Docsity
Docsity

Prepare for your exams
Prepare for your exams

Study with the several resources on Docsity


Earn points to download
Earn points to download

Earn points by helping other students or get them with a premium plan


Guidelines and tips
Guidelines and tips

University Guidance on Assessment Deferral & Extenuating Circumstances 2020-2021, Exercises of Decision Making

Student Support ServicesUniversity Academic PoliciesAssessment and Examinations

The regulations and procedures for matriculated students of Edinburgh Napier University who wish to defer an assessment or apply for retrospective extenuating circumstances due to exceptional and unforeseeable circumstances. It covers definitions, application processes, acceptable reasons, unacceptable reasons, supporting evidence, and decision-making processes.

What you will learn

  • What are the acceptable reasons for requesting to defer an assessment?
  • What types of supporting evidence are acceptable for a retrospective extenuating circumstances application?
  • What is the process for applying for retrospective extenuating circumstances?

Typology: Exercises

2021/2022

Uploaded on 09/27/2022

aristocrat
aristocrat 🇬🇧

5

(5)

14 documents

1 / 9

Toggle sidebar

Related documents


Partial preview of the text

Download University Guidance on Assessment Deferral & Extenuating Circumstances 2020-2021 and more Exercises Decision Making in PDF only on Docsity! Deferral of Assessment and Retrospective Extenuating Circumstances 2020-2021 Page 1 of 9 THE UNIVERSITY’S ACADEMIC REGULATIONS: 2020-21 DEFERRAL OF ASSESSMENT & RETROSPECTIVE EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES REGULATIONS Contents Page DE1 Extenuating circumstances DE1.1 Definition of Extenuating Circumstances DE1.2 Fit to Sit 2 DE1.3 Deferral of Assessment 2 DE1.4 Examples of Extenuating Circumstances 2 DE1.5 Examples of Circumstances Unlikely to Merit Consideration 3 DE1.6 Application for Deferral of Assessment 4 DE2 Submission of Applications for Deferral 4 DE2.1 Retrospective Application for Extenuating Circumstances 4 DE2.2 Supporting Evidence 5 DE3 Advice and guidance 6 DE4 Extenuating Circumstances Panel 6 DE4.1 Constitution of an Extenuating Circumstances Panel 6 DE4.2 School Extenuating Circumstances Panel 6 DE4.3 Schedule of Meetings 7 DE5 Procedure and decision making process of an Extenuating Circumstances Panel 7 DE6 Confidentiality 8 DE7 Requests to extend a period of Suspended Studies 9 DE8 Sources of further information 9 Deferral of Assessment and Retrospective Extenuating Circumstances 2020-2021 Page 2 of 9 DE1 Deferral of Assessment and Extenuating Circumstances These regulations apply to all matriculated students of Edinburgh Napier University who believe that their ability to complete an assessment of any type has been adversely affected by extenuating circumstances that have had a detrimental effect on their academic studies or progression. All schools will appoint an Extenuating Circumstances Officer, who will be an experienced member of academic or administrative staff, who will administer the Extenuating Circumstances procedure. These regulations should be read in conjunction with the University’s Coursework Extension policy. DE1.1 Definition of Extenuating Circumstances The University considers extenuating circumstances, for the purpose of these regulations, to be exceptional adverse circumstances or events which were unforeseeable or unpreventable, for which the student subject to the circumstances could not take reasonable care to avoid, and which occurred at a significant period within the academic year or trimester. DE1.2 Fit to Sit The principle of Fit to Sit is that a student who attends, submits or participates in any form of assessment, is declaring themselves to be in a position to do so and cannot subsequently claim that their performance was adversely affected by extenuating circumstances. The following actions are available where students’ work is compromised by extenuating circumstances: Extension – the student requests an extension to the submission date for coursework. To do this, students should refer to the Coursework Extensions Policy Deferral of Assessment – student is unable to complete assessment at the scheduled time and requests deferral of assessment to the next diet. See Retrospective Extenuating Circumstances – where deferral has not been possible the student applies retrospectively for extenuating circumstances to be considered. DE1.3 Deferral of Assessment Students who feel that they are unable to attend, submit or participate in any form of assessment, or that their preparation for assessment has been compromised as a result of extenuating circumstances, are permitted to defer that assessment to the next assessment diet, subject to approval of an application for Deferral of Assessment. Approved deferrals are reported to the student’s Programme Assessment Board. Deferral of assessment may have an impact on progression or award decisions. Deferral of Assessment and Retrospective Extenuating Circumstances 2020-2021 Page 5 of 9 These will be considered by an Extenuating Circumstances Panel in line with Regulations DE4 and DE5. DE2.2 Supporting evidence All submissions must be accompanied by suitable, relevant third party evidence which must name, or be directly relevant to, the person submitting the deferral form. Letters of support must be the original, signed and submitted on headed paper. Documentary evidence should be emailed to the School Office. The email addresses are available on myNapier. If it is not possible to email the evidence, students may submit it to a campus iPoint and reception. Applicants are reminded that they must not only explain/evidence the extenuating circumstance impacting them but also why/how the extenuating circumstances prevented them from requesting an extension or a deferral of the assessment at the requisite times. The following are