Help ! Delayed graduation involving admin grievance :((

[blackmanwhtecoat]

I'm currently in a grad program and found out I failed a licensing exam in June. My program director initially allowed me to finish my current coursework but mentioned I would need to sit out for the next session (a two-month course) to retake the exam. With four unstructured months ahead, I was on track to graduate on time with that plan.​

The next day, I received notice from the licensing board stating that I would be ineligible to test for a calendar year unless I resolved an issue with my score. I communicated this to my administration and intended to contact the board.​

Instead of letting me handle the situation (which I resolved just a few days later), I was placed on a Leave of Absence (LOA) and denied credit for the coursework I had partially completed. The rationale was that I couldn’t retake the exam this semester since I supposedly couldn't test for a year. This LOA and denial of credit could cost me tens of thousands in tuition and delay my graduation.​

I resolved the hold and can now take my board exam this semester, as originally planned. In hindsight, I wish I had managed the temporary hold myself, as the administration promptly placed me on an LOA without considering my circumstances and it literally wouldn't have affected me at all if I didn't communicate I had a 1 year hold I needed to have removed; it took just days to remove it. As a result, I'm now at risk of not graduating on time and losing credit for the coursework I completed.​

I’ve approached them to discuss possible solutions, like regaining credit for the 50% of the coursework I completed or enrolling in an elective during the upcoming break. However, the administration has refused these options, saying they "didn't know" I could resolve the hold and essentially left me with a tough situation and an entire year delayed graduation over being just 1 month off in the timeline that was entirely preventable. Im devastated.​

I would appreciate any insights or similar experiences. I'm looking for ways to potentially rectify this and graduate on time, as resolving this issue could save me a year and tens of thousands of dollars
Thank you!

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[LizzyM]

I'd suggest looking in your student handbook and similar online resources for your school regarding "grievances". There should be a way you can take this up the chain from your program director to your dean of your college to even some higher level of authority.

I'm astounded that a school can put you on a leave of absence without your authorization. If they "didn't know" and acted without knowing the situation and now say they can't reverse the leave, they are being completely unreasonable and I say this as someone responsible for grad students myself.

You might have to get a lawyer (one specializing in higher ed) to help you get the school to straighten this out... it really seems unreasonable to put you on leave for a year for something that was rectified in a matter of days.

 

[Hollow Knight]

I have no advice here, just chiming in to say your administration is absurdly incompetent and I’m sorry you’re dealing with this.

 

[blackmanwhtecoat]

I'd suggest looking in your student handbook and similar online resources for your school regarding "grievances". There should be a way you can take this up the chain from your program director to your dean of your college to even some higher level of authority.

I'm astounded that a school can put you on a leave of absence without your authorization. If they "didn't know" and acted without knowing the situation and now say they can't reverse the leave, they are being completely unreasonable and I say this as someone responsible for grad students myself.

You might have to get a lawyer (one specializing in higher ed) to help you get the school to straighten this out... it really seems unreasonable to put you on leave for a year for something that was rectified in a matter of days.

Thank you so much for your kindness. It means a lot, seriously.

I do want to correct you on one part. They can reverse the leave and they are letting me go back, but the time lost when they pulled me out of my clerkship immediately is lost, I got a W on my transcript, and delays my graduation and ability to match or do anything is pushed back a year due to the length and timelines of the current clerkships available. I was astounded that they immediately put me on an LOA when I let them know I needed to handle a hold on a test well before (several months) I would have actually registered for it. When I asked about it at the time, the school said its an LOA or dismissal since I couldn't register for the test... but the key word is *temporarily* couldn't register......

I asked my dean if there was anyone else I could talk to (she was the one who acted without knowing) and she said no, thats her job. My heart kind of sank when I spoke to her--she seems to think its reasonable that she didn't know and is not exploring what we can do to move things along. She was telling me about how its only a year in the grand scheme of things. Its been really exhausting advocating for myself, because she is my dean and I want to make a good impression.

