Would you potentially get somebody removed from a course?

[PlomBear]

I have a place on a post grad professional training course to start in September. University based, think nursing but not nursing. A job with professional registration and where behaviour and standards are very important.

Anyway, I’m on a Facebook group for students of this profession. One of the members is very bolshy and rude. If someone disagrees with her she is really nasty, she makes everything personal. She sent me a PM having a go at me saying I would be a crap and that I should “watch my back.”

This woman has used her real name and has an open Facebook. She’s posted what training establishment she is going to in September...

I would be completely unreasonable to let this university know that she is completely unsuitable wouldn’t I?

You would be unreasonable and they will not remove her from the course on your say-so, but I think you probably know that!

If she's that difficult, she won't last long anway... she confesses under no code of practice until September anyway.

Leave her to her own devices, these people usually get seen through.

*comes under

I'd maybe leave it for now, but keep the messages. Just in case.

I'd block her and don't be tempted to reply if she uses some other social media mode to contact you. If you let her draw you into a public spat it'll reflect badly on you too.

to you she's not suitable

but she may be the best student ever.....just because you don't like her or disapprove of her, does not mean she will be 'removed from a course'.

yabu

There is nothing that you can do at the moment or indeed in the future I think.

When I did a post-grad there was a girl who was always gossiping and telling all sorts of confidential information, behaving very unprofessionally etc, even borderline physically assaulting people as a joke.

She hacked our years student records, viewed grades and feedback of the rest of our year, viewed confidential medical records and blabbed about it behind people’s backs.

I reported her for breach of confidentiality and unprofessionalism. I had proof and witnesses. Nothing was done. She wasn’t even spoken to. The university didn’t even try and protect us against being hacked again or alert students to the fact she shared confidential information. She was able to keep doing it for the entire course. Why? Money talks and they needed her fees and additional funding.

There was also a student who created so much drama and problems. She was terrifying at times and put us at risk of physical harm on a few occasions. She’d develop paranoid ideas about students and staff, have blazing rows in the middle of lectures where she’d throw things or square up to staff screaming in their faces, she’d lie across fire exits or in front of doors, or go for a sleep in the middle of the men’s toilets, she derailed so many lectures and seminars, wouldn’t shut up or allow anyone else to have a say, would talk over lecturers, try and tarnish lecturers and students reputations to potential employers, sabotage people’s assessments and presentations etc. Nothing could be done because she had a history of mental health problems (Borderline Personality Disorder, episodes of Psychosis and had been sectioned many times) and, even though she was in breach of health and safety and very threatening towards students and staff at times, they were afraid of telling her to leave the course in case it opened up allegations of discrimination or that she’d say she wasn’t supported (she was, no one else was more supported than her). They gently suggested this wasn’t the right time for her to be doing such an intensive course and to try and think of the impact she was having on the rest of the cohort but she refused to leave. She then became threatening via social media and phone when we graduated and none of us wanted to keep in touch.

Having been a lecturer myself, I can see how hard it is to get a student removed from a course no matter how problematic their behaviour. I imagine it would be even harder to have an offer of a course removed.

They won't remove her. At the start of the course they will do a section on social media use. If someone breaches that, they will give a warning. If it continues they put it to the registration body.

They will advise you to go to the police if you felt that it was a genuine threat. Then they could consider it and suspend her. You would be surprised at the offences that people can have and still be a Nurse/Social worker etc.

The Ts and Cs of our offer letters include something about withdrawing an offer if, prior to enrolling, there is any behaviour which would bring the university into disrepute, including on social media. If reported to me I would certainly look into it.

She will hang herself, I’d keep as far away from her as possible.
When my sister started her MBA they had a crazy person who accused my sister of racist bullying behaviour, and said she had previous worked with her and also been bullied by her back then - none of this actually happened!! Obviously my sister was upset and stressed but the woman was soon gone as I think she said lots of stuff about other people too.

Basically - she will be her own worst enemy. Just focus on protecting yourself

Just block her. No point in getting involved with this prior to starting a course.

I would keep the messages but keep quiet for the moment. She will out herself sooner or later.

Totally reasonable. Let the university know immediately. I work in a university and I'm pretty sure this violates their social media use policy as well as the terms of their professional registration which usually include aspects of professional ethics. The university will also have a dignity and respect policy. University would need proof to act to remove the student so take a screenshot and send it to the head of the course you are studying and say you are intimidated by this behaviour from a prospective colleagues.

I would report it actually if it’s that bad. I’m in a similar training program and we have been lectured to death about social media, bringing the profession into disrepute, told horror stories etc. she should know better and if she’s threatening you I would 100% report it as it violates all kinds of standards. If it is nursing or midwifery we are bound to the NMC standards even as students

Oh I just read your post properly and see she hasn’t started the course yet so she probably hasn’t had a million lectures on responsible social media use. Hmmmm not sure in that case, I’d probably leave it but keel screen shots. If any behaviour persisted while she was studying then yes I’d report it