Deputy Vice-Chancellor Jane Grenville has reminded students to submit their Mitigating Circumstances Claims before they receive results. She commented, “The purpose of the Mit Circs system is to ensure that the playing field
is levelled for students at a disadvantage while the game is still in play, rather than after the final whistle has blown.”
Claims typically spike during exam periods and results season, and all claims should be made before results are know. Post-results claims are treated as appeals and are handled centrally by Special Cases Committee.
There are two types of problem: acute and chronic. Claims for acute problems, such as a burglary or an injury, should be supported with formal evidence like a doctor’s note or a crime number. Claims arising from chronic situations, such as a mental illness or family problems, prove more complicated and students are encouraged to regularly inform their supervisor or their college welfare team about how problems affect their studies.
Grenville continued, “The most problematic cases are those where a student has had a long-standing difficulty which is placing them under undue stress, but they decide to crack on in the hope that they will pass. Students must recognise that this is a calculated risk and that if they fail, an appeal based on the grounds ‘I hoped I wouldn’t’ will not be upheld. Life is full of calculated risks – university is an excellent place to learn to deal with them skilfully and there is plenty of help and advice available.”
Full details of the University of York’s Mitigating Circumstances Claims policy is available online at https://www.york.ac.uk/students/support/academic/mitigation/.