You said you work with students so I thought I might ask. I cant get a lawyer, but I do go to a public school. I'm wondering if you know places I could try to ask for help.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

If your licensure is required to earn your degree and graduate, then the automatic actions taken to immediately place you on a LOA until you pass your licensure exam make some sense to me. Yes, it's an awful policy, and the dean likely can't change the policy (requires faculty approval) to do anything about it. We don't have your student handbook, and I don't know what messages were given to you about the consequences of not passing your exam. This doesn't excuse the dean not knowing what options you might have (there should be someone who does know). That's what the handbook is for.

 

[blackmanwhtecoat]

If your licensure is required to earn your degree and graduate, then the automatic actions taken to immediately place you on a LOA until you pass your licensure exam make some sense to me. Yes, it's an awful policy, and the dean likely can't change the policy (requires faculty approval) to do anything about it. We don't have your student handbook, and I don't know what messages were given to you about the consequences of not passing your exam. This doesn't excuse the dean not knowing what options you might have (there should be someone who does know). That's what the handbook is for.

they told me if I didn't pass then as long as I retook it the same semester I could finish my clerkship. they jumped the gun when they saw the possibility of a 1 year hold and pulled me out

 

[Mr.Smile12]

they told me if I didn't pass then as long as I retook it the same semester I could finish my clerkship. they jumped the gun when they saw the possibility of a 1 year hold and pulled me out

Was this ever written for you? I'm guessing no. I don't know what other information your faculty have about your academic performance. I agree that this seems very pre-emptive. It's as if they never did this before. It's more likely they reacted because of a similar situation that happened before you.

 

[LizzyM]

Excuse me but I am confused that you are in a grad program, taking licensing exams and mention clerkships and yet posting in pre-med.

Can you go to the Dean and say, "Look, I'm sitting for the exam on x/x/2024 and pending a passing grade can I have the W changed to a grade and get back to finishing this clerkship?" You can add that you are losing X tuition dollars and a year of earning power and the school might be expected to make you whole given that they screwed up and jumped the gun by preemptively putting you on LOA before everything was sorted out in just a matter of days.

If you have a dollar amount that you are out of pocket and an estimate of the lost wages you'd earn by graduating on time rather than a year later, you could consider suing the school for the money. You wouldn't pay a lawyer unless you won and the lawyer would get a cut of the money paid by the school. A lawyer can decide if you have a case they'd be willing to take.

 

[IlDestriero]

Everyone has a boss until you’re talking to the board of directors equivalent.
Work up the chain. If they can arbitrarily put you on a LOA due to their inability to understand their own requirements, they can probably arbitrarily reinstate you.
If you do get to the point of negotiating damages your starting offer should be 1 year of tuition and one year of lost income.

 

[gyngyn]

Speak to the office of the ombuds.

 

[blackmanwhtecoat]

Speak to the office of the ombuds.

Everyone has a boss until you’re talking to the board of directors equivalent.
Work up the chain. If they can arbitrarily put you on a LOA due to their inability to understand their own requirements, they can probably arbitrarily reinstate you.
If you do get to the point of negotiating damages your starting offer should be 1 year of tuition and one year of lost income.

Excuse me but I am confused that you are in a grad program, taking licensing exams and mention clerkships and yet posting in pre-med.

Can you go to the Dean and say, "Look, I'm sitting for the exam on x/x/2024 and pending a passing grade can I have the W changed to a grade and get back to finishing this clerkship?" You can add that you are losing X tuition dollars and a year of earning power and the school might be expected to make you whole given that they screwed up and jumped the gun by preemptively putting you on LOA before everything was sorted out in just a matter of days.

If you have a dollar amount that you are out of pocket and an estimate of the lost wages you'd earn by graduating on time rather than a year later, you could consider suing the school for the money. You wouldn't pay a lawyer unless you won and the lawyer would get a cut of the money paid by the school. A lawyer can decide if you have a case they'd be willing to take.

Just wrote to Ombuds and asked the deans based on LizzyM's suggestion. Thank you!! fingers crossed...