week healing time, and specifically asked if I did a job that involves a lot of typing, Jeanne, so I don't think three weeks rest and a week to type up is actually THAT unreasonable. I wouldn't ordinarily be precious but with three out of six of my dad's sibling group having had bits amputated for diabetic infection, it's not really something I want to be heroic about.

OP posts:

JeanneDeMontbaston · 30/03/2015 18:38

Ah, ok. Sorry, I'm confused, I think. You had a sick note for two weeks. So the other one would have to have its own sick note too, surely?

I don't think you are being precious. I'm just finding the timescale hard to follow.

I think they should have sorted you out someone to type for you, TBH.

Original poster

Welshmaenad · 30/03/2015 18:43

I rang my gp who has issued a sick note for a further week (so 3 of 4 weeks covered) purely on the hospital records of my injury, but I'd need to have an appointment for further certs.

I don't really have anyone to type for me. We have a further 4 essays due in over the next 6 weeks, which I'm reading/ prepping for, my cohort are all snowed under.

OP posts:

JeanneDeMontbaston · 30/03/2015 18:45

Can your disability resource centre find you a typist? I know you're not disabled but they would probably be the most used to dealing with this sort of thing. I think it would be a reasonable adjustment, since if you have four more essays this is going to be an ongoing problem.

I hope the extra sick note helps.

DoJo · 30/03/2015 18:50

Trauma doc stated a 4-6 week healing time, and specifically asked if I did a job that involves a lot of typing, Jeanne, so I don't think three weeks rest and a week to type up is actually THAT unreasonable.

I wouldn't call a 2000 word essay 'a lot of typing' unless you would have a lot of other work to do during the same period? (Although, in fairness, I probably type around 10,000 words a day on a good day, so perhaps my ideas of how much people can do is skewed).

If the work is done and it's literally just typing it up that needs doing, then I would have thought a day for the physical pressing of keys would be plenty. After all you've typed over 500 words on here in the last hour or so - perhaps they think that you should be able to either do it yourself or get someone else to do it within a shorter timescale once your sick note finishes, so I can see the university's point, but if that's not the case then you might need further proof that a week is a reasonable length of time to type it all.

ginmakesitallok · 30/03/2015 18:52

Offs, just get on with it. You've already typed a couple of hundred words here, just 1800to go

paxtecum · 30/03/2015 18:53

Type with your other hand.
Your op was 300 -350 words, so 2000 is doable.

JeanneDeMontbaston · 30/03/2015 18:54

It is different, though, typing on here and typing an essay.

ginmakesitallok · 30/03/2015 18:57

Ffs, just get on with it. You've already typed a couple of hundred of words here, 2000 would be nothing. You're getting longer because it will take you a bit longer, and of course you'll be fit to submit.

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