Assessment and Teaching: Policy and Procedures on Review of Student Progress

Approving Authority:

1

Students enrolled in a particular course can normally expect to complete that course in the format as described by the University, providing they make satisfactory progress. Where changes to courses are made during the normal period of candidacy, these will not disadvantage students.

2

Faculties will, at the end of each semester, identify and notify those students whose results indicate the risk of failure or preclusion, and draw the students' attention to the appropriate clauses in relation to preclusion. In addition, faculties will provide advice to students on the availability of academic counselling and the academic support and counselling services provided for students by the University.

3

A student will be deemed to be at risk of failure or preclusion if they achieve a grade of Fail in 50 percent or more of the units attempted in the period under consideration.

4

Faculties will, at the completion of each semester, review the academic progress of students enrolled in their courses to identify those students whose progress is unsatisfactory. Where a board of studies has been established to administer a degree, diploma or other academic award, the responsibility for this review may be delegated to such a board by the relevant faculty/s.

5

A student's progress may be considered to be unsatisfactory if the student has attempted 36 units or more with an overall Grade Point Average of less than 1.33 and in the period under consideration has a GPA of less than 1.33. For the purposes of this clause, topics for which a Withdraw, Not Fail (WN) has been recorded will be excluded from the calculation of GPA. Students should familiarise themselves with the implications of applying GPA to their grades for the purposes of identifying unsatisfactory progress. Details are provided in the 'Definitions' at the start of Section C: Assessment.

6

A faculty or a board of studies may, in addition, review the academic progress of a student enrolled in a course or in topics administered by that faculty or board of studies in accordance with definitions of unsatisfactory progress outlined in the Rule governing the relevant course/s or specified for the topics.

7

The cases of students whose progress has been identified as being unsatisfactory must be considered by the relevant faculty or board of studies.

8

The following courses of action may be taken by a faculty or board of studies after the review of a student's progress:

8.1

take no action (which means that the student may continue their studies in the course in the normal way);

8.2

ask the student to show cause why he or she should not be precluded from re-enrolling in the course or topic.

9

Each faculty will establish a Student Progress Committee, which will be a subcommittee of the Faculty Board. The Student Progress Committee will consider the cases of all students who have been asked to show cause under Clause 8.2 above, and will also consider applications for re-admission in respect of Clause 15 of the procedures relating to this policy. The Student Progress Committee will be established according to the following provisions:

9.1

The Student Progress Committee will comprise three academic staff members of the faculty, and a student member, who will normally be from the faculty.

9.2

The three academic staff members will be appointed by the Faculty Board and will include at least one member who is an Associate Professor/Reader or a Professor A Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of the committee will be appointed by the Faculty Board from amongst the three academic staff members.

9.3

The student member will be appointed by the Faculty Board in consultation with the President of the Student Council of Flinders Campus Community Services.

9.4

A quorum of the Student Progress Committee will be three members.

9.5

The Faculty Board will appoint an alternate for each of the staff and student members of the Student Progress Committee. An alternate will sit on the committee as a full member when the respective member is unavailable.

9.6

A student whose progress is under review may not sit on the committee at the meeting at which his or her case is being considered.

9.7

Where a course of study is administered by more than one faculty, a Student Progress Committee will be established by the relevant board of studies for the course, or, where no board of studies exists, by the relevant Faculty Boards.
Such Student Progress Committees will consider student progress matters arising from the review of progress, outlined in Clauses 4 and 7 above, in the course concerned.

10

The Student Progress Committee may invite any member of the University to advise it on aspects of any case before it.

11

The following courses of action may be taken by the Student Progress Committee in respect of each case arising from the exercise of Clause 8.2 above:

11.1

take no action (which means that the student may continue their studies in the normal way), or

11.2

permit the student to continue study during the current or following year in a restricted or contract program of enrolment, which may require a particular performance outcome, as specified by the committee, or

11.3

require the student to defer his or her re-enrolment in the course or topic for one year, with either an automatic right to re-enrol in the course or topic after the period of deferment, or with permission to re-enrol after the period of deferment in a restricted or contract program of study, which may require a particular performance outcome, as specified by the committee, or

11.4

preclude the student from re-enrolling in the course or topic for up to five years.

12

Procedures for Review: The following procedures apply in the cases of students whose progress has been deemed to be unsatisfactory by the Examinations Board:

12.1

Students will be sent letters by registered mail inviting them to show cause why action should not be taken against them to restrict or defer re-enrolment or preclude them from further or specified studies in their course. These letters must be in a standard format, approved by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), providing information on: the definition of unsatisfactory progress applicable to the student's course; procedures to be followed in the consideration of the student's case by the faculty (including the deadline for the student's response); the seriousness of the risk of preclusion; the sources of assistance available to students in preparing responses; and procedures for applying for admission to other courses, including the lodging of late applications. The letter must also explain to the student that should he/she wish to re-enrol while his/her progress is under review, such an enrolment will be provisional only and dependent on the student being able to meet other requirements of the course such as having appropriate prerequisites for topics. The provisional enrolment will be confirmed or cancelled subject to the final outcome of the review.

12.2

A student who has received such a letter may request an interview with the Chairperson of the Examinations Board of the faculty, or with the Examinations Board Secretary, in order to discuss the student's response to the letter. If requested, an interview must be granted.

12.3

The Student Progress Committee of the faculty will consider the case of each student whose progress has been identified as being unsatisfactory, taking into account any response from the student to the letter referred to in Clause 12.1 above, and must determine which of the courses of action outlined in Clause 11 above is appropriate in each case.

