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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To Complain to University

28 replies

UniversityUnfair · 20/11/2021 10:42

I have just finished my degree and as part of the celebrations I chatted to another student and found out that on a module I hadn't taken, a professor was off ill so they had their essays marked on quantity as there was no one available to mark them (up to a cap of 80%).
They were told this was going to happen and as a result everyone handed in 80,000 word essays and received distinction level degrees.
I got a merit, and I'm now smarting as an 80 would have gotten me a distinction and helped towards applying for the MA, the competition is now very high as more than half of the cohort got distinctions because of this situation.
AIBU to complain? I think it would burn bridges in the dept, so I couldn't take my MA there which would be a shame as I've built friendships and working relationships here. Also I think it would be unfair for those essays to be marked now as those students were told to hand in quantity over quality so probably didn't give their all.

OP posts:
MurielSpriggs · 20/11/2021 10:47

This sounds improbable. An external examiner has to sign off the marks. She would have had to be in cohoots with the whole thing too to award everyone on the course full marks.

If you're going to complain write to the vice chancellor's office. Your department will be trying to keep that quiet!

FrazzledY9Parent · 20/11/2021 10:49

I agree this sounds strange (I work in a university). I would write to the head of department and say "this is what I've heard, it sounds unlikely, can you help me understand what happened and reassure me that everybody on the course has been treated fairly?"

BrambleyHedge · 20/11/2021 10:52

I work for a University and can't see how this could happen with the checks, balances and admin which surrounds the process

JollyJoon · 20/11/2021 10:54

Even if it's true it doesnt take away from the fact that you only got a merit.

LIZS · 20/11/2021 10:55

Is there not internal moderation?

luckylavender · 20/11/2021 10:58

This sort of second hand information is rarely correct. Don't complain unless you can prove the facts.

MurielSpriggs · 20/11/2021 10:59

@JollyJoon

Even if it's true it doesnt take away from the fact that you only got a merit.
If true (unlikely), and it becomes public knowledge and is left unresolved, it means her merit is from a university department without much credibility!

(Of course this could be good reason not to blow the whistle.)

userlotsanumbers · 20/11/2021 10:59

I work for a university and this sounds improbable. In the nicest possible way, I ask, is someone having you on?

ifigoup · 20/11/2021 11:00

I would be absolutely stunned if this had actually happened, not least because universities have predetermined word limits for assessments and there is generally a penalty for going significantly over.

HeddaGarbled · 20/11/2021 11:02

Do Universities grade first degrees with merits and distinctions? I thought it was first, 2:1 etc.

DareDevil223 · 20/11/2021 11:03

I'm an academic registrar in a university. This couldn't happen, not with quality assurance processes such as second marking, external examiner scrutiny, examination boards etc. It would be against all academic regulations and academic integrity.

SusieBob · 20/11/2021 11:04

This just wouldn't happen. The student is talking out of his/her arse.

HoardingSamphireSaurus · 20/11/2021 11:04

Nope

Another who worked at a uni, was responsible for moderation of assessments.

The basis of that sounds all wrong. Like a simplified for the giggles version of something that was quite complex for the department to put together. I've done it before, produced a workbook and writing frame for a module that would be largely self taught because of staff illness. It takes a lot of background work and has to be signed off by the external moderator prior to being used.

Basically I think you were told a jokey version of what happened, the 'makes a good story but isn't quite true' version.

Don't let it take the shine off your achievements.

HoardingSamphireSaurus · 20/11/2021 11:05

@HeddaGarbled

Do Universities grade first degrees with merits and distinctions? I thought it was first, 2:1 etc.
Depends on the specific course and award.
Waahingwashingwashing · 20/11/2021 11:06

I worked in an uni.

This sounds most unlikely.

DareDevil223 · 20/11/2021 11:08

Also where are you that (I'm assuming) an undergraduate degree is marked with merit distinction etc rather than the normal classifications of first, 2:1 etc.
Normally it's foundation degrees and masters that have pass/merit/distinction classifications.
Not to mention 80,000 word essays? All assessments have word counts it's not marked on "never mind the quality, feel the width"!

GCAcademic · 20/11/2021 11:08

@HeddaGarbled

Do Universities grade first degrees with merits and distinctions? I thought it was first, 2:1 etc.
No, merit and distinction are Masters level classifications.

As someone who has attended and chaired many many exam boards, the situation described would never happen. Also hard to see how all these students wrote something PhD length for a single module.

Aimee1987 · 20/11/2021 11:11

I'm a lecturer at a university this is how marking works for for final year dissertations.
Each script is double marked by the professor and another lecturer. If it is not a thesis but another module with a large essay component it will be marked by just 1 lecturer or professor.
Prior to marking all markers must do benchmarking. This is marking a previous year script and seeing if it is comparable to the grades previously given. This is to ensure that the standard stays the same. After that the essays are moderated which means a random selection will be marked again by the module lead. After this it is further checked by the external examiner. It's not perfect and there may be some variability between markers but it is very regulated to try and reduce that.
I have just been asked to mark extra ones this year as the professor is off on long term leave.
If a member of staff is absent for whatever reason they find another marker. Worse case that may happen is there will be a delay in releasing the Mark's to students which I have seen.
This very much sounds like an urban legend. We have joked amongst ourselves when we have hundreds of scripts to mark that we will just give them all a 2.1. This is very much a joke and not something we would do but it could be the start of an urban legend.

Aimee1987 · 20/11/2021 11:12

Sorry typo in 1st line it forsnt have to be a professor just a lecturer

HoardingSamphireSaurus · 20/11/2021 11:12

Yes. The more you think about it the more ludicrous it gets.

Either OP is laughing at us or she was taken in by an accomplished faker!

RockingMyFiftiesNot · 20/11/2021 11:14

There are internal moderation processes built in to prevent things like this happening, plus external examiners will look at a sample so I think it's highly unlikely. Do you know anyone else who did this module you can ask for their version of the situation?

There were a couple of things that happened on my course with both people who got firsts that may have made the difference between their getting the firsts vs other people which has irked me ever since (and I wouldn't have been the one getting a first in their place so it's not personal) I still feel the anger now! if you can do a bit more digging with other students to see if you feel confident that is what happened.

If you do take further, I think that the approach a PP suggested ('this is what I heard') vs raising a complaint when you don't really know what happened would be a better approach, and less likely to result in burnt bridges.

Isitreallyme177 · 20/11/2021 11:17

Another one who works in a university, this would never happen. If the original lecturer is off sick someone else would mark the papers. Worst that could happen would be a PhD student marking them who has taught on the module as part of their PhD.

Seeline · 20/11/2021 11:18

80,000 words is the equivalent of about 6-8 Masters level dissertations! I doubt many students were able to produce an essay of that length for a single module!!

zingally · 20/11/2021 11:18

You don't receive distinction for your whole degree on the back of one essay. That's never been a thing.

And unless you are in another country, I thought degrees were given in a First, 2:1, 2:2, 3rd ranking system. Not in distinction, merit, pass.

Either way, it seems incredibly unlikely to me!! I'd personally dig a little deeper, before going in all guns blazing.

titchy · 20/11/2021 11:21

@Isitreallyme177

Another one who works in a university, this would never happen. If the original lecturer is off sick someone else would mark the papers. Worst that could happen would be a PhD student marking them who has taught on the module as part of their PhD.
This. There's never usually a problem finding PhD students wanting to earn a few quid marking.

I'm intrigued though - you talk about wanting to progress to a Masters, but those aren't Bachelors grades - what is it?