You may recall that there was 3 weeks of strike action by university lecturers earlier this year. I would appreciate both legal and moral responses to this question.
I returned to university last year (2017/18) to study on a taught Masters programme part time. It is costing me a significant amount of money. As a part-time student I pay per class that I take. 2 of my classes were significantly impacted by strike action i.e. the last 30% of lectures/seminars were completed wiped out. Course work was eventually marked.
I thought it reasonable to claim 25% of the costs of each of those 2 classes because I did not receive the TAUGHT element in its entirety. The university has now formally refused to do this on the basis that results were not impacted. However, that is NOT my issue. I chose this university rather than distance learning because it was TAUGHT and I would participate in lectures and seminars i.e. it is the experience and process that I chose the course for, not the end result. Therefore, I think it is reasonable to ask for a small refund.
From a moral and legal standpoint, do you think I have a case?
I am minded to go to the small claims court on this as a matter of principle ... if the university do not reconsider.
Thanks
Clariman
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Claim for partial fee refund due to University strike action
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- Lemon Quarter
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Re: Claim for partial fee refund due to University strike action
In short, I don't think you are being unreasonable.
You wanted an education, not a piece of paper, and the university's attitude seems to be "Well you got your degree in spite of what happened, you've suffered no disadvantage so buzz off."
My attitude would be something along the lines of
"I did not pay £X to receive a degree, I paid you £X to be educated. Of this I paid £Y for classes X,Y, and Z which I understood were mandatory in order to be awarded the degree.
These classes were not provided to me, therefore I request a refund for the education not provided.
If you are saying that these classes were not essential for me to receive the degree, then I feel that your course rules are misleading, and the value of my degree is diminished.
If this is the case, I repeat my request for a refund, on the basis that the University deliberately mislead me into believing that these courses were essential for the award of the degree."
I guess you'd turn that into a two phase attack - Phase 1, you didn't give me what I paid for, Phase 2, if I didn't need the cancelled courses, then you have diddled me.
TBH, if I was in your position, I'd have a bit of a sour taste left in my mouth.
PochiSoldi
You wanted an education, not a piece of paper, and the university's attitude seems to be "Well you got your degree in spite of what happened, you've suffered no disadvantage so buzz off."
My attitude would be something along the lines of
"I did not pay £X to receive a degree, I paid you £X to be educated. Of this I paid £Y for classes X,Y, and Z which I understood were mandatory in order to be awarded the degree.
These classes were not provided to me, therefore I request a refund for the education not provided.
If you are saying that these classes were not essential for me to receive the degree, then I feel that your course rules are misleading, and the value of my degree is diminished.
If this is the case, I repeat my request for a refund, on the basis that the University deliberately mislead me into believing that these courses were essential for the award of the degree."
I guess you'd turn that into a two phase attack - Phase 1, you didn't give me what I paid for, Phase 2, if I didn't need the cancelled courses, then you have diddled me.
TBH, if I was in your position, I'd have a bit of a sour taste left in my mouth.
PochiSoldi
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Re: Claim for partial fee refund due to University strike action
Clariman wrote:
I am minded to go to the small claims court on this as a matter of principle ... if the university do not reconsider.
Clariman
There is a "Class Action" underway - consider joining it
https://www.universitycompensation.co.uk
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Re: Claim for partial fee refund due to University strike action
Not related to the strike, but recently I did an open university course, for which there were three face to face tutorials (or maybe 4, I can’t remember). One was cancelled due to bad weather. I was rather surprised that it wasn’t rescheduled, as it was a substantial part of the teaching ‘offer’ for which I’d paid. Nor was there any question of money back. I thought that was poor service.
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Re: Claim for partial fee refund due to University strike action
If the University won't refund your fees, would you accept (and would they offer) being admited to that section of the course in 2018/9 for no charge? That way, you get the teaching that you wanted (albeit a year later than you expected to get it) and they don't have to refund anything. Might be worth a letter asking that, and if they say no go down the small claims route or see if you can join the class action.
Related to Jabd2001's experience:
I attended a local course, run by a local College in the local community centre (okay, it was a 5 week knitting course). One session was cancelled due to snow, and the course instructor deciding that it would be too disruptive to bring her children along when their school was closed. That class was rescheduled to another date. The communication was excellent (a phone call and an email as soon as the tutor found out her children were not in school), and the tutor let us decide whether and when we wanted it rescheduled. Can't fault them at all.
Perhaps smaller institutions have better customer service than bigger ones.
Related to Jabd2001's experience:
I attended a local course, run by a local College in the local community centre (okay, it was a 5 week knitting course). One session was cancelled due to snow, and the course instructor deciding that it would be too disruptive to bring her children along when their school was closed. That class was rescheduled to another date. The communication was excellent (a phone call and an email as soon as the tutor found out her children were not in school), and the tutor let us decide whether and when we wanted it rescheduled. Can't fault them at all.
Perhaps smaller institutions have better customer service than bigger ones.
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