illustrative examples of suitable supporting evidence: i) a General Practitioner’s letter containing details of extenuating circumstances and the period covered ii) another medical practitioner letter, e.g. from a hospital, private surgery, or clinic iii) Court Order covering the relevant period iv) a notice of summons to attend court, with relevant dates v) a Sheriff Court Notice vi) a legal notice or other verifiable letter from a solicitor vii) a notice of Jury Duty viii) a notice of deployment from armed forces or other government agency ix) a police report, incident log, or formal caution notice where accompanied by a formal report x) a death certificate xi) a notification of death from a recognised and verifiable media source (for example a newspaper) may be acceptable in lieu of other documentary evidence xii) a counsellor’s letter, or University counsellor’s letter or Independent Student Advisory Services Advisor’s letter detailing any relevant non health and non- medical issues xiii) visa documents or documents relating to revocation, tribunal or other visa issues. Deferral of Assessment and Retrospective Extenuating Circumstances 2020-2021 Page 6 of 9 DE3 Advice and guidance Students are strongly encouraged to seek advice and guidance on these regulations, and on the preparation of their submission. The University has a wide range of sources of support and advisors and students are encouraged to seek advice, in the first instance, from one or more of the following: i) School Extenuating Circumstances Officer ii) Edinburgh Napier Students’ Association Advice (ENSA Advice) located within Edinburgh Napier Students Association iii) Student Wellbeing Support Services iv) Relevant Programme Leaders v) Relevant Module Leaders vi) Personal Development Tutor vii) Other Advisory Staff viii) NHS Occupational Health Service (for nursing and midwifery students only) In addition to the above, students may also seek advice from the Citizens Advice Bureau, or other external advisory service. DE4 Procedure and decision making process Applications will be considered by the Extenuating Circumstances Officer in the first instance. Where the application is uncontentious and well supported by appropriate evidence the Extenuating Circumstances Officer is empowered to make an immediate decision approving the application for deferral. In cases where there is doubt about the validity of the claim or the supporting evidence, the Extenuating Circumstances Officer will consult with members of a School Extenuating Circumstances Panel. This consultation may take place via email, telephone or through an Extenuating Circumstances Panel meeting. All consultation should, where possible, take place no later than two days prior to the relevant Programme Assessment Board. DE4.1 Constitution of an Extenuating Circumstances Panel An Extenuating Circumstances Panel will comprise a minimum of four staff, including the Dean of School or their nominee, the Extenuating Circumstances Officer and a member of staff from another school. The general membership constituting an Extenuating Circumstances Panel will be as prescribed in Regulation DE4.2. DE4.2 School Extenuating Circumstances Panel Membership of the Extenuating Circumstances Panel can be drawn from the following: i) Extenuating Circumstances Officer ii) The Dean of School or their nominee iii) Head of Subject Deferral of Assessment and Retrospective Extenuating Circumstances 2020-2021 Page 7 of 9 iv) Members of School academic staff v) A member of academic staff from another School vi) A Clerk to the Panel who will keep a confidential record of membership, proceedings and all decisions. DE4.3 Schedule of meetings In addition to considering applications for deferral as required, the Extenuating Circumstance Panel will meet no later than two days prior to the Programme Assessment Board to consider applications for retrospective extenuating circumstances. DE5 Procedure and decision making process of an Extenuating Circumstances Panel In considering applications, the Extenuating Circumstances Panel will take the following actions in respect of each submission, and will report to the relevant Programme Assessment Board. The Panel will make a formal decision on each submission and will be entitled to take into account any other relevant information as they see fit, except the progression and award decisions of individual students. Three categories of decision can be made by the Extenuating Circumstances Panel: i) The Extenuating Circumstances Panel considers that extenuating circumstances significantly have or will affect the student’s performance and the Panel records such submissions as Valid and approves the deferral of assessment. ii) The Extenuating Circumstances Panel considers that extenuating circumstances did not significantly affect the student’s performance, have been submitted too late for consideration or they fall out-with the definition of extenuating circumstances. The Panel records such submissions as Not Valid and rejects the deferral of assessment. iii) There was insufficient information provided on which the Extenuating Circumstances Panel could make a decision and therefore the decision has been deferred, pending receipt of further evidence. There is no right of appeal against the decision of the Extenuating Circumstances Panel but students whose application for deferral was rejected may subsequently apply using the Retrospective Extenuating Circumstances process detailed in regulation DE2.1, if new information or evidence has become available. The extenuating circumstances decision taken will be recorded in the Programme Assessment Board’s minute and taken into account as the Programme Assessment Board makes academic decisions in relation to a student’s academic progression. In the case where a student has passed a module for which Retrospective Extenuating Circumstances were approved, the Programme Assessment Board