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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  • 18 score
    18 votes

    Reinstate assignment extensions for students with support plans

    Submitted 4 weeks ago by Sarahjane Cudworth Expires on 21 Apr
    Current
    • Wellbeing
    • Assignments and Exams
    4comments
    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.