Why?

Why am I writing these posts on my experience of life at university?

Because I tried to deal with the nightmare situation at college when I was there but didn't achieve anything. I asked to resolve issues amicably through human resources but the college wrote that formal complaints were the way forward. I was under extreme stress and had suffered a second bereavement in as many years so, unfortunately, I believed them.😢 Another good reason to write my story! 

The college made a total mess of the procedure and just incorrectly recorded events and then dismissed everything as though it hadn't happened, clearing everyone of any blame (which includes me, of course), assured me the following year would be better and if I wanted then any member of staff (no exceptions) in the department could help me out in awkward situations. Nobody was nominated to oversee anything the following year or after (if they had been then it would have been someone in Human Resources, not anyone within the philosophy department). 

The college assures students that there will be no retribution for raising and dealing with problems through complaints procedures. This did not, for me at least, bear out in practice😭. Not only did it impact on the next two years of my degree but also beyond including to the present day.😭 It also impacts on my references which is totally unacceptable😠! It was wrong for misinformation to spread to the whole department especially since it meant I was in the dark about what spin had been put on what happened which actually was not a lot! Besides, it didn't concern or affect the department itself so they did not need to know or take sides.

It transpired the college essentially wanted to re-route the problems raised into a course complaint submitted by me or together with a group of fellow students. 😪That made no sense and had little bearing on my problems. Once burnt🕯twice shy😔 *,  I did not follow their suggestion because I was not prepared to go against the department, ruin their reputation and potentially put them on course to be closed down meaning staff could lose their jobs.😪 I couldn't have that on my conscience. 

#savephilosophydepartments ! 

Despite everything, I felt the course was well taught and gave a good, overall grounding in philosophy. However, the incoming head only made my life worse bombarding me with emails 📧📧📧📧📧📧📧  even to a college email I was unaware existed because I hadn't set it up. (From summer 2011 I used my private email/s), a letter 📨 📬 and outrageous 😮😮😮😮 suggestions throughout the academic year which it was assumed I'd take on board. 

Because people should know the full story of college life. You can be one of the lucky ones and have the time of your life or you can have a nightmare of a time like me. But at least if you know things like this can happen you are prepared which means you'll be more aware!  

Because what happened was unjust and shouldn't happen to anyone and neither should it carry on beyond uni days. You have a right to expect respect from others and not to be exposed to an hostile environment which displays an attitude problem towards you for no reason at all. Including from people you have never met before! 

As he swore in his staff, President Biden made respecting others central to his work environment so much so that should anyone disrespect another he'll sack them. Everyone should follow his example! If they did, what a wonderful world we'd live in!👍👍🏻👍🏽👍🏾👍🏿❤🌈

Because it is in the public interest to know what can happen in unis especially since so many students attend university these days. Potential students and their parents should be made aware that uni can be a dreadful place and that they may need their support but not want to ask for help. Equally, if they 'drop out' of uni maybe it's because they have experienced serious problems not because they can't cope academically or don't want to be there. It's also especially important for the LGBT+ community, women,  especially young women, women lecturers as well as ethnic minorities and the Jewish community to be aware of the problems that can happen to them and so be well equipped to tackle potential problems before they arise. 

Because it is unjust that such stories are silenced by universities who pressure people into signing silencing agreements. Some people legally reverse these agreements to speak out and so they should! Women with Me Too stories and students suffering recently at university need to have a voice so they can uphold their rights! I was neither asked to sign a silencing agreement/clause nor did I!

Given my horrendous experience at the College, I will not return to study at that university and neither can I be persuaded into any formal or informal complaints of any kind, which includes whilst being a visitor on the premises of the college. 

The university failed to, and then later refused to, give me the Completion of Procedures Letter, claiming that the email I received was good enough to show completion. So I couldn't resolve the appalling procedure carried out by the college to my satisfaction by taking it outside of the college to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (HE) because I didn't have the required letter. 

Nevertheless, I wish to invoke the 'no retribution' assurance and therefore expect to be treated with respect and to receive references which reflect my true abilities and sociable, ethical, outgoing personality so I can finally make full, rather than just partial, use of my degree and flourish! It's a long time coming! 7 1/2 years, 4 conferences as speaker including a large, prestigious one and 5 philosophy books later!

*Yes I really do mean this phrase, I'm not confusing it with 'once bitten twice shy'. I was trying to evoke how it felt by adjusting the phrase. I also went a bit urban with the phrase! And shy doesn't mean 'being shy', it means 'shying away from something'.