Saturday, October 02, 2010

Mary Ward Centre threatens me with expulsion

Today I received a letter from the Mary Ward Centre, one of London's premier adult education colleges, whose aim it is “to promote public education and social service for the benefit of the community”. They say that I didn't notify them I wouldn't be attending their two-day course "Excel Introductory" on 23 and 30 September, adding, "As a result we have to cancel any future computing enrolments you may have on our system."

In fact, not only did I go to the trouble of turning up in person at the college on 21 September to explain why I may be up to two hours late for the first lesson on 23 September, but Declan turned up with me. And the valid reason I had for having to be late was that on the morning of 23 September we had to sign on at our local jobcentre; and although a claimant can arrange to sign on another day if he has a good reason, things were way too rough for us with the jobcentre to even consider doing so (see blog of 21 September Two allegations against Declan within a week!). The person who the enrolment officer put me through to on the telephone to explain all this was the Head of Computing, IT and Business, Clive Allum. This is the letter I received this morning from Allum:



Allum was adamant when we spoke over the telephone that students couldn't be more than 30 minutes late for a class no matter what the excuse and that they had to cancel my enrolment for the course in question. As a result I also had to cancel my enrolment for the follow-up course "Excel Advanced" and was lucky to get a place on a six-week Microsoft Office course, which I have attended the last two Fridays. It is not clear from the letter above if my enrolment on this course has now been cancelled too.



First thing on Monday morning, Declan and I are back to the college to hand-deliver a letter addressed to the Principal, Ceri Williams, which will also be dispatched by registered post. This is not the first time I have had to deal with this college. Last June they informed me via email that the follow-up course I had booked, "Access Advanced", had been cancelled due to a lack of interest, and they then sent my refund cheque to the wrong address (see blog of 22 June The Mary Ward Centre).

The Mary Ward Centre is a registered charity. According to their website, "The Mary Ward is the friendly place to learn"; and even better, "All Centre staff know about the importance of customer care and are proud of the reputation the Centre has for treating people right." What is going to happen on Monday? Am I going to be told that in effect I am expelled from the college for the rest of the academic year?