A deaf student with ADHD is suing the University for his alleged mistreatment by the Examination Access and Mitigations Committee (EAMC) after he was robbed at knifepoint last year.  

Stephen Papillon, who has just finished his second year studying Theology at Homerton College, claims that he has had several “horrific” experiences with the EAMC. He decided to go public about his case in order to “inspire students to be likewise confident in challenging the University whenever it is being unreasonable.”

Stephen’s issues with the EAMC arose last year, when, due to his deafness and severe ADHD, he formally applied to take his first-year exams untimed. However, Stephen claims that the EAMC would only allow him extra time, not unlimited time, due to his supervisors’ reports that of his high academic ability. Stephen claims that the EAMC also suggested he take a mock exam so that his disability could be “measured”. He says that the EAMC’s decision “took so long that I was effectively timed out of appealing.”

Then, days before his first-year exams, Stephen was robbed at knifepoint by two men as he was leaving a pub. He says that this negatively impacted his exam performance, so he applied to the Office for Student Conduct, Complaints and Appeals (OSCCA), asking to resit his exams. A senior member of staff warned him “they will fuck you over with procedure.” 

OSCCA told Stephen to follow the “alternative correct procedure” and make an application to the EAMC instead. However, due to his previous experience with the EAMC, Stephen didn’t want to, saying that appealing to the EAMC would be “tantamount to giving a criminal the say in their victim’s justice”. Stephen emailed to announce that he intended to sue, but was met only with an automatic response email.

It was then that the EAMC refused Stephen’s third request to submit work that he believed would reflect his ability better than his exam results. Stephen claims that the EAMC referred specifically to his being robbed at knifepoint, and said that these circumstances were “not exceptional”.

Stephen is suing not just for damages but for “a public Declaration: that the University unlawfully discriminated against me.” He says that the tendency of complainants to make statements anonymously “speaks volumes about the University.”

A spokesperson for the University commented, “We cannot comment on individual cases, particularly in situations where a legal claim is ongoing. However, the Exam Access and Mitigation Committee (EAMC) is always ready to consider mitigation requests from students.”