General Provisions
General ProvisionsUnit Assessment Mechanism Statements 1.(1) For each unit offered within a course in the University, the school(s) responsible for the unit must make available to students, by the second week of the semester in which it is offered, a clear written statement of the details of the assessment mechanism for the unit. (2) The Assessment Mechanism Statement must be available to each student from the school office on request. (3) For any unit in which the assessment mechanism is the subject of an agreement between the assessor or supervisor and an individual student, a written agreement must be drawn up before the end of the third week of the semester/year concerned and must be signed by both parties and lodged immediately after signature with the head of school concerned. (4) The Guild of Undergraduates or the Postgraduate Students' Association, as appropriate, may recommend to the appropriate dean, in writing, with a copy to the Chair of the Academic Board, that a matter of policy relating to the assessment mechanism for a unit offered by a school be investigated, and may seek a report on the outcome of the investigation. Responsibility of Schools in Relation to Assessment 2.(1) The responsibility for determining the mechanism for assessment of a unit lies with the school offering the unit, which must comply with current University and faculty assessment policies. (2) The responsibility for the process of assessment of assignments and examinations contributing to the final result in a unit lies with the school offering the unit, which must comply with current University and faculty assessment policies. Responsibility for Determining Criteria for the Award of a Progress Status 3. The responsibility for determining the criteria for the award of a progress status lies with the faculty responsible for the course and the criteria are published in the relevant Faculty Rules. Responsibility for the Application of Scaling or Other Adjustment Systems 4. The responsibility for the application of scaling or other adjustment systems lies with the faculty responsible for the unit and the criteria are published in the relevant faculty policy document. Responsibility of Boards of Examiners/Faculty 5. In terms of University General Rule 1.2.1.23(3), the responsibility for considering final results in units and reporting them to the Registrar lies with the faculties’ boards of examiners. Responsibilities of Deans and Appeals Committees 6.(1) In the case of an appeal against assessment deans and faculty appeals committees have authority, and responsibility, to satisfy themselves that a fair process was used to determine an assessment, and, if necessary, to require a head of school to— (a)(i) review the assessment; and/or (ii) refer the work to an/other assessor(s) within or outside the University to further inform the academic judgement of the school; and (b) resubmit a result. (2) If a dean or appeals committee requires that a piece of work be referred to an/other assessor(s) within or outside the University, the dean or committee must also require that the head of school provide the other assessor(s) with a copy of the piece of work from which the student's name has been deleted but which indicates the mark awarded and preserves any comments made by the original assessor. (3) When complying with the provisions of sub-Regulation (2) the head of school must also— (a) where possible provide to the other assessor(s) for the purposes of comparison copies of the same piece of work completed by two or more other students from which the students' names have been deleted, but which indicate the marks awarded and preserves any comments made by the original assessor and, where possible, are sufficiently close to, but differentiated from, the appellant's mark as to provide a reasonable point of comparison; (b) ensure that the appellant's work is identified as such; (c) request the other assessor(s) to— (i) rank the pieces of work in order of relative merit; (ii) indicate whether the mark awarded to the appellant's work was reasonable; (d) ensure that the other assessor(s) are aware of the expected standard of work and criteria against which this should be judged; and (e) provide an explanation from the original assessor as to why the mark was awarded; and (f) provide a copy of the Appeal Form lodged by the student setting out the grounds on which the appeal is made. (4) Deans and faculty appeals committees have authority, and responsibility, to satisfy themselves that a fair process was used to determine the award of a progress status, the determination of the level of special consideration granted, the application of scaling or other adjustment systems or the adherence to the Assessment Mechanism Statement. Rights of Students 7.(1) Given the provisions of sub-Regulation (2), a student has the right to lodge, at school level, an appeal which challenges the school's academic judgement in arriving at an assessment but only has the right to pursue an appeal beyond that level if they have reason to believe that the process which led to the disputed academic judgement was unfair in their individual case. (2) In an appeal at the school level, a student may— (a) submit their assignment for comparison with that of another student who has received a higher grade for the same assignment; or (b) ask that a head of school arrange for comparison of an assignment or examination script with that of another student who has received a higher grade for the same assignment or script. Responsibilities of Students 8. Students must recognise that they have a responsibility not to make frivolous claims and to take note of the grounds for summary dismissal of appeals as outlined in Regulation 35(1). Rights of Schools 9. Where the process of assessment is shown to have been fair in an individual case, a school assessment must not be changed as a result of an appeal to a dean or faculty appeals committee. Delegation of Powers of Boards of Examiners and Faculties to Deans 10.