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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 18:58

Whoops sorry, didn't think first post had posted. How is it any different typing on here and typing an essay??

steff13 · 30/03/2015 19:00

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

In what way?

KatieKaye · 30/03/2015 19:01

Sympathies on your injury and I understand the worry of complications with your diabetes.

However, a 2000 word essay is not "a lot of typing", especially if you split it over a few days. and you can use your left hand and at east some of the other fingers on your injured hand, cant you? You do seem to be managing perfectly well here on MN

Original poster

Welshmaenad · 30/03/2015 19:01

Again, I'm not asking if the timescale THEY suggested is U, or if I should 'just get on with it'. I've started back at the laptop this weekend, it's slow going, but I am in fact 'getting on with it'. If they insist on a sick note I don't think that will be difficult, just a pain in the arse.

I'm asking if it's logical for me to be required to be certified 'unfit' when also required to sign to say I was fit to write the work because it makes no sense to me.

OP posts:

PolkadotsAndMoonbeams · 30/03/2015 19:01

Do you not have any friends from societies or anything? Somebody in a different year/subject?

I'd take dictation for a friend (if you promised me tea and biscuits!).

I think you'll just have to go with the three weeks and do it slowly, or ask if you could have a scribe (one of my friends did for her finals after she broke her wrist).

Hope it heals well.

Bardingandhayliss · 30/03/2015 19:02

Nike! ---you can do it!
use iphone speech to text type device and do it in bits.

JeanneDeMontbaston · 30/03/2015 19:04

steff - in that, on here, you're usually not thinking terribly hard about forming an argument. When you're writing an essay, there's only so much you can keep in your head - most people write a bit, think a bit, write a bit, and so on. If you can't do that, it is harder to structure and phrase things well, and the OP expected to have a week to do that.

I had a student who broke her arm and had to have a typist a couple of years ago and it was quite noticeable how much it got in the way of her thinking.

That said, I am a bit confused why the OP has the different times - two weeks, three weeks, 4-6 - and I can't follow why it'd be fair for her to have more than the time off she's been signed off for, plus a week.

ginmakesitallok · 30/03/2015 19:05

No, the stock note is to show that you were unfit to submit by the original date, hence you signing that you are fit when you submit. Being unfit to submit by a given date doesn't mean you are too unfit to do the work at all.

ginmakesitallok · 30/03/2015 19:06

Sick note not stock note

Original poster

Welshmaenad · 30/03/2015 19:08

But gin, they want the note to cover up to and including the new submission date. Saying I'm unfit up to the day I send work in saying I'm fit. That's my confusion.

OP posts:

Original poster

Welshmaenad · 30/03/2015 19:09

Thanks Jeanne. Yes.

OP posts:

DoJo · 30/03/2015 19:09

I'm asking if it's logical for me to be required to be certified 'unfit' when also required to sign to say I was fit to write the work because it makes no sense to me.

I get that, but I'm suggesting that a note signing you off sick until the day you are supposed to submit should give you plenty of typing time to complete the essay. Presumably they are expecting you to have completed the 'work' of thinking, planning and forming your argument during the time that you are physically unable to type, but believe that a day is adequate time to actually put the words onto the page and submit.

MrsDoylesCupOfTea · 30/03/2015 19:09

Lol, OP you have typed 698 words on this thread already

I used a word counter.

ginmakesitallok · 30/03/2015 19:11

And I repeat, quit moaning and get on with it.

Original poster

Welshmaenad · 30/03/2015 19:13

You seem to have time on your hands MrsD, come and scribe for me.

OP posts:

QueenInTheNorth · 30/03/2015 19:14

YABU! I broke my left arm (I'm left handed) and I had a one week extension, it was hard but I got it done. Four weeks for a broken finger really is an unreasonable ask.

MrsEvadneCake · 30/03/2015 19:16

Without wishing to be unkind I typed essays one handed with my newborn DS on my lap asleep because it had to be done. With a week to go you should have had the draft typing started because you'll find it hard in your other years to keep up otherwise.
Send your note in, type it up, move on.

I hope your finger feels better soon and good luck with your degree.

RitaOrange · 30/03/2015 19:20

Seriously an injury a week before hand in ?
You are stretching it tbh !
Not having a decent draft a week before

I always pushed my hand in date back by a week just in case .

Original poster

Welshmaenad · 30/03/2015 19:27

Good for you Rita. A week before hand in was the submission date for an enormous portfolio of work based on the full time professional placement I completed a week before that.

I thought I was doing well to have a plan. Most of my cohort wrote it the night before submission. Tis what it is.

OP posts:

JeanneDeMontbaston · 30/03/2015 19:29

People are very different, though.

I would never have a full draft of something a week before hand in. It's not pushing it, it's just how some people work.

She's got more due, so she probably has quite an essay-heavy course? Some places you write an essay every week or every couple of weeks, and you do have to get used to working up to the deadline.

KatieKaye · 30/03/2015 19:30

Look at it a different way - would the doctor sign you off work for 4 weeks for one broken finger?

You've had a rough time, but it is only one finger, leaving you with nine others to type your essay with. You know 2000 words isn't very long - you're almost halfway there just with these posts on MN tonight!
Anyway - it's almost Easter - doesn't your university break up for that?

best of luck. The sooner you get started, the sooner it's handed in.

MrsDoylesCupOfTea · 30/03/2015 19:34

You are up to 767 words now.

How about using Dragon? Or similar. I use Siri for almost everything. It improves my spelling no end.

LIZS · 30/03/2015 19:36

Use word recognition software or a scribe ? Ds who is dyspraxic can produce an essay of up to 500 words in less than 40 minutes so 2000 should only take a day or so . Presumably you can plan it out as and when you feel up to it, and in fact should already have had ideas well before the original deadline.

TiggieBoo · 30/03/2015 19:41

I can see exactly where you are coming from. They should have asked for a fit note that still gives you one week to complete the work, i.e. the time you have lost due to injury.

Patapouf · 30/03/2015 19:41

Use dictating software. I think your being precious and 2000 words is nothing!

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