GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY ASSESSMENT ......exclusion, on the Unofficial Academic Transcript for a period of five years after the student has graduated or terminated their enrolment

University Assessment Committee Minutes 5/2014 Monday 14 July 2014

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www.griffith.edu.au/committees 1

GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY

UNIVERSITY ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE

NOTICE OF MEETING A meeting of the University Assessment Committee was held at 1.00 pm on Monday 14 July 2014, video-conferenced between room 2.06 Bray Centre (N54) Nathan campus and room 2.27 Information Services (L03) Logan campus and room 1.04 The Chancellery (G34) Gold Coast campus.

MINUTES

PRESENT APOLOGIES Associate Professor Heather Alexander (Chair) Professor Mark Brimble Professor Nicholas Buys Mr Bruce Callow Professor Glenn Finger Professor Lorelle Frazer Associate Professor Wendy Loughlin Professor Richard John Ms Cathy McGrath Mr Leigh Stevenson for Mr Bruce Callow Mr Elliot Jones Ms Rebecca Seymour Associate Professor Ray Tedman Ms Karen van Haeringen By invitation Mr Gerald Reiger (Item 4.0) Mr Richard Jeffares (Item 4) Ms Kerry Young (Item 4) Mr Mark Bick (Item 4) Mr Ben Robb (Item 4) Professor Peter Healy (Items 10 & 11) Ms Rachel Farnsworth (Secretary) 1.0 CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES

The minutes of the 4/2014 meeting of the University Assessment Committee were taken as read and confirmed.

2.0 DECLARATION OF INTEREST

No members identified any conflict of interest, as outlined in the University policies on Conflict of Interest and Personal Relationships in the Workplace, which exist in respect of any of the items on the agenda.

SECTION A: REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO LEARNING AND TEACHING COMMITTEE

3.0 REPORT ON STUDENT APPEALS IN RELATION TO ASSESSMENT MATTERS 3.1 TEQSA requires as part of its core evidence requirement for re-registration, the

following in terms of Provider Standard 6.4 Grievance Processes:

http://www.griffith.edu.au/committees


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Evidence of student grievance processes in place, including the number of

complaints over the past 12 months and analysis of nature of complaints;

Latest report to governing body on student complaints and grievances.

3.2 The Committee considered the document Assessment Appeals – 2013 Academic

Year (2014/0005283) and a document setting out previous data in relation to student academic misconduct cases and appeals. Data about 2013 Honours classifications was also attached to put the appeals data in relation to Honours completions in context (2014/0005288).

3.3 The Committee discussed the data noting that while there has been an increase in

the number of academic integrity breaches reported and managed and in the number of students being excluded on the basis of academic performance, in both instances the number of appeals to the University Appeals Committee against these decisions had declined in 2013.. A query was raised in relation to the outcomes of appeal for Law (not upheld) and the data relating to the School of Law will be reviewed prior to providing advice to Learning and Teaching Committee on the matter.

Resolution

3.4 The University Assessment Committee resolved to provide an analysis of 2013

appeals data to the Learning and Teaching Committee for its consideration.

4.0 STREAMLINING ASSESSMENT PROGRAM

4.1 There are two components to the Streamlining Assessment Program:

Electronic Assessment Handling – implementation of TurnItIn

Management of Marks and Grades – implementation of Gradebook solution

4.2 TurnItIn has been available in Learning@Griffith since early 2013 and policy issues

associated with the use of TurnItIn were addressed in the Assessment Submission and Return Policy in 2013 for university-wide implementation. As a result semester 1, 2014 saw increased uptake of the tool and a range of technical issues identified and addressed. Responsibility for TurnItIn technical support has now been transferred to the Learning & Teaching Systems team. The focus for semester 2, 2014 is change management and ongoing training requirements associated with the operational transition from SafeAssign to TurnItIn. In semester 1, 2014, 50% of course sites used SafeAssign, 46% TurnItIn and 4% contained both (in order to overcome technical difficulties with particular submission points). At the University Assessment Committee Retreat members were advised that a range of technical issues associated with TurnItIn have been resolved and the experience for semester 2, 2014 should be improved. Usage of the two text matching tools will continue to be monitored. The TurnItIn project is now closed and operational support is now being provided by Learning Management Systems.

4.3 As identified and discussed at the 2/2014 meeting with the Blended Learning

Advisors, critical to the implementation of the Gradebook solution is increased usage of the Marks Centre in Learning@Griffith. Recent discussions between the Gradebook Project Team and Schools have identified differing levels of usage of the Marks Centre and therefore readiness to adopt a Gradebook solution. The documentation provided for the Committee is part of the project confirmation work which is being undertaken by the project team and will be provided to an upcoming project board meeting for endorsement.



