As we approach the start of the winter break, this should be a time to unwind and rest. There’s no doubt that this has been a hectic term for us all. Our lives have been completely transformed, having to adjust even to most minor facets of our lives. Studying through a pandemic is no easy feat, and you’ve made it this far already. Well done.
It has come to our attention that some students have been contacted by law firms posturing to prepare group legal complaints against UCL. We’re also aware that some of these law firms are operating overseas. These firms have somehow gained access to the email addresses of numerous UCL students in an effort to garner support for their claims, and in many cases they intend to take a significant cut of any compensation a student wins (potentially up to 30%).
As a Students’ Union, we do not endorse any law firms to assist students with legal claims. We continue to hold UCL to account to make sure that your academic experience lives up to what UCL promised you at the start of the year. However, we know that there will be some instances where students will rightfully feel that the academic standards they were promised and expected, could not – or have not – been met. If this is how you feel, you may have valid grounds to put forward an official complaint and should use the UCL Students Complaint Procedure with the support of our Advice Service. Our Advice Service is a truly fantastic (free) resource, independent from UCL and available to support any student through the entire process. Oh, and we most certainly will not take a 30% cut from any compensation!
UCL welcomes any application through this channel, and if the outcome is less than satisfactory, the appropriate escalation would be through the Office of the Independent Adjudicator as well. Within the Students Complaint Procedure, the complaints panel will always include a Students’ Union Officer as a panellist to ensure that every claimant has a fair hearing.
On behalf of the rest of the Sabb Team, I’d like to wish you all a Merry Christmas, and hope it is a restful and refreshing one.