Disgusted

[Pumpkin27]

This is a vent.

 

What do you do when you're just so disgusted with how your advisor and program handled a decision that you don't even want to attend the program anymore? I became temporarily disabled. I was told an accommodation was available. I have this in writing from my advisor, citing a conversation with the head of the department. Yay! All relevant paperwork was filled out by me, ahead of schedule, and confirmed to be delivered.

 

I email, call everyone, no one seems to be getting back in touch with me. More and more frantic communication occurs. I go over two weeks without hearing from anyone. Absolutely nothing. Finally, today, on the first day of term I get a call from the dept head telling me the accommodation was never available and they have no idea why they told me it was and that if I have to drop out, I should try to reapply next time the cycle opens (in two years).

 

I also get a snotty email back from the head of the department basically being like "we talked about this, that's final, the end." The email contains five different references to "we didn't think this accommodation through before offering it." this is completely different from the conversation this morning, when the department head stated she had never even heard of me. tune changed. it was a total "covering my ass" letter.

 

I'm just...ick. I don't even want to deal with this program anymore. Its a program in the helping professions so I feel its even worse because we're supposed to have all these great values and I've seen NONE of them in this issue.

 

I really want this qualification and its the only one available in my area. I've looked into online schools but there's nothing equivalent or with such "good" ratings. I'm wondering if I should maybe even switch to a different field...my experience with this program has not been positive. 

Edited January 6, 2015 by Pumpkin27

[biisis]

 Academia suuuuuucks sometimes when it comes to accommodations. 

 

If you haven't already, one avenue to pursue might be to touch bases with the office for disabilities (your uni probably has one!). They'll be able to walk you though the accommodations they themselves can offer you, and council you on the protocols your department is obliged to follow in your case (sounds like it's bound to be more than they're currently providing).

 

It's pretty crap that this is the case, but you need to keep advocating for yourself. Keep maintaining a dossier of all your communications and medical documents- they can have legal weight to help hold people to their promises.

[lewin]

Hard to say without details but the Americans with Disabilities Act requires that public institutions provide reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities. My suggestion is to find out your rights under the law so that at least you're equipped when you talk to them again. Accommodating you might not be optional on their part.

 

 

I'm not saying that you should resort to lawyers immediately, talking reasonably is a better way to start, but it sounds like they're not willing to discuss and have explicitly gone back on their previous statements.

[Vene]

Having it in writing helps immensely, but yes, do talk to the university's disability office and be prepared to get a lawyer. A lawyer can be a drastic step, but such an act can also open avenues that were previously completely shut off.