By Lucy Caulkett-
The Chancellor of the Open University, Baroness Lee Hale, is facing questions after a recent open university graduate of psychology, who was made to repeat the year over allegations of plagiarism complained of discrimination, accusing the university of breaching their own policies, and subjecting her to mental health issues as a result.
The now graduated former pupil whose identity we have withheld, says the university did not explain why she had to lose a year over insignificant levels of plagiarism found in two of her essays at the end of the year, after an earlier essay judged to contain some plagiarism simply had the quantity of plagiarism subtracted from her overall mark in that subject.
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She says she has been treated differently in the final two essays of her degree, and is calling for an explanation.
In the realm of higher education, where learning meets opportunity, the quest for knowledge should ideally be a harmonious journey, but the aggrieved pupil says the university is not as open to fairness as it claims to be, as she slammed the institution’s system.
The Open University (OU) is renowned for its commitment to providing accessible education for all, irrespective of background or circumstance.
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Last June, the Open University (OU) celebrated the anniversary of its first graduation ceremony which took place on 23 June, 50 years ago when in the summer of 1973, 600 graduates arrived in London’s Alexandra Palace to be awarded their degrees, an occasion that was broadcast live on BBC2.
Its mission to break down barriers to learning and offer flexible study options has provided hope for countless individuals eager to enhance their knowledge and career prospects, and for many students, the OU represents an opportunity to transform their lives, fulfill their potential, and overcome obstacles on the path to success.
But this very upset student has accused the university of maltreating her, by forcing her to repeat the year over two modules for which a plagiarism checker spotted an 8% and 11% level of plagiarism. respectively.
She says the decision to force her to repeat the year was disproportionate to the plagiarism unintentionally committed, and was therefore unfair and insensitive to her situation.
Rather than the university considering a complaint about their harsh decision, she was referred to the Student’s Union to address her complaints, leaving her distraught.
Her complaint was yesterday escalated to Baronees Lee Hale on Wednesday, after repeated contact with her university for an explanation yielded no results.
The University has a complaint procedure which the student did not exhaust during her stated repeated year.
Representatives of The Open University said the former student should complain to her Student’s Union, but the student did not.
”I was in a bad place at the time, she said.. I was feeling down because of the pain and embarrassment of losing a year.
I was also worried of being victimized, she said.
Plagiarism- A Grave Academic Offence
Plagiarism, the act of using someone else’s work without proper attribution, is universally recognized as a grave academic offense. Universities, including the OU, maintain strict plagiarism policies to ensure the integrity of their academic programs.
These policies serve as guidelines for identifying and addressing instances of plagiarism, with penalties ranging from grade reductions to expulsion, depending on the severity of the offense.
Institutions are tasked with the responsibility of upholding these rules fairly and transparently.
Paraphrased Material
The student was plagiarized for not referencing paraphrased material she used for her assignment, but made reference to a separate assignment that revealed some degree of plagiarism in which marks were deducted from her mark in that assignment to a level equal to the plagiarized segment of her work.
The lady questioned why the same action was not taken in relation to two previous assignments that revealed minor levels of plagiarism in them.
Her suspicions of discrimination arise from the fact she was once penalized for plagiarism earlier that year, after her lecturer awarded her with a second upper mark in an assignment.
Her work was penalized after being sent to the external markers for assessment. They found segments of her essay they considered not well referenced, and took exception to paraphrased sentences not well referenced.
” it makes no sense why on that occasion I had the extent of plagiarism in my work deducted from my overall mark, but this time they make me repeat the year on such a small level of plagiarism. Its not like the plagiarism was broad or intentional, she said.
‘My lecturer had already awarded me a mark for the essay, but someone down the line, they say its the external markers who decided there were elements of plagiarism in the essay, but they did not just fail my work.
The woman of 34 years of age was striving for academic excellence while juggling the responsibilities of motherhood.
Plagiarism can take various forms, ranging from unintentional errors to deliberate misconduct.
Universities are expected to issue penalties in a balanced way, not severely punish students by making them lose a year.
Plagiarism Rules and the OU
The Open University, like many reputable academic institutions, maintains stringent policies regarding plagiarism.
The university policy is clear about academic integrity and plagiarism.
In extreme cases, plagiarism can lead to severe consequences, more generally, marks are deducted commensurately with the size of the offence. She says she was treated harshly.
These policies are designed to ensure that academic work is a genuine reflection of a student’s understanding and capabilities.
The OU’s rules stipulate that plagiarism will not be tolerated; however, the severity of the penalty depends on the extent of the violation.
In many cases, institutions like the OU adopt a nuanced approach, reserving the harshest penalties for instances of comprehensive plagiarism that undermine the core principles of academic integrity.
The demands to know how the circumstances surrounding the 8% and 11% plagiarism in her essays seem to have diverged from the ususal precedent.
Why the OU choose a different course of action this time in dealing with her is a question she wants answered.
She said: ”The impact of these allegations on my mental health was profound. I found myself caught in a web of distress and anxiety, grappling with a sense of unfairness that threatened to engulfed me”
”The ordeal struck at the core of my well-being, leaving her in a state of emotional turmoil. I was not treated well at all”
Adding to her anguish were the financial implications of the situation.
Financial Hardship
As a mother, the prospect of repeating a year of study, rather than progressing her career, weighed heavily on her shoulders.
According to her, the additional student loan costs exacerbated her financial hardship, creating a burden that she should not have had to bear.
This has made her very bitter about the whole affair.
She contacted the university to complain about her treatment after she graduated, but was told that their records only show that she has graduated, leaving no trace of her previous complaints.
”The university was given my student number, so they should have been able to find my records and address my complaint”, she said.
‘Thus is either negligence, or they are just being pretentious.
Her Discrimination Claim
Her narrative acquires an additional layer of complexity when she raises concerns about discrimination.
As a black student, she believes that she may have been treated unfairly due to her ethnicity.
All academic institutions have an anti discriminative policy, and generally granted the benefit of doubt than they abide by them, and majority do. Whether it is paranoia on her part or the severity of the punishment on the other, universities react to plagiarism differently, but expect to justify each step of their decision if asked.
The woman concedes there is no evidence of discrimination in her case, but believes the fact the university knew she was black explains why she was badly treated.
”I just feel there might have been that little element of bias there, she said. I was not told why I had been treated so harshly, and even now after I have graduated, I have written and complained but go no response.
The Unanswered Questions and OU’s Silence
Amidst these challenges, the woman took the step of reaching out to the OU, seeking answers and resolution. She expected a thoughtful response that would shed light on the perplexing discrepancies in her case.
However, silence met her inquiries.
The OU- an institution dedicated to fostering knowledge and inclusivity-has not offered any official comment or explanation regarding her situation.
Clear
The university policy is clear about academic integrity and plagiarism.
In extreme cases, plagiarism can lead to severe consequences, more generally, marks are deducted commensurately with the size of the offence. She says she was treated harshly.
The woman did not make a strong formal complaint at the time, but she still wants an explanation to her situation.
The former pupil has given the university authority to address her queries with this publication as part of an examination into the allegation.
The Open University was contacted for comment.
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