advicecommunity college problem (Updates post 16 and 23)

[mommytoe]

My ds is attending Wake Technical Community College. This morning he found out that as of Sept 23 he withdrew from one of his on line classes.

Problem is he did not withdraw and has still been doing all work and turning it in on time. He has been trying to get the resolved all morning. The college keeps passing him around and nobody will even look into the problem.

I am sitting here wishing I could do something, but this is between him and the college.

What should he do? Should I keep staying out of it? I know this does not matter, but he is only 17.

 

[lovesmurfs]

FERPA doesn't really let you get too involved as a parent, anyway, unless there's signed permission on file.

If he hasn't already, I would have him send an email of concern (or forward the notification of dropping the class, noting that he did NOT drop the class) to his professor and copy the registrar. Then follow up with a phone conversation with the registrar -- have him take notes particularly of who and when he's spoken.

It sounds like an easy fix, and between the professor and the registrar, they should be able to get it right.

Good luck.

 

[DawnCt1]

My ds is attending Wake Technical Community College. This morning he found out that as of Sept 23 he withdrew from one of his on line classes.

Problem is he did not withdraw and has still been doing all work and turning it in on time. He has been trying to get the resolved all morning. The college keeps passing him around and nobody will even look into the problem.

I am sitting here wishing I could do something, but this is between him and the college.

What should he do? Should I keep staying out of it? I know this does not matter, but he is only 17.

Can you both go in in person? Can he contact the professor? Has he talked to the person who controls the on line course access? You are right, it is between him and the college, except sometimes they do not always listen to the students. Has he talked to the registrar?

 

[golfgal]

He needs to go meet with the registrar and get it fixed. My guess is someone with a similar name or a similar student ID did withdraw and it is an input error but who knows. Tell him to call and set up an appointment for this afternoon and get it done. Yes, you should stay out of it.

 

[SandrA9810]

Usually when you go in person, they'll send you to the right person. I hate playing phone tag, with 20 minutes on hold in between.

 

[mommytoe]

He has left a voice messages for his instructor (won't be in the office till 2:30) and left a voice message for someone else the college told hiom to talk to.

The problem with going in person (I just found this out when talking to him) is that the offices are spread all over the county.

Ds is getting ready to head to another class so I will take messages for him. He will call me before heading back home so I can tell him if there is an office he needs to go to. I am only going to take messages, but not go over anything with them. He has to turn off his phone while at classes.

 

[mommytoe]

He has left a voice messages for his instructor (won't be in the office till 2:30) and left a voice message for someone else the college told hiom to talk to.

The problem with going in person (I just found this out when talking to him) is that the offices are spread all over the county.

Ds is getting ready to head to another class so I will take messages for him. He will call me before heading back home so I can tell him if there is an office he needs to go to. I am only going to take messages, but not go over anything with them. He has to turn off his phone while at classes.

 

[tlbwriter]

Does he have an advisor? If so, that's another phone call he needs to make.

 

[lovesmurfs]

He has left a voice messages for his instructor (won't be in the office till 2:30) and left a voice message for someone else the college told hiom to talk to.

The problem with going in person (I just found this out when talking to him) is that the offices are spread all over the county.

Ds is getting ready to head to another class so I will take messages for him. He will call me before heading back home so I can tell him if there is an office he needs to go to. I am only going to take messages, but not go over anything with them. He has to turn off his phone while at classes.

Again, I'd start an email paper trail. Sounds weird, but I've always gotten better responses through email than voicemail.

 

[mommytoe]

Does he have an advisor? If so, that's another phone call he needs to make.

He talked to his adviser first thing. The adviser just did the pass off instead of trying to help him.

 

[tlbwriter]

That's odd. Does he not need an advisor's signature to drop or add a class? I know that varies by school.

 

[mommytoe]

That's odd. Does he not need an advisor's signature to drop or add a class? I know that varies by school.

You are right he does. To withdraw from a class he must fill out a form and get the teacher, adviser, etc. to sign it. He did not fill out a form or get any signatures.

 

[Traveliz]

Usually when you go in person, they'll send you to the right person. I hate playing phone tag, with 20 minutes on hold in between.

HAHAHAHAHA that is the funniest thing I have ever read...not the case at UCF for sure.

Liz

 

[bballmom56]

FERPA doesn't really let you get too involved as a parent, anyway, unless there's signed permission on file.

He is only 17, so I think they can speak to the parent without the signed permission. Or the son could sign the form now.

Ah, bureaucracy. Don't ya love it??

 

[RitaZ.]

You are right he does. To withdraw from a class he must fill out a form and get the teacher, adviser, etc. to sign it. He did not fill out a form or get any signatures.

Really? I had no idea that some schools still did it this way.

You are doing the right thing by letting him handle it. He will gain experience from it. If he runs into a problem in the future, he will have the confidence to handle it. If he doesn't get it resolved by tomorrow, then tell him to go to the registrar's office in person and talk to his professor in person.

Good luck.

 

[mommytoe]

Here is an update:

The college is now saying it was a computer glitch. They claim the computer now shows the my ds dropped the class back in Aug before classes started.

They told him to talk to the instructer again and see if the teacher is willing to reinstate him in the class. They told him at this point they might just make him start the class over next semester instead.

I don't get it. Ds was on the roll, getting emails from the instructer, and receiving grades. This stinks!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Ceila]

Here is an update:

The college is now saying it was a computer glitch. They claim the computer now shows the my ds dropped the class back in Aug before classes started.

They told him to talk to the instructer again and see if the teacher is willing to reinstate him in the class. They told him at this point they might just make him start the class over next semester instead.

I don't get it. Ds was on the roll, getting emails from the instructer, and receiving grades. This stinks!!!!!!!!!!!

Hopefully the instructor will help get this straightened out.

However, re. the part I bolded: tell him to make screen shots of all of that and e-mail it to the registrar and the professor if the professor doesn't cooperate. Your son should not have to re-take the course if it was the college's error.

 

[bballmom56]

If they are saying it was a computer "glitch" they are acknowledging that it was an error on their part, not your son's. And why should the professor have to "reinstate" him since he was treated as a regular student in the class all along. No way should he have to start over because of their "glitch". This sounds like a registrar's office issue.

Did they refund to you any money from the supposedly dropped class?

 

[SandrA9810]

My bf's professor was dropped as the teacher of the class.... He went to log in to show the students some of the help they could get online from him, as well as some of the tests. It then told him he was no longer the professor of the class and couldn't access the information. So he had to have a student log in to the school system.

I wouldn't let the school just take the easier way out because of their error. Your son has already put work and effort into this class. It's not his fault they dropped the ball.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

If they are saying it was a computer "glitch" they are acknowledging that it was an error on their part, not your son's. And why should the professor have to "reinstate" him since he was treated as a regular student in the class all along. No way should he have to start over because of their "glitch". This sounds like a registrar's office issue.

Did they refund to you any money from the supposedly dropped class?

Bingo!