Hi pf, First of all, I can understand why this is making you think of many other times you've been 'this close' and not succeeded, but you have to put those out of your mind now, and concentrate on this one. Because this is one you can win.

I don't know if you remember, but I've said before that I'm course director for a BSc Honours programme, so I know of what I speak! This is not your fault, and the college shold be doing all it can to help you out of it. The tutor who left to do other things isn't relevant, but the fact that his replacement wasn't competent to do the job is.

The tutor who was assigned to oversee the report had to drop out due to a new course being set up. He is the course director. He delegated it to his replacement his students. It may not just be me its other students in the same boat. I met one when I went to college last week.

You were working on the report for 5 months. If he told you the work was acceptable, you should not be disadvantaged by his incompetence. You need to see, in order.... The internal. He will be getting leaned on very heavily by the college high ups to get as mnay students as possible hrough, because retention and achievement is a major policy and funding issue.

Yes and the funding issue affects other courses like the new course being set up. Its not going to look very good if a new course is being set up and students at the final stage of present courses are failing through no fault of their own.

 But chansing up those who couldn't even bother to turn up should not come ahead of 15 - 30 minutes to explain the problems to someone who did the work, on time, and has been told that it isn't of the right standard only at the very last minute. I know from other posts and threads of yours that you don't always find it easy to be assertive, but in this case (and knowing that it isn't your fault) you're going to have to be. Don't ring him, don't email him, go in, stand in front of him, explain his duty of care to you, and refuse to leave until he gives you the explanation. IF you feel that you can make the necessary changes in the time available, and you want to take the line of least resistance, get it done. But remember it has to be done in time to be remarked and verified before it goes to the external, so you need to have finished it before that, and you need to get assusrances that when you hand it in it will be marked immediately, just in case there's still something you've missed. Also, I don't know what your college's policy is. Some places have a rule that if a piece of work fails, when it's redone it can get only the marks for a bare pass (usually 40%) no matter how good it is. Insist that yours be remarked as a first submission, not as a referral. Point taken - the internal person has not got back to me yet probably still chasing up students who don't bother!

If there is anything there that the internal won't do, or says he will do, go straight to the Head of Department. Don't even consider worrying about being thought of as a trouble maker, they are the ones in the wrong. I would actually recommend seeing the department head anyway - make him/her aware of what's going on, say that you're giving the internal chance to help you, but that you don't have much time.

The course director was the one who dumped me onto an incompetent replacement - its not going to look good for the college.
 
And if the head won't help, or doesn't seem interested, go and knock on the door of the Vice Principal with responsibility for the curriculum and teaching, and after that the Principal, and after that, if it gets that far, to the governors. But I don't think it will have to go very far at all, as long as you are clear with them that you have researched your situation, and found out that this is absolutely their problem not yours, and you are not prepared to fail because staff did not do their jobs properly. Stand up for yourself, knowing that you are in the right. Good luck, and if it doesn't get resolved let me know. I'll advise you how to proceed. BJx

Thanks - I've tried to chase up the internal person last night - he has not got back to me yet. I will have to go into college tomorrow if its not done. Its the final meeting for my level students - I was not going to go as I have been through it last year but the tutor have to be aware that they are not doing their job properly.

I am now aware if I have to win I have to stand up for myself sometimes and I find it difficult to do it.

A big thanks for your help - I came on HB hoping that someone is in the know about this sort of thing.
Posted by BillieJay