The University of Western Australia

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University Policy on: Assessment: Special Consideration

Overtype “Policy Name” with the name of the policy.  This must convey specifically, accurately and succinctly what the policy addresses eg Award of Honours, Study Leave.

Purpose of the policy and summary of issues it addresses:

This policy provides the principles that govern special consideration as it applies to academic assessment at the University. It states the grounds for submitting an application for special consideration and the principles governing an assessment of an application, and sets out the possible outcomes of an application by a student.

This must be in Normal, Policy style.

Provide a brief summary of the reasons for the policy and issues it addresses.  This section is designed to stand alone.  The aim is to provide the reader with enough information to make a decision about whether or not this is the policy they are looking for.  It must not be longer than 200 words. 

Example 1

This policy defines the nature and purpose of study leave provisions for academic staff and sets out eligibility criteria and other conditions that apply.

Example 2

This policy seeks to rationalise the award of honours across the University by addressing such issues as: entry standards, course content and structure, supervision, assessment, examination, grades, classifications, benchmarking and the maintenance and provision of documentation relating to these matters.  It is based on resolutions of the Academic Board flowing from the 1999 report of the Honours Working Party.

Definitions:

the University means the University of Western Australia

academic integrity means maintaining the soundness of academic standards and principles of assessment

assessors means relevant University staff who has authority to consider applications for special consideration

health professional means a health practitioner who is registered with a professional body such as the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency. Pharmacists and Guild Student Assist Officers are not considered health professionals for the purposes of this policy.

reasonable adjustments, which does not include mark adjustment,  is defined as a process to help students with disability to minimise the impact of certain adverse and unforeseen circumstances on their progression and performance in units of study. These may include special examinations, alternative exam arrangements, and replacement exams.

Place your cursor immediately under the definitions heading to get the definitions style.

Policy statement:

1 1.  General Principles

1.1 The forms of special consideration available at the University for all final exams are:

(a) deferred examination in cases where a student is able to provide appropriate documentation for being absent in an exam or unable to continue during an exam they are sitting due to mitigating circumstances, other than a deferred or a supplementary exam;

(b) permission to sit examinations away from the University; and

(c) withdrawal without academic penalty;

1.2 The forms of special consideration available at the University for all other types of assessments are:

(a) extension to an assessment deadline;

(b)  exemption of assessment and reassignment of marks to other assessments;

(c) withdrawal without academic penalty;

(d) aggregation or averaging of marks obtained for completed assessment tasks to achieve a final percentage mark for the unit; and

(e) provision of a replacement or additional assessment opportunity.

1.3 Applications for special consideration are made and assessed having regard to the Charter of Student Rights and Responsibilities UP07/132.

1.4 Applicants and assessors must observe the principles of equity and academic integrity.

1.5 A student who seeks to gain an unfair advantage in assessment by submitting an application for special consideration that is not genuine is subject to appropriate disciplinary action whether or not the application for special consideration is subsequently withdrawn.

1.6 Any person who has access to an application for special consideration or any supporting documentation has a responsibility to respect confidentiality, and the student’s entitlement to protection of their privacy.

2 Submitting a Special Consideration Application

2.1 Students applying for special consideration must:

(a)          submit their complete application as soon as possible but no later than three University working days after the date on which the work for assessment was due or class held; or provide evidence to substantiate incapacity to meet the submission deadline;

(b)          submit their complete application, for withdrawal from a unit without academic penalty, no later than the end of the exam period in which the unit being taught is offered; and

(c)          provide clear and appropriate documentary evidence, in English or in professional English translations, that demonstrates impact on their academic performance in, or preparation of, work for assessment; in accordance with the following:

	Grounds for Special Consideration	Required evidentiary support demonstrating impact from:
(1)	Illness impacting on student wellbeing	Appropriate and verifiable health professional, dependent on the type of illness
(2)	Misadventure impacting on student wellbeing and/or study	Appropriate and verifiable health professional and/or legal authority, dependent on the type of misadventure
(3)	Obligations impacting on study	Appropriate and verifiable documentation from authorised professional/personnel, dependent on the nature of the obligation

2.2 Pre-arranged holiday travel, social events (such as birthdays), usual rostered work commitments, student’s study load, misunderstanding/misreading of an examination timetable or assessment deadline, computer and/or IT (Information Technology) failure are not grounds for special consideration.

2.3 Students who are entitled to reasonable adjustments by virtue of being registered with the University’s Disability Office are not precluded from applying for special consideration under this policy.

