If you are in the unfortunate position to be diagnosed with cancer, with only the final exams to be completed in the final semester of your degree (and only marks away from passing the subjects) the University of Sydney provides very few options;
1) Accept a DNF (Did Not Finish)
2) Sit the exam (During the exam period or a deferred exam period)
Although you have registered with Disability Services, completed special consideration paperwork, submitted medical documentation stating you are unable to sit exams (let alone study for them) - the University insists it is reasonable to have you sit the exams.
It must be mentioned, one compassionate unit of study co-ordinator when finding out about the situation agreed to reweight the mark, and the exam did not need to be sat. But 3 lecturers and Disability Services believed it was reasonable to require a student who was undergoing chemotherapy and being affected by medication to sit the exams. In fact, one person implied the student was at an advantage as the deferred exam provided them with additional time to study - when you are having chemotherapy the last thing you think to do is get out your notes to study!
Other options offered by the student as being more reasonable included a take home exam, open book exam, assignment, reweighting - all of which were dismissed.
Do you know of anyone else who has experienced a similar situation? What are your thoughts?
1) Accept a DNF (Did Not Finish)
2) Sit the exam (During the exam period or a deferred exam period)
Although you have registered with Disability Services, completed special consideration paperwork, submitted medical documentation stating you are unable to sit exams (let alone study for them) - the University insists it is reasonable to have you sit the exams.
It must be mentioned, one compassionate unit of study co-ordinator when finding out about the situation agreed to reweight the mark, and the exam did not need to be sat. But 3 lecturers and Disability Services believed it was reasonable to require a student who was undergoing chemotherapy and being affected by medication to sit the exams. In fact, one person implied the student was at an advantage as the deferred exam provided them with additional time to study - when you are having chemotherapy the last thing you think to do is get out your notes to study!
Other options offered by the student as being more reasonable included a take home exam, open book exam, assignment, reweighting - all of which were dismissed.
Do you know of anyone else who has experienced a similar situation? What are your thoughts?
