Assessment Boards

Assessment Boards Roles & responsibilities of MABs and PABs Collaborative Partnerships Forum April 2006

Assessment board overview • exercise discretion within the constraints imposed by the UMF regs • responsible for applying the assessment regulations of the programme • two-tier structure of Module Assessment Boards (MABs) and Programme Assessment Boards (PABs)

Module Assessment Board : Outcomes • complete list of moderated marks/grades • record of students for whom PMCs were considered and relevant decisions thereof • record of any referral / deferral requirements and when that re-assessment will occur • exercise of discretion in light of recommendations from SIP & penalties applied • highlight any “issues of principle” for the PAB

Programme Assessment Board : Outcomes • confirm progression / completion status of each student • record consideration of students claiming PMCs not previously dealt with by the MAB • record any compensation credit awarded • highlight any “issues of principle” for the University (Quality & Standards Committee)

MAB role in ‘facilitating progression’ • MABs determine nature & timing of referral/deferral requirements, noting that: • MABs may require a student to “re-attend” a module • the form of referral/deferral assessment may differ from the initial assessment • maximum mark available for referral is 40% (or bare minimum pass mark) • failed modules at L0, 1 & 2 normally referred in the same academic year as failure

PAB role in ‘facilitating progression’ • failed modules at L3 & M normally referred when the module is next scheduled to be assessed as defined by the MAB but can only be offered after the PAB • compensation of failure in light of overall performance is permitted, based upon agreed criteria • Students may be permitted to ‘progress with trailing’ [at discretion of MAB]

Managing Assessment Boards PMCs Academic Appeals Academic Misconduct External Examiners

PMC ProceduresUMF Regulations 05/06 The requirement for all schools to consider PMC applications via a school PMC committee was an outcome of the UMF review and implemented in the academic year 04/05.

PMC • Long term illnesses, conditions or disabilities are not normally covered by this procedure. • Advice regarding these matters, including special assessment arrangements is available from the JMU Disability Advisors and Student Services. • PMC process is for those occasions when a students performance in assessment may be severely affected by unforeseen or unexpected personal circumstances i.e. sudden acute illness or close personal bereavement.

PMC Underlying principles • Fairness to the student body as a whole, as well as fairness to a particular individual. • Consistency of treatment of students across the University. • Consideration of a PMC application is independent of marks or assessment outcome. • Assessment Boards cannot estimate a student’s potential to obtain higher marks, therefore marks cannot be changed.

PMC • The PMC procedure operates within deadlines that are driven by the formal assessment/moderation process – to enable appropriate consideration by the school PMC cttee and Assessment Board in a timely manner - to ensure that the criteria for progression are applied consistent and fairly to all students considered by that board. • PMC applications from students which do not meet the required deadlines will be deemed to be ‘late’.

PMC • To grant a deferral to a student as the result of a successful PMC is to award a significant additional time period for a student to complete or redo assessment, outside of the normal programme regulations – an opportunity that has not been made available to all other students irrespective of their particular circumstances. • Incumbent upon the University to ensure that any deviation from the formally validated programme regs does not detract in anyway from the academic integrity of the programme and the approved assessment process.

PMC • See reg C4.7 Mitigation, Illness & Absence. Coursework – upon receipt of appropriate evidence [medical cert, death cert, counsellors letter etc] Module Leader may: • Defer coursework deadline/set alternatives • Waive an assessed coursework item [provided marks allocated to such items constitutes no more than 20% of the module mark] - must report this to the MAB.

PMC • The formal PMC procedure should only be used where such action(s) cannot resolve the matter or where such action is not appropriate, for example where the PMC occurs immediately prior to or during the examination period. • Note that submission of a PMC even within the deadline is not in itself a guarantee that that it will be accepted – consideration given to a full range of factors – the nature of the circumstances, the proximity to the assessment and any prior mitigation.

PMC • Responsibility of the student to submit within the specified timeframe and to provide appropriate supporting evidence. • Notification should be made within 5 working days following completion of delivery of module /final coursework deadline/examination. • After this time [& within a period not exceeding 4 months] PMC will be deemed to be late and must be submitted with a justification for lateness.

PMC The role of the School PMC Committee • To consider all PMC claims [including Late PMC claims] • To make recommendations to the relevant MAB(s) on the validity, or otherwise, of PMC Claims. • To recommend to the relevant MAB(s) whether the PMC claim has severely affected performance and should be forwarded to the appropriate PAB.

PMC • MAB [advised by PMC Cttee] may either • (1) defer assessment where module is failed • Or refer case for consideration to appropriate level PAB, where it accepts that PMC has severely affected student’s performance AND where other mitigation has not dealt fully with the case. Claims should be passed to the PAB only when both criteria have been met.

