Making a complaint

shelly818

I have had an issue with a certain professor, I took a module run by this professor it was VERY badly run, reading list changed constantly, no guidance was a complete shambles.

I want to make a formal complaint as there have been so many issues with this professor, I don't want to go into a long list now as I will just get annoyed and upset.

Does anyone know if there is a way of making a formal complaint against this professor?

WeeBushy

shelly818 wrote: »

I have had an issue with a certain professor, I took a module run by this professor it was VERY badly run, reading list changed constantly, no guidance was a complete shambles.

I want to make a formal complaint as there have been so many issues with this professor, I don't want to go into a long list now as I will just get annoyed and upset.

Does anyone know if there is a way of making a formal complaint against this professor?

There is a module feedback survey that is heavily advertised at the end of each semester designed for that kind of thing, but think its closed by now. Best bet is to probably write an email to the school that the module is in.

MissRealist

WeeBushy wrote: »

There is a module feedback survey that is heavily advertised at the end of each semester designed for that kind of thing, but think its closed by now. Best bet is to probably write an email to the school that the module is in.

Just be careful. I wanted to report one of my demonstrators last year. She was absolutely woeful and someone pointed out that formal complaints actually get logged/put on your record (apparently). Just be aware of that before you send anything OP. Your name will be on it when you aren't submitting through the normal module feedback. Anyway I ended up just having a word off the record with my lecturer but obviously you can't do this. Just wanted to point out the paper trail.:rolleyes:

ironclaw

Unless you have the same module or professor again, I wouldn't do anything. You would gain nothing but risk having it come back to haunt you. Sometimes it's better to just walk away and put it down to a bad module.

If you do have the same professor again, just bear in mind that no matter how "anonymous" your complaint is to a relevant body, they'll probably find out. Bearing in mind if your the only one complaining or are the first, and especially if it's a long running course, you risk is greater.

yellow hen

Just be careful. I wanted to report one of my demonstrators last year. She was absolutely woeful and someone pointed out that formal complaints actually get logged/put on your record (apparently).

Not true. A school would be grateful to receive this information, just mske sure it is in a constructive format with examples of the bad behaviour.

MissRealist

yellow hen wrote: »

Just be careful. I wanted to report one of my demonstrators last year. She was absolutely woeful and someone pointed out that formal complaints actually get logged/put on your record (apparently).

Not true. A school would be grateful to receive this information, just mske sure it is in a constructive format with examples of the bad behaviour.

There is ALWAYS a paper trail no matter how anonymous something is. If you send an emailed complaint there is record of that email. Even if the lecturer doesn't know exactly who it was the school does which can be very very messy in itself. If the module was as bad as the original poster says then they probably don't need to risk putting their name on something anyway. People are always more likely to fill out module feedback on bad modules. The complaint has probably already been logged multiple times by others.

**Timbuk2**

I've always thought it was a bit suspect that you have to log into your UCD Account to do those anonymous end-of-semester surveys - I know it's probably to prevent you from doing a survey twice, or doing surveys for modules you didn't take, but I'd imagine if they wanted to track down who wrote a certain survey, it wouldn't be difficult.

MissRealist

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

I've always thought it was a bit suspect that you have to log into your UCD Account to do those anonymous end-of-semester surveys - I know it's probably to prevent you from doing a survey twice, or doing surveys for modules you didn't take, but I'd imagine if they wanted to track down who wrote a certain survey, it wouldn't be difficult.

This is also true. But at least there's some level of anonymity. They wouldn't go out of their way to track who submitted what unless it was really warranted I don't think. When you submit through that system you're assured the lecturers will never see who wrote it. It's better than submitting the feedback by email or general module assignment survey on BB where your name and student number are instantly accessible at any rate. That used to be their only way of getting feedback. :eek:

yellow hen

Ok, two facts.

1. Online surveys are logged to UCD under the portal/ip address at which the survey was completed. Names, usernames, logins are NEVER attached.

2. Yes Missrealist you are correct, there is always a papertrail. UCD must protect itself in so much as they possibly can but at no point would this information be used againt the student or in any way interfere with their academic progress (or lack off :eek:)

MissRealist

yellow hen wrote: »

Ok, two facts.

1. Online surveys are logged to UCD under the portal/ip address at which the survey was completed. Names, usernames, logins are NEVER attached.

2. Yes Missrealist you are correct, there is always a papertrail. UCD must protect itself in so much as they possibly can but at no point would this information be used againt the student or in any way interfere with their academic progress (or lack off :eek:)

Not if they're simply an assignment submission, which is the way my school used to do it. They were no different to submitting a lab report. I know they'd never purposely use it against a student of course! :eek: But there could be a situation however rare where the information has to come out. There's also the fact that people are human. Someone is going to know you're the one that sent the email of complaint. That someone is going to work in the school making whoever you complain about a colleague, possibly for many years. They may like them, know them personally, may not, but that leaves a lot of room for slip ups you have to admit... I think there should really be a separate body that academic complaints go through. That leaves nobody between a rock and a hard place and no student hesitant about making a formal complaint

yellow hen

I understand your concerns about submitting a complaint with your name attached.

There is actually a student complaints officer. Procedure here: http://www.ucd.ie/registry/academicsecretariat/student_complaint.pdf

Contact details here: http://www.ucd.ie/complaints/contact2.html

graduate

The present centralised survey mechanism is not connected to any School and so there is no practical way for anyone to identify the source of comments.
Sadly, few enough people bother to fill it in and make useful comments, which reduces their usefulness.

If there is a problem with the general delivery of a module then this will affect many people. Talk to your classmates and see if they share your concerns. It is best that it be clear that there is a general problem if there is one. If your school or College has a staff/student committee or the like then seek out your rep there and talk to them. This may or may not be a same person as on the Student's Union, if it is not the same person then talk to the SU rep also.

Finally, the last few posts are not really related to the light-hearted UCD Irritations thread and the mods might consider putting these in a separate thread for future searches etc.

groovyg

What about contacting the students union, their reps go to programme board meetings and if there are enough people raising the issue they get onto the Head of School. I know a lecturer who was constantly getting e-mails from the SU regarding her module. However the complaints did not relate to the competence of the lecturer more about too much content and assessment of the module.

yellow hen

groovyg wrote: »

What about contacting the students union, their reps go to programme board meetings and if there are enough people raising the issue they get onto the Head of School. I know a lecturer who was constantly getting e-mails from the SU regarding her module. However the complaints did not relate to the competence of the lecturer more about too much content and assessment of the module.

No head of school will thank you for raising this kind of complaint at a programme board. It's highly inappropriate. Go through the formal complaints channel outlined above and it will then be escalated confidentially to the head of school and/or programme dean.

Red Alert

There is no way a lecturer can access specifics in the module survey. In fact, the SIS may not even keep a record of what anyone in particular answered other than that they did complete it.