Unfortunately, classmate and friend did not pass the last semester of RN Program-
the faculty and administration REFUSE to give her the "nursing pin" she paid for nor
will they reimburse her and so she is unable to get her money back ($100
The Director of this community college RN program, in California- told her the pin she paid for - was going to be "donated" to someone - she was forced to "donate" the pin to the program and won't be reimbursed for the cost.
Does your school have the same policy? Isn't this coercion?
Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
I don't agree it's her property any more than a diploma she may have paid for in graduation fees before determining she failed.
I most definitely do not agree it should be given to another student/donated. If another student didn't order on time she should be able to sell it to a classmate and receive the $100. I don't think the school is responsible for reimbursement anymore than the vendor should be forced to issue a refund for customized merchandise. However I do agree the school overstepped when telling her she must donate the pin to another student. Hold onto it until she graduates but even though she paid for the pin it wasn't earned. She should not be forced to donate to a classmate
The place we bought our pin from had a no refund policy. The pin had our school name on it so the company can't do anything else with it. Maybe it's the company who won't give the money back, not the school.
However, she didn't pass so why would she get the pin? That's like giving you your diploma because you paid for the classes even though you failed. Not going to happen.
She should get the pin because she PAID for it. Plain and simple. Don't compare a pin to a diploma, really? Any how if she did receive the pin it would probably have no significance to her anyway but she has the right to do whatever she well damn pleases with it.
She should get the pin because she PAID for it. Plain and simple. Don't compare a pin to a diploma, really? Any how if she did receive the pin it would probably have no significance to her anyway but she has the right to do whatever she well damn pleases with it.
I didn't say I agree with them not giving a refund, I'm just saying that may be policy. And if it probably has no significance to her, then why all the fuss anyway?
Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
Nope. I'm believing it was a voluntary purchase. Unless there was clause about MANDATORY FORFETURE somewhere, they're withholding her merchandise.
I'd be curious what some State regulatory board or Better Business Bureau would say.
JustBeachy - I'm surprised. I believe I've always agreed with your opinions, but on this one I differ. Oh well, there's always the first time!
Either hold on to it if she's repeating the failed class or let her sell it to another student.
Don't make her donate it.
It's not the company's who made the custom pin fault they should be forced to refund unless she cancelled before it was shipped/delivered.
The school is wrong for forcing her to donate the pin to a classmate. That I think we can all agree on. Why should a classmate benefit from her failure to graduate.
I know people who ordered sorority pins (more than $100) in anticipation of completing pledging. If you can't hit a 2.5 GPA you can't complete pledging. Therefore you aren't entitled to wear/have the pin. However while they couldn't get a refund, they just "deferred ownership". The sorority & school offered tutoring to meet the minimum GPA and the following pledge season they tried again and were pinned once eligible. Not that different. They couldn't take ownership until it was earned.
Making her donate to a classmate must be mortifying. Not only did she fail but then having to involuntarily give up what you bought in anticipation of graduating....
In my nursing school were part of the graduation package--diploma cover, pin, corsage, stripes for caps. Those who didn't graduate weren't pinned (purchased about a month or so before graduating) but were allowed to walk. They had to make up work over the summer and received their pin & diploma once they earned it.
My no refund stance is based upon 1 pin custom ordered from an outside vendor (nearly all are no refund unless error) who isn't at fault if they didn't graduate and 2 school just facilitated ordering.
However If the pins are stocked at the school book store year to year they can refund since though custom, it's a stock item.
She didn't graduate she didn't earn the pin. But she shouldn't be forced to donate it involuntarily to another student. A
Unfortunately, classmate and friend did not pass the last semester of RN Program-
the faculty and administration REFUSE to give her the "nursing pin" she paid for nor
will they reimburse her and so she is unable to get her money back ($100
The Director of this community college RN program, in California- told her the pin she paid for - was going to be "donated" to someone - she was forced to "donate" the pin to the program and won't be reimbursed for the cost.
Does your school have the same policy? Isn't this coercion?
Your friend should not get an object from the college that bears THEIR Community College name, as well as "Registered Nurse", in addition to the ADN degree that she did not earn. That is simply unethical.