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4.4 A draft Organisational Change Management Strategy for the Implementation of Gradebook (2014/0005287) was before the Committee for consideration. There were two options proposed for implementation – a 3 phase staged implementation or a big bang approach, with the phased approach recommended. The Committee noted that Schools would need to be fully using Marks Centre prior to a go live date. The implementation strategy outlined proposed criteria for identifying Schools for a staged approach, due to different levels of complexity, readiness and technical capability of staff and size considerations.

4.5 There are considerable risks associated with a big bang approach including financial

and reputation risks. There are also risks, and the need for additional support, associated with managing a phased approach having dual processes in operational areas such as Exams and Timetabling (EXT) in place until fully phased. A list of the proposed order for 3 phases of Schools was provided and the project sought the Committee’s feedback. The Committee recognised that there are advantages and disadvantages of both options. The Committee noted that the 3 phased approach, would require a request for substantial funding to support dual processing of grades.

4.6 A range of views was expressed by Committee members. Members raised the

suggestion that a pilot using courses offered in summer two (January 2015) should be undertaken. It was proposed that a review of the pilot be undertaken during semester 1, 2105, with a view to determining whether a go live in semester 2, 2015 might be possible.

4.7 UAC agreed to a “Pilot + 2 Staged Implementation” commencing in Summer

Semester 2, 2015 (January 2015). This approach consists of a pre-pilot, pilot and post-pilot commencing in Semester 2, 2014 and ending in Semester 1, 2015 and depending on the Go/No Go Decision, Phase 1 schools going live in Semester 2, 2015 and Phase 2 schools going live in Semester 1, 2016. The following diagram is an expression of the University Assessment Committee’s recommendation:

4.8 Within this model of a ‘Pilot + Staged Implementation” each Academic Group will be

responsible for leading and championing the change within their area and each



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School will be responsible for assessing their readiness to adopt the enabling solution and determine which phase they commence implementation. Key to School participation is academic staff usage of My Marks' to support the change management process for the project, the Committee had before it the Guidelines for Staff Engagement with Learning@Griffith which states the following:

As a minimum, the following should be included in course pages on Learning@Griffith: a) Assessment details, including standards, criteria, and explanations, including

method of submission, return of assignments, notification of marks and feedback, and academic integrity. (These details will not be a variation to information provided in the Course Profile, which is the official public University document, but may expand on information contained therein.)

Principle 8 of the Principles and Standards for Griffith Online Courses and Programs states 'Marks must be made available to students through ‘My Marks'.

4.9 To further facilitate use of TurnItIn as a text matching and online marking tool and

usage of My Marks in Learning@Griffith changes were proposed to the following

Guidelines for Staff Engagement with Learning@Griffith (2014/0000524)

Assessment Policy (2014/0000514); which are to be accompanied by further training about usage of My Marks during

semester 2, 2014. 4.10 As the University moves to the ‘staged implementation’ changes in behaviour about

the location for recording the mark for the final assessment item will need to be addressed. Currently not all the marks recorded for a course are being recorded by all academic staff in one place as per the Assessment Policy, with some staff only recording the mark for the final assessment item in the Marks Entry Spreadsheet.

Resolution 4.11 The University Assessment Committee resolved to recommend Learning and

Teaching Committee:

a “Pilot + Staged Implementation” of Gradebook commencing in Summer

Semester 2, 2015 (January 2015) as outlined in 4.8;

Revised Guidelines for Staff Engagement with Learning@Griffith

(2014/0000524); and

Revised Assessment Policy (2014/0000514).

5.0 STUDENT NOTINGS ON TRANSCRIPTS AND UPDATED POLICY PROVISIONS

5.1 The Academic Committee (2/2014 meeting) considered a Discussion Paper on Notings on Academic Transcripts (2014/0000505) which explored whether notings related to exclusion on grounds of failing to maintain academic good standing or due to disciplinary reasons should be recorded on a student’s official academic transcript and if so, whether such notings should remain permanently.

5.2 The Academic Committee resolved that:

The PeopleSoft student system is to retain permanently all academic standing

and disciplinary actions in relation to a student.

All actions related to failure to maintain academic good standing including

exclusion are to be recorded on the Unofficial Academic Transcript for students



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in the undergraduate and postgraduate careers as well as Higher Degree

Research candidates.

All actions with the exception of exclusion for disciplinary reasons are to be

retained on the Unofficial Academic Transcript for a period of five years after the

student/HDR Candidate has graduated or terminated their enrolment with the

University.

The noting ‘Excluded for Disciplinary Reasons’ is to be recorded on the Official

Transcript for a minimum of 10 years after the student has had their enrolment

terminated unless a student is re-admitted or successfully applies to have the

noting removed.

