Introduction
As many subjects now have assessment due, it is
timely to provide an opportunity for staff to revisit
the special consideration policy which operates within
the University and address some frequently asked questions.
The Special
Consideration Policy can be found on the Policy
Directory of the website.
Essentially this policy provides for situations
where a student has suffered illness, or other circumstances
beyond their control which have affected or are likely
to affect their academic performance, or prevent them
from meeting scheduled assessment requirements. The
policy also covers situations where a student cannot
sit a scheduled examination due to religious reasons
or where there is a valid conflict between a scheduled
assessment and a student's carer duties, court appearance
or participation in a national or international level
sporting or cultural event.
The procedures for making and responding to special
request applications vary depending on the weight of
the work assessed. Where work is worth 10% or more of
total assessment, the requirements become more stringent
and formal.
Below are a range of frequently asked questions
about the policy, its application and the associated
procedures with answers. If you have any further queries
please consult your Faculty Sub Dean.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do students apply?
Students almost exclusively apply online using the special
consideration application service available from SOLS.
They may however elect to submit a hard copy application
to the Student Administration Office. A flag appears
on the SMP class list for these students to indicate
that an application has been received and you need to
click on that flag to deal with the application.
You should regularly check your Class Lists on SMP
to determine if any new applications for special consideration
are pending.
How quickly am I expected
to respond to these applications?
The policy states that applicants must generally be
informed in writing of the outcome within five working
days of receiving the application. (Where work is worth
less than 10% of the total assessment in the subject,
the procedures specified in the subject outline should
be followed.)
What happens if I don't
respond to these applications in a timely way?
Students may be disadvantaged if you delay responding
to their application. Decisions about their enrolment
in the subject may depend on your response. Students
may also use a 'delayed response' as part of an appeal.
What deadlines apply to
students?
The policy states that students should normally seek
special consideration before the scheduled due date
but, where that is not possible, within five days after
that date. Students must submit any supporting documentation
to ARD within three working days after applying for
special consideration through SOLS.
Can students apply for special
consideration outside this time frame?
The policy states that students in exceptional circumstances
can apply after the declaration of grades for that subject
but that the only remedy available in such circumstances
is for approval of a late withdrawal. These cases are
considered by the Sub Dean and the student will be required
to additionally address the matter of why they did not
apply within the normal deadline.
What documentation is
required to support an application?
There are many reasons why students may seek special
consideration, including illness or serious personal
misfortune, such as a car accident, death in the family,
etc. The appropriate supporting documentation depends
on the reason for the application.
The policy states that supporting documentation might
be:
- a medical certificate setting out the dates of consultations,
the nature of the complaint and treatment and a specific
statement that the complaint or treatment made the
student 'unfit to complete the required assessment
or examination on or by the date specified', or
- a letter from the University Counselling Service
or Disability Liaison Officer (or a professional counsellor
of equivalent standing) setting out the problem and
stating that the problem made the student unfit; or
- a declaration setting out the facts upon which it
is suggested that special consideration should be
given, attaching any supporting documents.
A declaration by a student is sufficient for circumstances
where the event is not easily documented. Such a declaration
does not need to be witnessed by a JP. Documents supporting
the declaration might include, for example, a copy of
a police report concerning a car accident.
There may be some circumstances (generally of a highly
personal nature) where no documentation will be available
or where it would be highly insensitive to insist on
receiving it. If you consider the situation to be in
that category, you can waive the requirement for documentation.
However, if no documentation is provided and no adequate
explanation is given you should refuse the application.
In these cases it would be appropriate to seek advice
from the Sub Dean of the faculty.
What do I do if a medical
certificate is irregular?
Student Administration staff check the medical certificates
as they are provided by students and has a policy of
checking authenticity with medical practitioners who
have provided the certificate if they have doubts and
on a periodic spot checking basis. While academic staff
do not normally see medical certificates, if a student
does show you a certificate and you have reason to believe
that it may be false or altered, you should contact
the Deputy Academic Registrar to take any necessary
investigative steps. Students who forge or falsify certificates
will be referred for disciplinary action.
What do I do if the illness
or event was minor?
