The verdict:
COMPLAINT FROM: a student of the Rotterdam Business School (RBS)
AGAINST: the RBS board of directors
VERDICT: well founded
If you pass German II, you’ve automatically passed German I, too

The student in this case got a negative binding study advice (bsa) because he would be lacking five units of credit. He personally believes that he can obtain sufficient units for the first year, because he still has the opportunity to do re-examinations for the principles of marketing course as well as German I. The principles of marketing course consists of a written section and a multiple choice section. The student didn’t pass the written section; he didn’t do the multiple choice section due to illness. And he didn’t do the German I exam either. Following this, his teacher let him know by email that he needed to focus on German II. Should he pass that course, he would automatically have passed German I.

The educational manager, who represents the RBS institute at the session, states that the student did not file an objection with the examination board against the inability to take both course exams again, while he had every opportunity to do so.

However, the Examinations Appeals Board states that no official decision has ever been made which proves that the student had run out of opportunities to do re-examinations. Consequently, the student hadn’t been able to file an objection.

Furthermore, the Examinations Appeals Board believes that the student should have been able to take the exams for both of the sections of principles of marketing again. Consequently, he was wrongfully denied an opportunity to do a re-examination, and, therefore, a prospect of the three units of credit he so desperately needed.

The student also should have been given the two units of credit for German I. The teacher’s email is as plain as it can be: ‘If you pass German II, you’ve automatically passed German I, too.’ In legal terms, this is called ‘expectations created,’ and therefore, he should have been granted the two units of credit for German I.

The Examinations Appeals Board therefore believes that an imprudent decision was made in this matter and declares the appeal of the RBS student well founded.

Text: Dorine van Namen

This article was originally published in Dutch on September 11, 2014.