Hi
I appealed against being awarded an MPhil rather than the PhD on the grounds that the examiners were not given the option of major corrections while I had been told that that was one of their options. This was upheld. I also appealed on the grounds that the examination was biased, this has yet to receive a reply but the department is being removed from the reexamination process nevertheless. Which I take as an acknowledgement of them having been biased.
Now I'm told that there will be a re-examination of the submitted thesis status quo with two externals and no interaction from the department. BUT one of the externals is the current external which I have documents showing that he judged it initially for major corrections if that had been an option. Now I'm being told this is not the case and that he will reexamine the thesis status quo with all options available in order to see if he would recommend it for major corrections. In addition to this he will "identify" the second external and they will decide whether there is a need for another viva voice.

how can someone reexamine a thesis completely status quo and be ever justified in reaching a different decision???

Does this make any sense to anyone here? Please chime in. I really need some sounding board here.

Really sorry to hear about your problems.

Out of interest have you been in contact with people from your graduate college rather than just those in your faculty.

I am being advised by the GSA who tell me to be patient. I can contact my supervisor but he is not allowed to interact because the department as a whole is not allowed to interact. My supervisor is the only one from the department that I have been cleared to contact. These directions come from the appeals office.
I'm under an unjustified threat that if I contact the incorrect individual or in any manner do something undefined to "influence the examination" then it could have "serious consequences". The GSA has subsequently recommended that I do absolutely nothing without explicit clearance from the office.

Ok,

So, did you at any point get to speak to the Head of Graduate Studies from the central offices of your university (ie.from outside your faculty)? Or has everything always been mediated through your GSA? If the latter, I would think about getting your GSA to arrange a meeting for you with your Head of Graduate Studies from the central offices of your university.

I would be interested to know what other people think too.

I'm sorry for not being clear the directive comes straight from the assistan registrar. I can't find anyone titled head of graduate studies but I will search better when I get home