Depressed student threatened with expulsion over attendance

A student suffering with a mental illness has raised his concerns about certain University practices after receiving an email threatening him with expulsion over poor attendance.

Charlie (whose name has been changed to maintain anonymity), a second-year English student, was diagnosed with severe clinical depression at the beginning of November last year.

Despite informing his personal tutor of his condition soon after, he received a warning email (seen by the Boar) from the Deputy Academic Registrar on 23 January stating that if his attendance did not improve his department could recommend that his registration at the University be terminated.

Although Charlie was distressed by the email, he said that he was able to deal with it. He is worried, however, that a student less able to cope might be negatively impacted by such an email.

“I’m fortunate in that when I’m upset or my illness is bad, I stare at walls and can’t sleep,” he said.” “I go into this kind of conscious coma. But considering my condition, I could have been someone who became hysterical and reached for the nearest razor blade.”

On the same day as receiving the email, he contacted his personal tutor who said that it was likely to be a routine email triggered purely by the record of his attendance in his modules. The personal tutor acknowledged in an email, however, that the department’s knowledge of the circumstances had not been passed on to the University’s student record system.

Although he admits that he did indeed miss classes, Charlie explained that coping with a degree can be difficult for somebody with a condition like his.

“I often don’t sleep and medication often just knocks me out,” he said. “I’ve had panic attacks outside seminars before. And then there are the days I just don’t feel like I can do it.”

When the Boar approached the University with the students’ emails, spokesperson Peter Dunn said: “One of the key words that shapes these situations is confidentiality. If not already known when the student first applies to Warwick then the most common way these matters come to light is when a student raises it with their personal tutor, SU welfare service, the university counseling service or the Senior tutor.

“That person or service will typically seek permission from the student to share the information with the student’s personal tutor and the examinations team. The student, and the staff they are reporting their condition to, have to then balance their needs for confidentiality with the need to tell sufficient people within that student’s department.”

He further noted that every case is different and it would be inappropriate to comment on individual cases.

Students’ Union (SU) Welfare Officer Ben Sundell said: “Fortunately at Warwick, there is very good mental health support which is a massive help to many of our students. This case in question obviously touches on some sensitive issues – regarding a balance between confidentiality and supporting a student within a department – and obviously the right thing varies on a case by case basis.

“If anyone has any worries at all relating to how their mental wellbeing is impacting their studies, I would ask them to please be assured that we are all here for them and they shouldn’t hesitate to come and see anyone of us, and we can represent them and help them.”

Charlie said he was unhappy with these responses from the University and SU.

“When you go and see all the people you’re told to go and see and you hand in all the forms you’re asked to hand in, it’s a very humiliating experience,” he said.

“You feel very embarrassed and defeated. But, you hope that it’s all been worth it and that there will be a level of understanding that you’re not just a bad student, but someone suffering with an illness. I felt like I was just an imposition and it was very distressing.”

He said he had never been made aware of the mental health services offered by the SU during his time at Warwick and was never directed there by the University.

In response, Mr Dunn said he would “confirm and agree” with Mr Sundell’s statement above.

The student has started an anonymous blog about coping with student life while having depression.

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