In a viral video, a student called out University of Central Florida faculty for making her take an exam the same week her friend passed away even though she asked for an extension.
“No 22-year-old should have to go to their 22-year-old best friend’s funeral and be expected to shut their emotions off like a robot and take an exam,” the TikToker said.
In the video, TikToker Jadyn Fowler (@jadynelizabethh) shared that her close friend Nixolas Thomas, a fellow student at the university and member of the cheer squad, died last week.
Fowler, a business major, explained that when she asked her professor for an extension for an exam due the same week, her professor said due to the department’s guidelines, she couldn’t get one and that “there was nothing she could do about it.” Fowler shared the email she sent to the chair of her major’s department, also asking for an extension for her test.
@jadynelizabethh tiktok PLEASE DO YOUR THING ON THIS VIDEO OUT OF ALL VIDEOS ON MY PAGE. @UCF ♬ original sound – Jadyn
She showed the dean’s response to her email. He wrote back, “While I understand it is difficult to lose a friend Dr. Willox is properly following UCF policy regarding excused absences.”
“I know damn well that if this man lost a friend as close as I did, he would not be at work,” Fowler said in her video.
Fowler told the Daily Dot that the department’s guidelines, which only allow extensions for deaths of immediate family members, aren’t practical.
“A lot of us, especially in college, see some of our close friends far more than we see certain immediate family members. Some of us don’t even have certain immediate family members in our life,” Fowler said.. “So I think that that’s completely insensitive.”
Her video garnered over 52,400 views by Thursday and sparked outrage in the comments.
“I’m so sorry for your loss. Colleges lack so much empathy; Students need SUPPORT more than anything,” a user commented.
“It is so insanely infuriating the total power colleges have over students (and to see how often they abuse that power),” another user commented.
Some users said they’ve had similar experiences at the University of Central Florida and tagged the school in comments. “I failed a class at @UCF last fall because of the attendance policy in the Early childhood education program because I was in the HOSPITAL with documents,” one user claimed.
Fowler told the Daily Dot that although the departments like Student Services did reach out to her to offer mental health counseling and resources, they weren’t able to help her get an extension.
“I expressed, ‘I appreciate you guys reaching out with resources, but this should have been the first step this should have been included in the first email that I had ever sent,’” she said in an interview with the Daily Dot.
Fowler said she’s also been in contact with the dean of the School of Business, who was more sensitive to her loss and would be contacting her professor.
Fowler said she appreciates the comments concerning her failing grade and advice about re-taking the exam. But she’s mainly disappointed in the department’s lack of empathy.
“The exam extension would have been helpful, but the main issue that I’m trying to tackle here is the way that they treat their students,” she said. “His response was the most unprofessional and disheartening thing I’ve seen in a long time.”
The Daily Dot reached out to the University of Central Florida’s dean of the Integrated Business Department, the Office of Students Rights and Responsibilities, and the dean of the School of Business.
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