My experience of DSA (Disabled Students' Allowance) - and University failings
Recently there has been a lot of discussion regarding proposed government cuts to Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) and how this could affect some of the most vulnerable students at university. I have qualified for DSA since August 2011 (prior to starting the final year of my undergraduate degree), this included 1:1 support with a mentor, a laptop with some specialist programs and an allowance to claim back photocopying and printing costs. Like many creative students - I was studying BA (Hons) Fashion Brand Management at the time - I am dyslexic.
I have no complaints about the level or quality of support I received whilst on my undergraduate course, in fact it was a massive help which enabled me to achieve an upper-second class honours degree. However, after completing my undergraduate degree, I applied to a postgraduate course at the same university - the course was cancelled just a few days before it was due to start (but that's another rant for another time) meaning I started a different postgraduate course a month late.
I started MSc Marketing Management at the end of October 2012. I struggled for various reasons whilst on the course and as a result it was agreed in Semester 2 that I should defer and continue with the course in the following September. During my break from university I was able to think about why I struggled so much and if I felt properly supported - the answer was no. Around the same time I was also given a tip-off by another student that the department responsible for my course had not been communicating students' Needs Assessment Reports to course leaders, tutors etc. meaning that staff were not aware of students who may have specific learning needs and were therefore (unknowingly) not supporting them adequately.
On July 15th 2013 I contacted my courses Disability Co-ordinator to voice my concerns and received a phone call from them on the same day. "I'm not sure why you've contacted me as you're studying fashion?" was the response I received. After explaining the situation - that I was no longer studying "fashion" they said that they would look into it and phone me back. In our second phone conversation I was then told that my records had not been passed over from my previous course (which had been cancelled) and that it was my responsibility to inform staff and to provide them with a copy of my Needs Assessment Report.
A few days later, after looking over my paperwork and thinking about what the Disability Co-ordinator had said I sent another e-mail (see below). I was not happily with what I had been told on the phone so I also copied in my Disability Adviser.
Below is the reply I received - reiterating our previous phone conversation.
Following a meeting with my Disability Adviser to discuss this issue they then responded to the Disability Co-ordinator confirming my initial thoughts.
The issues I faced on my course are now being investigated by OIA and I never returned to complete the MSc Marketing Management course. Although I have now completed a Masters degree in another subject.
The reason I have written this post is to share my experience with other students. I could have easily believed my Disability Co-ordinator and accepted that the reason I did not receive adequate support was my own fault for not informing staff of my needs - which is completely wrong. In other e-mails to the Disability Co-ordinator I also spoke about how the situation had effected my emotional well being and how I could have been supported better if my tutors were aware of my learning needs, "members of staff may have also been more willing to meet up with me rather than refusing to until I had completed a certain amount of work and they would have better understood that time management and organisational issues are central to my difficulties rather than me being lazy or having an attitude problem, which is how I was made to feel at times." I don't want other students to feel that way, or to struggle unnecessarily when they should be receiving support - whether that be for a disability or long-term health condition, mental health issue or specific learning difficulty.
Although I do not agree with any financial cuts which may affect student support in a negative way, I am glad that the issue of DSA is being reviewed and updated and hopefully other students will speak out about their experiences to change things for the better or to make others aware of the correct procedures and how they should be supported.
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