Ideas Forum

Welcome to the Ideas Forum! This is a place where you can submit any idea for change about your university experience or vote and comment on existing ideas.

If you can get at least 25 other students to vote for your idea, the Union officers are then able to consider it. Don't stop at 25 though - the more votes and comments an idea gets, the more power it gives us to try to action it!

Once an Idea has reached at least 25 up-votes, it will be sent to Executive Committee and/or Student Summit which are meetings where Union staff and students discuss, vote on and potentially action your idea. So don't hold back, let us know what you want us to do! (You can even post anonymously if you prefer to)

The Ideas Forum is such a direct and effective way to get your voice heard and you can use it as many times as you like during your studies - we know that your needs and wants change year on year, so use the Ideas Forum to reflect the current issues you are facing and let us know what it is you care about.

Before you post please consider the following

  • Make sure your idea clearly states what you want to change and why – things like how it would be funded, who it would apply to – give as much detail as possible. If you don’t, we may have to delete your idea or it could be rejected by students for being too vague.
  • Check to see if the idea has already been passed under the ‘ view passed ideas’ tab – we might already be working on your idea!
  • Check to see if your idea has already been posted by someone else – if so, don’t post the idea again, but vote and comment on the existing idea
  • Check to see if your idea has been rejected and why under the ‘view rejected ideas’ tab – it might mean slight changes to your post, or it might give you an insight in to how students felt about this topic.
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Please Note: You will need to log in to submit a new idea, or comment on an existing idea, below.

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  • 52 score
    52 votes

    Reinstate assignment extensions for students with support plans

    Submitted 5 months ago by Sarahjane Cudworth Expires on 21 Apr
    Current
    • Wellbeing
    • Assignments and Exams
    7comments
    For some reason, students with support plans are being told that they do not get to use extensions to their assignments anymore. This feels like discrimination as nobody works the same as anyone else. Some people need extra time for a number of different reasons. Students are being told to speak to lecturers, lecturers are signposting to disability team and disability team are signposting back to lecturers. It is causing incredible amounts of stress.
Monisha Sharma
1:07pm on 23 Oct 24 I second this it doesnt not reflect well on the university of derby and their supposed equality & diversity policies! It puts everyone in the same boat in terms of academic skills and does not respect everyones differences in learning!
Jack McGuinness
1:49pm on 23 Oct 24 Hi Sarahjane, Thank you for your idea. Situations such as these are supposed to be sorted under reasonable adjustments. If you believe your situation is not being adjusted for, please reach out to our Advice Service, that way we can see the quantity of instances and feed that information into meetings we have to lobby the University for the benefit of students.
Kate Brice
2pm on 4 Nov 24 I completely agree with this. The evidence that has to be submitted to receive DSA and a support plan from the university takes time and is rigorous. The fact that a student then has to apply for an extension and explain how their condition has affected their ability to complete assignments at the required speed is anxiety-provoking.
Sonja Brown
2:25pm on 12 Nov 24 I agree too. It is unfair that students feel that there should be a 'level playing field.' I have dyslexia and processing some of the journal articles can be a minefield for someone with a learning disability. Lecturers can only do so much. I've even sent one of my lecturer's a draft of an assignment in order to get feedback that I'm heading in the right direction and heard nothing back. Maybe if the extensions won't be introduced, then consider that every student with a disability is provided with student buddy to help with support. Surely with disability including a learning disability, how would that work under the Disability Act 2010 and Disability Discrimination 2015 and also the Equality Act 2010. It is stressful enough with a disability that we are now deemed as being at the fair level of studying as a student that has no disability especially a learning disability (dyslexia etc). Non disabled students have an unfair advantage in comparison to a disabled student especially a student with a learning disability and that is unfair. This should not even be a discussion either, its more stress we disabled students do not need.
Darren Cassidy
7:46pm on 11 Jan 25 I agree, it is not helpful for disabled students to not have extensions. Especially when we have specific reasons to have automatic extensions, on top of an RAC. I got told that it is because they have more staggered hand in dates across the board, so its inclusive now. That is the level playing field part, however that in my opinion is unfair because a non disabled student would still have an advantage, as they now have staggered hand ins like me... but they do not struggle like me. No matter howmany study skill sessions etx, i cannot teach myself to speed it up due to the needs and my differences, that extra time spent means lesser quality work. It could well impact my stage 2 and stage 3 work. I hope they return to assessed extensions in the future, because it will no doubt harm people who have extreme profiles such as myself. In their words 'complex case' and that will create barriers to education. I do not also want to put RAC in after RAC, which would as the other poster put be anxiety provoking... It is already hard enough getting proof from a GP, to have to then air out my issues to an RAC panel that is not going to work long term. This post is my opinion, not that of the union. I am the Allied Health and Social Care Officer. I have heard multiple people express the above also. Here is hoping we have a means to lobby this in the future to solve these barriers in a way that works for the university and disabled students . Darren.
Jack McGuinness
2:53pm on 29 Jan 25 Hi everyone, thank you for all the comments on this post. We're holding an event with the University as an opportunity to learn about the provisions and support available at the University, how to access and ask questions them. To learn more about the event and book your space, follow this link: https://www.derbyunion.co.uk/ents/event/5146/
Leanne Vaughan-Philipps
3:07pm on 31 Jan 25 For those who cannot access this meeting are there other options?