12.4

If a student required to show cause as outlined in Clause 12.1 fails to respond to that request, the Student Progress Committee will either preclude the student from re-enrolling in the course or topic for up to five years or require the student to defer re-enrolment in the course or topic for one academic year.

12.5

Students will be informed by registered mail, without delay, of the faculty's decision and the reasons for the decision.

13

Appeals against Outcomes of Review of Student Progress

13.1

A student who wishes to appeal against the decision of a faculty, in relation to Clause 11 above, should, in the first instance and without delay, discuss the matter with the Secretary or the Chairperson of the Student Progress Committee. The Secretary or Chairperson should inform the student of the reasons for the decision. A student who is not satisfied with the decision of the Student Progress Committee and who has new information which has not been considered previously by the committee, may make a written request for the committee to review its decision and must lodge this with the Secretary within 10 working days of the date of the dispatch of the notification from the faculty about the outcome of the review of the student's progress. The request should include the grounds for the appeal against the decision and details of the new information in support of the application.

13.2

A student who is not satisfied with the outcome may appeal to the Student Appeals Committee.

Such an appeal may only be made on one or more of the following grounds: the appropriate policy was not adhered to or correct procedures were not followed in considering the matter; the decision was made without due regard to facts, evidence or circumstances the penalty was too harsh.

Such an appeal must be lodged with the Director, Academic and Student Services within 20 working days of the date of the dispatch of the notification from the faculty about the outcome of the review of the student's progress. The appeal must: be accompanied by any correspondence which the student has: received from the University in relation to the preclusion or restriction; indicate the grounds for the appeal, the evidence in support of the student's case, together with supporting documentation, and the action which the student has taken thus far; specify what outcome is being sought.

14

Recording of Outcomes of Review of Student Progress

14.1

Preclusion from re-enrolment in a course or compulsory deferment will appear on the student's official academic transcript for the duration of that preclusion.

14.2

No other outcomes of a review of a student's progress will be recorded on the academic transcript.

14.3

Information on preclusions, compulsory deferments, restricted enrolments and contract enrolments will be entered into the Student Information System data base in order to be available to staff members processing enrolments.

15

Applications for Re-Admission to a Course or for Re-Enrolment in a Topic

15.1

A student who is precluded from a course and who wishes to be re-admitted to the course before the expiry of the period of preclusion, must apply to do so to the faculty which recommended the preclusion. Such an application must be lodged with the relevant Student Progress Committee Secretary by the deadline specified by the faculty. In the application the student should provide full details of the reasons why he or she considers that progress in the course will be satisfactory in the future and that he/she should be re-admitted before the expiry of the period of preclusion.

15.2

A student who is prevented from re-enrolling in a topic and who wishes to re-enrol in the topic, must apply to do so to the faculty which is responsible for the topic. Such an application must be lodged with the relevant Student Progress Committee Secretary by the deadline specified by the faculty. In the application the student should provide full details for the reasons why he or she considers that a pass result could now be achieved in the topic.

15.3

A student who wishes to apply for admission to a separate course from which he or she has not been precluded, may do so in the normal way. However, a student who is admitted to another course and, as part of that course, wishes to re-enrol in a topic from which he or she has previously been precluded, must apply to the faculty responsible for that topic preclusion for permission to re-enrol in the topic. Such an application must be lodged with the relevant Student Progress Committee Secretary by the deadline specified by the faculty. In the application the student should provide full details for the reasons why he or she considers that a pass result could now be achieved in the topic.

15.4

Applications for re-enrolment in a topic will be considered by the relevant faculty Student Progress Committee. Students will be notified of the outcome of their applications as soon as possible and the reasons for the decision.

15.5

Applications for re-admission to a course will be considered by the relevant faculty Student Progress Committee. The following alternative courses of action may be taken by a faculty after the consideration of an application:

15.5.1

the student is not re-admitted to the course;

15.5.2

the student is re-admitted with a restricted or contract enrolment; or

15.5.3

the student is re-admitted to the course without restriction. However, enrolment in any topic is dependent on a student being able to meet appropriate prerequisites for the topic. Students will be notified of the outcome of their applications as soon as possible and the reasons for the decision.

15.6

A student who has been precluded from re-enrolling in a course or topic will not normally be re-admitted to the course or be allowed to re-enrol in the topic before the expiry of one academic year since the effective date of the preclusion. After the expiry of the period of preclusion, a precluded student will have the right to re-enter the course or re-enrol in the topic concerned except where course-specific provisions, as approved by Academic Senate and outlined in course rules, require the student to make an application for re-admission.

16

Appeals against Outcome of Application for Re-Admission to a Course or for Re-Enrolment in a Topic

16.1

A student who wishes to appeal against the decision of a faculty on his or her application for re-admission to a course or re-enrolment in a topic, should, in the first instance, and without delay, discuss the matter with the Secretary or the Chairperson of the Student Progress Committee. The Secretary or Chairperson should inform the student of the reasons for the decision.

16.2

A student who is not satisfied with the outcome may appeal to the Student Appeals Committee. Such an appeal may be made on one or both of the following grounds: the appropriate policy was not adhered to or correct procedures were not followed in considering the matter; the decision was made without due regard to facts, evidence or circumstances.

Such an appeal must be lodged with the Director, Academic and Student Services within 20 working days of the date of the dispatch of the notification about the outcome of the original application. The appeal must: be accompanied by a copy of the letter which the student has received from the faculty; indicate details of the action which the student has taken thus far and the grounds for the appeal, including the evidence in support of the student's case, together with supporting documentation; specify what outcome is being sought.