If a doctor has noted on the medical certificate that
the student was 'unfit for duty' for the date of the
examination then, by definition, that student is deemed
to have experienced more than a minor illness and some
level of consideration is appropriate. If however the
medical certificate indicates that the illness did not
make the person unfit, then you are entitled to refuse
the application.
What about confidentiality?
The Academic Registrar's Division retains the medical
certificates and other documentation for a specified
time period. Copies of that original material can be
provided to you if you consider that you need access
in order to make a decision on the application. Any
material provided to you for that purpose must be treated
carefully as sensitive material and cannot be provided
to other staff members unless it is necessary.
What options do I have in
providing consideration for a student?
There is a range of responses available to staff in
considering what, if any, special consideration should
be granted to a student. Extension of time to submit
an assignment, a supplementary exam opportunity and
approval to withdraw late without attracting a fail
grade are several of the options available. A full list
is detailed in section 2 of the policy. Generally the
most appropriate option will depend on the nature of
the assessment item, whether the student has recovered
or is likely to recover in time to undertake a supplementary
exam or complete an assignment by an extended deadline,
and the severity of the impact of the incident/illness.
Are there any responses
that might be unacceptable?
Waiving the requirement to undertake the major assessment
tasks would be unacceptable and considered to compromise
academic standards.
As a new staff member, how
can I be sure that the special consideration that I
grant is appropriate - not too lenient, not too tough?
It's a good idea to talk with a range of colleagues
about how they handle these applications. If you are
unsure about a particular case, the Sub Dean is a good
source of advice.
Do I have authority to approve
all of the options available?
In some academic units, only heads or unit assessment
committees are able to approve supplementary examination
opportunities.
Generally only Sub Deans and the Dean of Students have
authority to approve a withdrawal from a subject beyond
Week 9. This is known as a withdrawal without academic
penalty. Students will still incur a HECS or tuition
fee debt for that subject but will not have a fail recorded
for their attempt at that subject. Fee related issues
are dealt with by the Academic Registrar's office.
What happens if I refuse a special
consideration application and the student objects?
Students are entitled to appeal decisions that they
find unsatisfactory. In the first instance the student
should discuss the matter with the person who made the
decision. If they are still dissatisfied, they should
approach the Subject Coordinator, Head of Department
or Sub Dean. You should refer to the grievance procedures
specific to your academic unit.
There are formal appeal mechanisms beyond that but,
for the majority of situations, that hierarchy is sufficient
to handle most grievance situations.
Is it relevant to take into account
past special consideration that was granted?
Sometimes you will be aware that the student has submitted
a large number of special consideration applications
in the past perhaps for the same or different medical
conditions. Generally, this information should not affect
your decision. Such students may be deemed to have a
disability and are legally entitled to have reasonable
accommodation made for their circumstances. In these
cases it is advisable to contact the University Disability
Liaison Officer for advice.
What about situations
where I think the student has created the problem that
has adversely affected them?
The criteria for assessing applications includes taking
into account whether the circumstances were 'beyond
the applicant's control and the extent of any contributory
negligence on the applicant's part in producing the
circumstances or in failing to act so as to minimise
the impact of these circumstances'.
What if I think the student's
performance in other assessment items to date has been
poor?
The criteria in the policy includes considering the
likelihood, based on the student's performance in other
aspects of work required for the subject, of achieving
at least a passing grade in the subject.
What if a student is
not available to sit for a supplementary exam or does
not meet a new deadline?
The policy states that, where special consideration
is granted, students must:
- be available to sit for the examination at any time
immediately following the application providing that
five working days notice has been given;
- hand in work on the new submission date which has
been advised in writing.
When students registered with Disability Services are
unable to sit a supplementary exam on the date organised
by the faculty or do not meet a new deadline, the Disability
Liaison Officer liaises with the course coordinator
on behalf of the student to find a mutually agreed further
date. The Disability Liaison Officer is guided by medical
documentation on file and may request further medical
documentation that validates the request. Each case
is judged on its merits as the student may have had
a relapse, may be adjusting to new medications which
take some time to become effective, may be in hospital
or may be newly diagnosed.
What form can supplementary
assessment take?
This can take any form that is appropriate in the circumstances.
However, the student must be informed in advance concerning
the method of assessment to be used, particularly if
there is any change to the format announced at the start
of the subject or from that used in the standard examination.
This information must be conveyed to the student in
writing.
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