• Section 1 - Purpose
• Background
• Scope
• Section 2 - Policy
• General Principles
• Section 3 - Procedures
• Responsibilities and Required Actions
• Section 4 - Guidelines
• Section 5 - Definitions

Section 1 - Purpose

(1) This Policy establishes the principles that support students seeking to notify the University when they have been impacted by Short-term Circumstances or Events that are serious, unavoidable and significantly disruptive, which may affect their performance in assessment.

Background

(2) The University is committed to equity and fairness in all aspects of its learning and teaching. It recognises that students may experience events beyond their control that adversely affect their academic performance in assessment activities.

Scope

(3) This Policy applies to:

1. all coursework students;
2. all types of assessment, including examinations and coursework;
3. staff involved in the administration, teaching, assessing, or managing units of study at the University; and
4. Student Wellbeing staff.

(4) This Policy does not apply to students with a pre-existing disability/health condition or prolonged adverse circumstances who may be eligible for ongoing assistance and support. Such support is governed by the Student Accessibility Policy and may be sought and coordinated through Student Wellbeing. However, it is recognised that students with chronic/long-term conditions may experience an acute episode of their condition, and that it may not always be possible for the University to put sufficient arrangements in place to provide a reasonable adjustment at the time of assessment, and this Policy covers such eventualities.

Section 2 - Policy

General Principles

(5) To support students who have experienced Short-term Circumstances or Events that are serious, unavoidable and significantly disruptive and that affect their capacity to undertake or perform in an assessment, the University will attempt to provide affected students with an opportunity to undertake the affected assessment or an alternative assessment in order to demonstrate that they have met the relevant learning outcome(s) of a unit or units. The opportunity provided under such circumstances is referred to as Special Consideration and may be granted after careful evaluation of an application.

(6) Short-term Circumstances or Events that are serious, unavoidable and significantly disruptive may be unexpected in nature, including personal, social or domestic issues such as illness (either physical or psychological), accident, injury, societal demands (e.g. jury service), bereavement, family breakdown, or may be anticipated, but significantly affect the student's capacity for undertaking assessment for the unit(s), such as religious commitments, legal commitments, elite sporting or performance commitments, unexpected work commitments that cannot be changed, and caring commitments.

(7) Short-term Circumstances or Events that are serious, unavoidable and significantly disruptive are those that:

1. could not have reasonably been avoided or guarded against by the student;
2. were beyond the student’s control;
3. caused substantial disruption to the student’s capacity for undertaking assessment for the unit(s);
4. occurred during an Event Critical Study Period; or
5. prevented completion of an assessment task scheduled for a specific date (e.g. final examination, in class test/quiz, in class presentation).

(8) All applications for Special Consideration must be supported by evidence as described in the Special Consideration Supporting Evidence Schedule and be submitted by the deadline prescribed in Section 3 – Procedures.

(9) Students with a pre-existing disability/health condition or prolonged adverse circumstances are advised to seek support from Student Wellbeing and should also refer to the Student Accessibility Policy.

(10) Students are expected to manage their time so that they can meet assessment deadlines at the same time as other obligations that they may have, both inside and outside the University.

(11) Special Consideration is not a mechanism to appeal against an assessment outcome (refer to the Assessment Procedure and Appeals Policy for further information).

Section 3 - Procedures

Responsibilities and Required Actions

Applying for Special Consideration

(12) A student who has experienced Short-term Circumstances or Events that are serious, unavoidable and significantly disruptive, which affect their performance in assessment, may lodge an application for Special Consideration.

(13) All Special Consideration applications must be lodged online via the Service Connect portal and must include supporting documentary Evidence specified within the Special Consideration Supporting Evidence Schedule.

(14) Applications will only be accepted in the following circumstances:

1. where academic work has been hampered to a substantial degree by illness or other cause;
2. the circumstances or events are serious, unavoidable and significantly disruptive and beyond the student’s control;
3. the application for Special Consideration is lodged either before or no later than seven (7) calendar days after the assessment task due date, examination, or test date except in Exceptional Circumstances when accompanying Evidence is provided to explain the reason for the late submission; and
4. the assessment task has not been already undertaken or submitted (refer to clause 16 for Exceptional Circumstances).

(15) An application for Special Consideration may be refused under any of the following circumstances:

1. it is not submitted in the manner and timeframe required;
2. the student has not complied with all other mandatory requirements for successful completion of the unit;
3. it is not supported by appropriate documentary Evidence; and/or
4. the student has already undertaken or submitted the assessment task (refer to clause 16 for Exceptional Circumstances).

(16) Students who have already submitted an assessment or participated in an assessment such as an examination, without reporting any issues during the assessment process, will only be considered for a second opportunity to undertake that assessment under Exceptional Circumstances. The decision to grant a second opportunity will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis with careful consideration given to the nature and validity of the Exceptional Circumstances that significantly affected their performance in the initial assessment. A Statement of Fact cannot suffice as evidence in such cases.

(17) In the event of illness or significant disruptions when participating in an assessment such as an examination or timed assessment, students must promptly cease their work. If the incident occurs in a classroom setting, they must inform the supervisor or invigilator immediately. If the disruption takes place outside the classroom, it should be reported immediately to the appropriate Course Authority. Subsequently, students are required to submit an application for Special Consideration.