2.4 Where an applicant experiences worsening of their circumstances, a further application may be submitted.

3 Assessing a Special Consideration Application

3.1 Assessors must:

(a)          ensure that applicants have met the requirements outlined in 2.1 (a) and (b);

(b)          not grant an applicant any form of special consideration other than those outlined in clause 1.1;

(c)          consider subsequent application(s) where an applicant has lodged further application(s) due to worsening of the initial circumstances; and

(d)          be guided by academic integrity, common sense, compassion, cultural sensitivity and logic when making decisions under this policy.

3.2 Where an applicant’s adverse circumstances are unlikely to change or do not change sufficiently to permit them to complete the remaining requirements (i.e. any outstanding assessments) of a unit within three months, the appropriate form of special consideration is withdrawal without academic penalty.

3.2.1 Withdrawal without academic penalty as a form of special consideration may not be applied in retrospect unless in extenuating circumstance. In such cases the application of withdrawal without academic penalty is applied for study undertaken in the last academic year.

3.3 To assist the decision-making process, assessors may:

(a)          seek additional information from the applicant directly;

(b)         verify documentation provided by the applicant with the relevant professionals directly; and

(c)          consult with relevant professionals, subject to the applicant’s consent.

4 Outcome of a Special Consideration Application

4.1 An application for special consideration may be:

(a)          approved and the assessor may grant form(s) of special consideration other than the one(s) requested by the applicant, but they must comply with the forms referred to in 1.1;

(b)          declined with no further action required, and the student who is dissatisfied with the outcome may have the matter reviewed under the University Policy on Review and Appeal of Academic Decisions Relating to Students UP15/1; or

(c)          ineligible, as a final decision of the University, on the grounds that there is no provision for an exception within relevant policy to consider the case for special consideration. 

4.2 In extreme cases, an assessor may permit a variation to the deadline for receipt of work for assessment that extends beyond the University’s deferred examination period for the teaching period in question, by no more than three months, as long as the assessment is completed prior to the commencement of the following semester.

4.3 Where practical, assessors must aim to notify applicants in writing of the outcome of their application within three University working days of receipt of all documentation relating to the application; and

4.4 Applications and all related material, including outcomes, must be filed in TRIM and have the student in confidence caveat applied.

Policy or Procedure?

Policies are statements of the principles¹ which govern decision-making.

Procedures are the functional steps used to implement policies.

¹ Principles in this context are to be understood as being both broad and detailed.

The policy statement makes clear the intent of the policy.  It must be written in clear, precise and direct language.  Short sentences are preferable.  Any specialist words or acronyms must be defined at the beginning of the statement.  (A guide to writing styles will be available soon.)

If the policy includes procedural elements you will need to identify these as Procedures by including this word above the relevant text.  The procedures style from the styles drop-down list must be applied to the whole of the procedures text, including the word Procedures.  Note: Administrative procedures can be approved by the relevant Director.

Related forms: (Link)

Provide links to any forms associated with the policy (eg Approved Leave form) and/or to information on on-line submission.

Note: Forms are a means through which policy is processed, not made.  Forms must reflect policy and must not be used to create policy.

TRIM File No: F25751 Insert the appropriate TRIM file number.  All policies must have a TRIM file for storing information relating to policy development and other related information.  Note this is not the policy number.  Apply for a TRIM file number at http:/intranet.uwa.edu.au/page/38742

Contact position: Academic Secretary State the name of the position that is to be contacted for any queries regarding the policy, eg University Secretary.  Note: As this will link through to the University’s Contact Directory, the position name must be given exactly as it appears in that directory.

Related Policies or legislation: University Policy on Assessment UP15/5 Charter of Student Rights and Responsibilities UP07/132 University Policy on: Review and Appeal of Academic Decisions Relating to Students UP15/1 University Policy on: Use of Email UP07/43 University Policy on: Disability and Medical Conditions UP12/12 Western Australia Equal Opportunity Act 1984 Age Discrimination Act 2004 Disability Discrimination Act 1992 Racial Discrimination Act 1975 Sex Discrimination Act 1984 Additional explanatory information for academic staff and student advisors, see Q & A Additional explanatory information for students see communication circular Provide details of, and, if appropriate, web links to, other policies, legislation or committee resolutions that relate to the subject of the policy, if known, eg Statute(s), University General Rule(s).  If unsure what these might be, try one or more of the following: Conduct a search on TRIM. Make an enquiry to Archives and Records. Seek help from staff in the relevant section.  If related policies are stored in University Policy format on the University Policies site, please provide the relevant policy number(s).

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if the policy does not already have a University Policy number, apply for one by completing the form at http://intranet.uwa.edu.au/archives/new_university_policy_number (Control and click to follow the link.)

include the University Policy number in the relevant table box in the template; and

complete the relevant approval date and any other table boxes at the end of the template that have not yet been completed.

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