Reference from i university i complained against

My previous university failed to make reasonable adjustments and it was a mistake of one of the staff giving me the wrong dates of the assessments and with different tasks than the actual exam and as a result i failed, they accoknowledged their mistake and asked me to repeat the year i was really close to passing the year so i refused and withdrew from the course they kept on bullying me online and tried to stop me from applying for other universities. with the help of someone i was able to apply for another univeristy and now the univeristy is asking me for an academic reference from the most recent university dispite providing a reference from my previous job.The OIA approved my compliant against the univeristy and i can't ask them for reference as only specfic people from the depratment whom i do not trust to provide an acadmeic reference for me are allowed to provide such a reference. what advice would you give to someone in my situition?

(edited 1 month ago)

Reply 1

Autumn223

Could you not email a member of the university you do trust? Surely the entire academic team isn’t the issue, isn’t it just one module? If this was one staff member surely there is someone who could serve as a reference that is distanced from them.
Your tutor, another module coordinator or lecturer you might have spoken to? Not all lecturers feel loyal to the University, many favour the students so try not to tarnish all the staff with the same brush.

Reply 2

Naddda

Thnx for the response. I agree with you and i tried but they refused and i did not tranish all the staff, i mentioned the only staff i know that are allowed, i dont trust. Not getting into the details but i failed the whole year because of stupid mistake. I am being nice and saying they acknowledge their mistakes but they didnt. It was the uni after i appealed.

(edited 1 month ago)

Reply 3

bluegray

could you explain the whole situation to the new uni and why it may not be possible to get a reference from the old uni?

Reply 4

Naddda

Original post by bluegray

could you explain the whole situation to the new uni and why it may not be possible to get a reference from the old uni?

I have been thinking about doing so.

Reply 5

Autumn223

Original post by Naddda

Thnx for the response. I agree with you and i tried but they refused and i did not tranish all the staff, i mentioned the only staff i know that are allowed, i dont trust. Not getting into the details but i failed the whole year because of stupid mistake. I am nice and saying they acknowledge their mistakes but they didnt. It was the uni after i appealed.

Not tarnish as in the way you are thinking, just a saying :smile:

Did they give a reason for refusal?
If not your next best bet is discussing it with your new provisional Uni.
Unfortunately there is no legal requirement for your old University to provide you with an academic reference.
It is a legal requirement to not give a bad reference though, so if you can think of anyone who would they wouldn’t be able to provide you with a ‘bad reference’

Reply 6

McGinger

Any University you subsequently apply to will want a brief email from your previous University confirming that :
1) You were 'a student of good standing' - ie. academically able.
2) That you left voluntarily and not because of any 'academic or disciplinary sanction' - ie. you were not forced to leave.

This is needed as part of essential safeguarding of students at the new Uni, and not one they will skip.

The email could come from a lecturer or an senior administration/manager but must come from their official email account. Some Unis may want this as a formal letter on headed paper attached to an official email.