(18) Applications made on behalf of a student by an external representative will only be accepted in cases where the student is incapacitated.

Evidence

(19) A Special Consideration application must be supported by documentary Evidence at the time of submission. Evidence requirements are specified within the Special Consideration Supporting Evidence Schedule and may include:

1. original supporting documentation;
2. a medical certificate;
3. a completed Professional Authority Form (PAF);
4. appropriate documentary Evidence for non-medical circumstances; or
5. a Statement of Fact.

(20) The Evidence must:

1. identify the circumstances;
2. include dates and/or the length of the circumstances;
3. explain the severity and impact of the circumstances;
4. clearly describe how the circumstances have adversely affected the student’s capacity for effective study to which an assessment relates; and
5. where relevant, include the date(s) on which the student was seen by the professional providing the Evidence.

(21) The University reserves the right to request and retain the originals of supporting documentation and will conduct regular audits of supporting documentation submitted electronically.

(22) Students must retain all original documentation for a six (6) month period and must supply original documents to the University within ten (10) working days of such a request being made.

(23) All documentation (in hardcopy or electronic form) relating to a Special Consideration application will be treated in accordance with the University’s Privacy Policy.

Assessment Process

(24) The assessment of whether a student’s circumstances were serious and unavoidable is made according to a pre-approved set of criteria described in the Special Consideration Supporting Evidence Schedule. Professional staff processing an application for Special Consideration may seek input from the relevant academic staff when determining the remedy, if necessary.

Outcomes

(25) If an application for Special Consideration is accepted, the University will attempt to provide the student with an opportunity to undertake the affected assessment or an alternative assessment in order to demonstrate that they have met the relevant learning outcome(s) of a unit or units. Other than in Exceptional Circumstances, a student may not apply for more than one (1) Special Consideration application for the same assessment task.

(26) Outcomes of an application for Special Consideration may include:

1. no action (including where an application fails to meet the requirements of this Policy;
2. an alternative assessment, which will ensure the same learning outcomes are assessed;
   1. In submitting a Special Consideration application, the student is acknowledging that they may be required to undertake alternative work.
   2. The time and date, deadline or format of any required alternative assessable work as a result of a Special Consideration application is not negotiable.
   3. In submitting a Special Consideration application, the student is agreeing to make themselves available so that they can complete any alternative work as required.
3. a supplementary examination;
   1. Other than in Exceptional Circumstances, only one (1) opportunity for a supplementary examination will be provided.
4. the extension of the assessment deadline;
   1. The length of a deadline extension will normally be equivalent to the duration of the circumstances affecting the student. Retrospective extensions may be applied.
   2. If a deadline for assessment is extended, in some circumstances this may result in the release of the final grade being delayed.
5. marks derived from other completed assessment tasks being aggregated or averaged to achieve an overall mark;
6. a second opportunity;
   1. If a student is given a second opportunity to undertake an assessment, the mark obtained in the subsequent attempt will replace the original results for that assessment, regardless of whether it is higher or lower.
7. in Exceptional Circumstances, the final mark for the unit being excluded from calculations for Honours, WAM, or Academic Standing; or
8. in certain circumstances where the student has demonstrated circumstances or events that are serious, unavoidable and significantly disruptive but the University determines that Special Consideration is not possible for the assessment affected, a recommendation that the student apply to Withdraw Without Penalty. The student must determine whether to apply to Withdraw Without Penalty or accept the outcome where no alternative assessment can be provided.

Withdrawal of Special Consideration Application

(27) Once the student has received approval for a Special Consideration application, the student may not withdraw the application and must accept the outcome as determined.

Notification of Special Consideration Application Outcome

(28) The University will aim to communicate the outcome of a Special Consideration application to the student’s email address within five (5) working days of receipt of the application and all necessary supporting Evidence.

Appeals

(29) A student may appeal an adverse outcome of a Special Consideration application in accordance with the Appeals Policy and the Assessment Procedure.

Section 4 - Guidelines

(30) Nil.

Section 5 - Definitions

(31) The following definitions apply for the purpose of this Policy:

1. Event Critical Study Period means an intense academic phase during the study session characterised by the lead-up to or culmination of key academic work. An Event Critical Study Period is generally ten (10) calendar days immediately preceding, and including, the assessment due date with  exceptions considered on a case-by-case basis following assessment of the duration, severity, and evidentiary validity of the circumstances presented.
2. Evidence means documentation specified in the Special Consideration Supporting Evidence Schedule that demonstrates the severity and impact of a disruption to study.
3. Exceptional Circumstances refers to situations that are unusual and not reasonably foreseeable, beyond the student’s control, and sufficiently serious that they negatively affect the student’s ability to complete an assessment. See the Special Consideration Supporting Evidence Schedule for more detail.
4. Course Authority is the person assigned by a Faculty or equivalent to perform leadership of a course.
5. Professional Authority Form (PAF) is a form to document Evidence of medical related disruptions (physical or psychological).
6. Short-term Circumstances or Events refers to a duration ordinarily of up to twelve calendar days.
7. Statement of Fact is a statement provided by the applicant to describe the nature of the circumstances or event, explain the severity and how they have been impacted in relation to their capacity to complete their assessment. It can be completed by the student and does not need a medical professional or other person to complete.