At our Student Union Forum, a motion was passed mandating Liverpool Hope Students Union and Sabbatical Officers to object to the change in Dissertation and coursework deadlines and to call for the University to change the deadline from March, to a late April or early May date.

Liverpool Hope Students' Union, therefore, objects to the current Dissertation deadline on the grounds that:

• The limited working timeframe caused by both the early Coursework and Dissertation deadline dates will cause students to perform badly in both forms of assessments, as students will not receive sufficient enough time to complete work to an acceptable, good, professional standard; thereby effecting on their overall degree classification.
• The new deadline will put students with disabilities, mature students and students with other full-time responsibilities such as caring responsibilities, at an unfair disadvantage to other students in their cohort.
• The Equality Act 2010 specifies that the University, in its role as a Public Authority must show due regard to the need to “Advance equality of opportunity between all persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it.” However, the change in practice with regards to Dissertation and Coursework deadlines discriminates against students who have a protected characteristic under the Equality Act and puts them at an unfair disadvantage to others.

 

Therefore, I hereby submit this petition signed by Third Year Students of Liverpool Hope University, to Pro Vice-Chancellor Dr. Penny Haughan; in the hope that the early Dissertation and Coursework deadline decision will be changed to a late April or early May date, after consultation with Liverpool Hope Students Union.

 

Signed,

 

Feidhelm Doolin

Vice President Education

Liverpool Hope Students Union