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leaving grad school &the ADA

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sjc790

Guest
I am a 3rd year phd graduate student in neuroscience at a prominent university in IL. I finished the coursework and was in the process of preparing for my qualifying exam when my thesis advisor told me she did not want me to go for a phd, but leave with a Masters degree. So I attempted to receive a Masters degree and leave the program. However, my thesis advisor did NOT know that my program does not grant Masters degrees and that the graduate school had recently changed it's informal policies of granting exemptions. In the past (up to the time of my entering class) students in my position who completed all of the coursework and lab work for a masters (the position I am in), but were in a phd
program, would be granted an exemption from the graduate school. Only with an exemption from the graduate school can my program give a masters degree out.

As of March 16, 2001 I am no longer a student at this university. I leave with no degree, and no written explanation.

The director of the graduate school will not meet with me or discuss the new policies or my situation. Nor will the dean of graduate students (although we have spoken over the phone once). There is little chance to ever speak with them in person.

Is there any legal advice you can give me based on this situation without bringing in the ADA? I DO have narcolepsy, and my program directors knew for over 2 of my 3 years in this program that I had a "disability" of some kind, though they did not know exactly that it was narcolepsy, and I was given some extra time on some tests. I believe that they were discriminating against me when they told me I had to leave the program after my thesis advisor advised it, because they knew of the disability. I
believe that another student might not have been treated in the same manner were they "normal."

Do you think I should look into a case against them (the program) or the university, either alone, or based on the ADA?

Thank you for your advice--
SJC

 



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