The California Community College will NOT get a refund for the "custom-ordered" nursing pin if they try and return it to the vendor. As it is, your friend paid money to order the pin. If the college is not going to get a refund, then your friend is not going to get a refund.
The Community College is a State-run business, and, as such, has to answer to the State of California. What a bureaucracy that is!
If the college can not hand it over to your friend, they have to, by law, have an accounting of property. They cannot just stick in in a drawer somewhere and look the other way. The pin winds up being "donated".
I am in the "cant force her to donate" category. Its a little sticky, as the neither the company nor school should be on the hook for $100. And I understand why the school would not want her to have possession of the pin. (Even though its a little silly in my opinion - must she also return any shirts or other apparel that she purchased at the bookstore with the school's name on them? So that people wont think she went there? Its not like the pin is going to trick anyone into hiring her as an RN.)
I think that instead of being forced to donate her pin, she should be given the option of letting the school hold her pin for her until successful graduation OR allowing the school to sell her pin to a future student for her, and that would allow her to recoup her $100 - once the pin is resold. Not allowing her the opportunity to recoup that cost seems wrong to me.
Of course, I didnt even bother buying a pin and was pinned with a "loaner" which I had to give back after the ceremony. So obviously pins are that important to me. Had this situation happened to me, though, I would have had a big problem with it.
Hmm maybe the school would be interested in purchasing the pin from her to use as a loaner. Probably not.
Ooh.....maybe I was pinned with a failed students pin??! Is that bad luck?!
I am in the "cant force her to donate" category. Its a little sticky, as the neither the company nor school should be on the hook for $100. And I understand why the school would not want her to have possession of the pin. (Even though its a little silly in my opinion - must she also return any shirts or other apparel that she purchased at the bookstore with the school's name on them? So that people wont think she went there? Its not like the pin is going to trick anyone into hiring her as an RN.)
I think that instead of being forced to donate her pin, she should be given the option of letting the school hold her pin for her until successful graduation OR allowing the school to sell her pin to a future student for her, and that would allow her to recoup her $100 - once the pin is resold. Not allowing her the opportunity to recoup that cost seems wrong to me.
Of course, I didnt even bother buying a pin and was pinned with a "loaner" which I had to give back after the ceremony. So obviously pins are that important to me. Had this situation happened to me, though, I would have had a big problem with it.
Hmm maybe the school would be interested in purchasing the pin from her to use as a loaner. Probably not.
Ooh.....maybe I was pinned with a failed students pin??! Is that bad luck?!
For the record, I would like to see the student be compensated for her money. Because this wish involves a government institution, I have little faith of seeing that happen. How many times a year does this happen, that a nursing student purchases a pin and doesn't graduate?
Is the "State-Run-Community-College" even allowed to sell a pin that they technically didn't purchase? (Ponder what craziness happens at the [bureaucratic] California DMV a moment before answering this question).
Is this a policy set forth by the Dean? Is there something written that sets the standard when a student flunks out of the nursing program? I don't have these answers, but asking the right questions of the right people may go a long ways to soothe the Original Posters' friend's disappointment, as I can imagine that this Pin Travesty has only added insult to injury.
As far as the comparison of Nursing CC logo on apparel from the bookstore, and the CC Nursing pin goes, if I see you wearing a CC sweatshirt, I'm going to assume that you were affiliated with that college; If I see you wearing a particular CC Nursing Pin, I'm going to know that you got your Nursing degree there. Because after all, the Nursing department doesn't just hand them out unless you graduate from their program.
The OP's friend may very well have had a different outcome if she had gone to a private school for her nursing degree. The Non-State-Run California Nursing schools generally are answerable to the Board of Registered Nurses and the accrediting bodies. What they do with property usually has a little more room for interpretation. The State-Run California CC's have to satisfy the bean counters and the politicians in Sacramento, the State Teachers Association, the local politicians, and the community at large which funnels tax dollars into the college's coffers. (In addition to answering to the BRN, the WASC, and all of the other accrediting bodies).
OrganizedChaos, LVN
1 Article; 6,883 Posts
I agree with this 500%.