(1) Subject to the agreement of the faculty concerned, a board of examiners may delegate to the dean the power to— (a) amend a result approved by a board of examiners if such amendment is recommended by a head of school after the processes set out in these Regulations have been followed; and (b) as a result of an amendment referred to in (a), amend any unsatisfactory progress status imposed by the faculty, as appropriate, in line with faculty policy. (2) A dean may, in any particular case, choose to refer a recommended change back to the board of examiners for consideration. Filing of Documentation 11.(1) All documentation relating to a formal appeal at the school level must be filed in the school concerned and on the University student file in accordance with general University procedures. (2) All documentation relating to an appeal at the level of dean will be filed in the faculty office concerned and on the University student file in accordance with general University procedures. (3) All documentation relating to an appeal to a faculty appeals committee will be placed on the University student file and on the appropriate Faculty Appeals file in Central Records in accordance with general University procedures. Separate Consideration of Appeals 12.(1) Each separate appeal must be considered on its merits, without reference to other appeals submitted previously or simultaneously. (2) The various levels of consideration of an appeal against a result do not constitute separate appeals. Extension of Appeal Deadlines 13.(1) Despite the deadlines set out in these Regulations for the submission of an appeal at each level of the Process, the head of school has the discretion to extend the specified deadline for submission of an appeal at the school level, the dean of a faculty has the discretion to extend the specified deadline for submission of an appeal below the level of a faculty appeals committee, and the chair of the appeals committee has the discretion to extend the normal deadline for submission of an appeal to a faculty appeals committee, where a student shows that exceptional circumstances apply. (2) A student who seeks an extension of the deadline for submission of an appeal at any level must lodge a written request with the head of school, dean or chair of the appeals committee, as appropriate, giving the reasons for seeking the extension, and must lodge a copy of the request with the faculty administrative officer. (3) The head of school, dean or chair of the appeals committee, as appropriate, must advise the student in writing of their decision, giving reasons if the request is denied, and must give a copy of their written decision to the faculty administrative officer. (4) The decision of the head of school, dean or chair of the appeals committee not to allow an extension may be appealed to the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning) in the case of undergraduate students and postgraduate coursework students, or the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research and Research Training) in the case of postgraduate research students, and their decision will be final. Scope of Appeal Outcome 14.(1) An appeal against academic assessment may result in an amendment that may be either an increase or a decrease in the mark originally awarded. (2) An appeal against the award of a progress status may result in an amendment to the progress status originally awarded. (3) An appeal against the result of an application for special consideration may result in an amendment in the mark originally awarded. (4) An appeal against the application of scaling or other adjustment systems may result in an amendment that may be either an increase or decrease in the mark originally awarded. (5) An appeal against non-adherence to an Assessment Mechanism Statement may result in an amendment that may be either an increase or decrease in the mark originally awarded. (6) In respect of sub-Regulations (1), (3), (4) and (5), where an amendment results in a decrease in the mark originally awarded, the amendment will be guided by the principles outlined in the University's 'Policy on Amendment of Examination Results and Other Academic Decisions Found to be in Error after Formal Notification to Students' (see Appendix 1) in order that a student is not unduly disadvantaged. (7) Where an appeal by an individual student brings to light an error which can be reasonably considered to affect the results of the entire, or any part of, the cohort of students involved, any consequent amendments to the results of the other students will be guided by the principles outlined in the University's 'Policy on Amendment of Examination Results and Other Academic Decisions Found to be in Error after Formal Notification to Students' (see Appendix 1) in order that an individual student is not unduly disadvantaged. |