Dear Ethel,
What do I do if my supervisor’s got it in for me? I failed my last professional placement, and I know it’s only because he’s a hater. He doesn’t treat anyone else like he does me. He yells at me in front of people and makes me feel like I’m just a total waste of his time. I’ve heard him make racist remarks behind my back too. The comments he wrote on my report about me were awful and not true. Now I’ve failed and it’s not fair.
I hear your frustration! It’s adding insult to injury to experience such treatment and fail a paper. It may help you to know that there are guidelines governing the behaviour of both students and staff at the university to protect people from exactly the sort of thing you have described above.
Any form of harassment contravenes the principles of the university’s Ethical Behaviour Policy, which requires all members of the university to treat each other fairly and with respect and requires anyone in a position of authority to use that authority appropriately.
There is also an Academic Grievance Policy, which allows students to seek redress if they feel that they have been disadvantaged academically by a staff member’s actions.
Both policies allow for different ways of approaching a situation, from the less formal approach of meeting with the involved parties to discuss what has happened through to formally escalating issues to the head of department (or ethical breaches to Human Resources). The university mediator is a great recourse before it gets to those extremes, and you could consider having a confidential conversation with them about what you have experienced.
You can also talk confidentially to OUSA Student Support advocates. They are experienced in helping students pursue the outcomes they want in these situations, and they can support you at any meetings with staff, help you explore options and negotiate the informal and formal processes.
Because these issues are usually quite complex, it’s probably best that you come in and see us at 5 Ethel B so we can talk some more about your particular circumstances. But, rest assured, you have options and our advocates are here to provide you with independent and total support.