Late PMCs • School PMC panel should consider all late PMC’s – justification for lateness should be corroborated by objective impartial sources i.e. medical certificates or similar]. If accepted, then standard PMC process shall apply. • If late PMC not accepted by the School, then student may re-submit the original late PMC to University PMC Panel [additional evidence not accepted at this stage] – who will consider the justification for late submission and determine whether or not to accept the application on that basis. NB this panel does not function as an appeal mechanism, but would take the role of a higher authority in the event that the School is unable to reach a decision or where the student can demonstrate that the regulations have been inappropriately applied. • If accepted, then standard PMC process shall apply – if not, no further action taken and student notified.

Academic Appeals

Academic Appeals UMF 05/06 Regulations Appendix D NOTE: Appeals considered under regulations currently in force – previous iterations of the regulations are null and void Academic Appeals

Only one ground for appeal ‘if a candidate or any other person establishes that there has been a MATERIAL administrative error, or that the assessments were not conducted in accordance with the regulations or that some other MATERIAL irregularity has occurred’. Informal reconciliation advised where appropriate – e.g. if a simple transcript error or missing mark. Academic Appeals

Academic Appeals • Stage 1 - Students may only appeal against the decision of the most recent Assessment Board. • Strict deadlines for submission of appeals – within 10 working days of the release, by transcript , of the results. Forms should be submitted to the Office of the Head of Regulation & Policy, [forms logged & then distributed to School]. • Appeal determined by Director of School [or nominee] & must respond within 21 days.

If an appeal is upheld, then the response will clearly state the action to be taken, when & by whom. Assessment Board may be required to reconvene & reconsider - not the business of the Assessment Board to re-open the appeal. Board must accept that the appeal has been upheld. No compulsion to change decision, but must be able to support reason for no change. Academic Appeals

Academic Appeals • Board may agree to amend original decision and shall exercise discretion as to the appropriate decision in the individual circumstances. • All decisions of the Board must be clearly minuted - appellants can request access to minutes.

Academic Appeals • If not upheld, the School must formally notify student with a full rationale of the decision. • Copy to Head of Regulation & Policy.

Academic Appeals • Stage 2 – student has a further opportunity to appeal to Academic Appeals Panel if not upheld at stage 1. • Not an automatic process - student must submit a full statement detailing why they consider the appeal was incorrectly determined. • AAP will consider original appeal, school response and student’s supplementary statement.

Academic Appeals • AAP will decide one of the following; • School acted appropriately and so appeal NOT upheld. • School has not acted appropriately or not in accordance with the regs. AAP will make recommendation for appropriate action. • If there is ambiguity / uncertainty regarding the case, then AAP may call an oral hearing of the appeal.

Academic Appeals • Stage 3 • If student is dissatisfied with the outcome of the stage 2 appeal or the decision of the reconvened Assessment Board AND believes that the appeals procedures have been conducted improperly, then they have the right to draw this to the attention of Academic Board. • This is NOT a re-opening of the appeal – student must demonstrate evidence of procedural irregularity.

Academic Misconduct

Academic Misconduct • See Academic Impropriety – Appendix C • ‘Cheating, attempts to cheat, plagiarism and any other attempts to gain unfair advantage in assessment.’

Academic Misconduct Assessment includes • All forms of written work • Presentations • Demonstrations • Viva voces • Accreditation of prior learning portfolios • All forms of examination

Academic Misconduct • All cases of suspected cheating must be referred to Director of School. • Director of School establishes School Investigatory Panel [SIP] see regs for composition of Panel. • MAB does not conduct investigation into academic misconduct.

Academic Misconduct • Investigation conducted by School Investigatory Panel • Student should be advised to contact Student Union for advice. • Student must be given opportunity to state his/her case – orally or in writing and in the presence of a ‘friend’. • SIP presents findings to MAB & informs student of its decision & copy of the report. • Where case is proven, student should be advised that they may make a written statement to the MAB.

Academic Misconduct Responsibility of the MAB • Must accept the decision of the SIP relating to the suspected cheating • MAB must decide what penalty [if any] & what marks [if any] • Shall exercise discretion appropriate to the case. [see UMF regs for further info] • Must report decision to relevant PAB

External Examiners

External Examiners • See Appendix F – External Examiners • To ensure that justice is done to the individual student and the standard of the award is maintained. • To ensure that assessments are conducted within the approved regulations. • To approve the form and content of proposed exam papers, course work and other assessments….in order to ensure that candidates are assessed fairly. • To agree changes to the progression & assessment regs… affecting current students.

External Examiners • External Examiner must be present at any PAB which is making recommendations for awards if External cannot attend then VC must give approval for PAB to continue • must sign conferment list [C1] • External Examiner must report annually to the University on the effectiveness of the assessments and any lessons to be drawn from them.

Office of the Independent Adjudicator Effective from January 05. Students may bring complaint to the OIA in respect of: • a programme of study or research for which he or she is or was registered; • a service provided to him or her by a higher education institution; • a final decision by a higher education institution’s disciplinary or appeal body; • a designated higher education institution programme validated or franchised by a higher education institution.

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Assessment Boards