Examination Board Briefing
21 March 2012
14.00-16.00, Francis Bancroft 1.15
Agenda
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Welcome
Notices and updates (Simon Hayter)
Decimal points (Wendy Appleby)
Appeals (Luke Vulpiani)
SEB report processes and the SIS
(Lauren Ha)
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Questions
Notices and updates
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Decisions of Senate (08/03/12)
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Assessment Handbook (approved)
Suspension of Regulations (noted)
External Examiners’ Summary Report (noted)
Exit awards (approved)
Discretion (approved)
Pass degrees at <40.0 (approved)
Extenuating circumstances
Assessment and Feedback Review
External examiners
Decisions of Senate (08/03/12)
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Several key papers on assessment.
Full papers at:
www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/intranet/Senate/120308
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New Assessment Handbook approved
External Examiner Summary Report.
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Review of plagiarism penalties to come.
Suspension of regulations summary
(to note – goes to every meeting)
Exit awards
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Exit awards shall now always be issued where
students are eligible (and out of attempts), save in
prescribed circumstances.
Previously, practices varied.
Regulations will state that they shall always be
made, save where a student has been deregistered.
The nature of deregistration shall be considered; still
make the award in most circumstances, but
discretion where it is for, e.g. gross misconduct.
SIS reports automatically recommend exit awards
where students are eligible, and out of attempts.
More: www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/intranet/Senate/120308/SE2011.42e.pdf
Discretion
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For UG, the new QM-wide policy remains
in place (overarching ‘zones of discretion’
with SEB-specific criteria within those).
This is not automatic raising; the process
identifies students to be considered.
UG Arts DEB has harmonised, and all
SEBs now use the exact same criteria.
For PG, we recommend not looking at
students more than 1% from a border.
Discretion beyond the prescribed limits
would require suspension of regulations.
Pass degrees at <40.0
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Applies to UG only, and 2012/13 intake
onwards only.
Students with College Marks of less than
40.0 will no longer receive full degrees,
even where they pass minimum credit
load.
There will be a hard cut off at 40.0, as it
indicates a minimum level of attainment
(so no discretion, but pay close attention
to the marks for borderline cases).
More: www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/intranet/Senate/120308/SE2011.42d.pdf
Extenuating circumstances
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Reminder that the policy approved and discussed
last year is now ‘live’.
Changes:
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All SEB’s must have EC Sub-boards.
Submissions to be received three working days
before the EC sub-board (previously 24 hours);
Receipts to be issued for all submissions;
Standards of evidence;
Monitoring.
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Dedicated guidance for students:
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More: www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/intranet/Senate/110316/SE2010.35.pdf
www.welfare.qmul.ac.uk/documents/leaflets/extcircs/5069.pdf
Extenuating circumstances (ctd.):
Late submission
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Claims submitted after the deadline should be rejected.
However, where a student attempting late submission would
manifestly meet the grounds for appeal, the claim may be
accepted and a decision taken by Chair’s action if needed, so long
as decisions are in place for the main board. This saves students
from being put through the appeal process unnecessarily. Where
the situation is not clear-cut, it should be left to an appeal.
“Exceptional circumstances, illness, or other relevant factors were
not made known at the time for good reason, or were not
properly taken into account.”
“‘Good reason’ requires a student to demonstrate that
circumstances beyond their control prevented the disclosure of
the relevant factors at the appropriate time. Personal
embarrassment or unwillingness to disclose personal
circumstances shall not count as ‘good reason’ for the purposes
of these regulations.”
Assessment and Feedback Review
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Reminder: the second round of consultation
is underway, and will close on 20 April.
Six recommendations, including double
marking/moderation, word counts, cases
where students answer too many exam
questions, and resolving differences
between markers.
Any changes will come in from 2012/13.
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More: www.arcs.qmul.ac.uk/intranet/Senate/120308/SE2011.42c.pdf
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External examiners
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The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) has published new guidance
on external examiners.
This mainly reflects current practice at QM, and the changes are
administrative ones.
Three notable points:
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“8: Names of all students and staff should be omitted from
external examiners’ reports, to maintain appropriate
confidentiality.” (reminder of existing practice only)
“12: All external examiners’ reports should be made available, in
full, to all students, with the sole exception of any confidential
report which may be made to the vice-chancellor.”
“13:The name, position and institution of all external examiners
should be included in programme details provided to students,
although it will be open to institutions to clearly state that it is
inappropriate for students to contact external examiners directly.”
ARCS will consider how best to take forward the guidance and
contact Schools and Institutes in due course, especially in regard
to recommendation 13.
More: www.guildhe.ac.uk/download.cfm?docid=D6A20925-AC20-462F-8EBAB11562144F64