A provision for readmission three years after exclusion is to be incorporated into

the Student Academic Misconduct Policy and the Student Misconduct Policy.

Applications for readmission will be considered by the Academic Provost or

nominee on the advice of the relevant Dean.

Request amendments be made to the following policies:

o Student Academic Misconduct Policy and the Academic Misconduct

Policy – Higher Degree Research Students to include provisions for readmission after exclusion and updating existing provisions related to the recording of the student’s exclusion for disciplinary reasons as a noting on the Official Academic Transcript to include a minimum timeframe of 10 years;

o Student Misconduct Policy to include provisions for recording of the student’s exclusion for disciplinary reasons as a noting on the Official Academic Transcript as well as the minimum timeframe of 10 years. Provisions for readmission after exclusion need to be revised in terms of the timeframe and the decision-makers;

o Academic Standing, Progression and Exclusion Policy to include provisions for recording academic good standing actions, including exclusion, on the Unofficial Academic Transcript for a period of five years after the student has graduated or terminated their enrolment with the University;

5.3 The Committee considered the relevant extracts (2014/0005285) from the proposed

Student Review and Appeals Policy and Student Review and Appeals Procedure about recording of disciplinary penalties on academic transcripts and the amended provisions in the following policies:

Student Academic Misconduct Policy (2014/0000519)

Academic Misconduct Policy – Higher Degree Research Students

(2014/0000520)

Student Misconduct Policy (2014/0000521)

Academic Standing, Progression and Exclusion Policy (2014/0000522)

5.4 The Committee noted that there were some additional adjustments to the Student

Academic Misconduct Policy to reflect current business processes, these changes will be considered as part of the scope of work of the working party reviewing the academic misconduct policy and framework.

5.5 The Committee also noted there were other amendments to the Academic Standing,

Progression and Exclusion Policy, these included:

clarifying that the cumulative GPA is a cumulative career GPA

Section 5.5 - a. Associate Director, Student Administration renamed to Director, Student Administration b. 5.3 changed to 5.4 in the following statement: 'Where a student is eligible for



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exclusion in terms of section 5.1 or 5.2, but is permitted to continue study under section

Resolution

5.6 The University Assessment Committee resolved to recommend to Learning and Teaching Committee the following document:

Policy Amendments related to Academic Committee’s Noting Decisions (2014/0000505) which includes:

Extract from Proposed Student Review and Appeals Policy

Extract from Proposed Student Review and Appeals Procedures

Proposed Amendments to Student Academic Misconduct Policy –

Sections 9, 10 and 11.

Proposed Amendments to Academic Misconduct Policy – Higher

Degree Research Students– Sections 5.1 and 6. Proposed Amendments to Student Misconduct Policy– Section 19. Proposed Amendments to Academic Standing, Progression &

Exclusion Policy– Section 7.

Academic Standing, Progression & Exclusion Policy (2014/0000522)

6.0 END OF SEMESTER CENTRALLY ADMINISTERED EXAMINATION POLICY

ADMENDMENTS

6.1 At the 4/2014 Meeting, the Committee asked that the End of Semester Centrally Administered Examination Policy include advice about the action to be taken when an end of semester examination paper is compromised immediately prior to the conduct of the exam. At that meeting and following a presentation at the University Assessment Committee Retreat from Mr Naveen Sharma in relation to security of assessment, Mr Sharma was asked to propose changes to the policy to improve the security of marks and grades. The proposed changes note the requirement to abide by the University’s Information Technology Code of Practice and identify a number of practices to ensure security of documents.

6.2 Attached for the Committee’s consideration is an updated End of Semester Centrally

Administered Examination Policy (2014/0005284). Examinations and Timetabling have also proposed two minor amendments to the policy to reflect current business processes:

Change 1: Removal of the text that says an alternate examination

sitting may be scheduled as a deferred examination during the

deferred/supplementary examination period, depending on the

circumstances of the student.

This change has been requested because alternate examination sittings are only scheduled during the end of semester examination period.

Change 2: Students currently only have one week to apply for an

alternate examination sitting. EXT is proposing that this be increased to

two weeks to provide students with more time to apply for this. The

earlier publication of the examination timetable has provided EXT with

more time to prepare for the examination period. This extended



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deadline would benefit students and could be accommodated by

EXT. The reference to the exact week that applications are due has

also been removed as this can vary depending on the academic

calendar.

6.3 The Committee reviewed the proposed changes and suggested the following additions to Section 13 Security of Examination Questions, Answers and papers:

o Examination documentation is not to be accessed from a public

space computer or when using unsecured Wi-Fi. o Exam papers printed internally should be printed via the secure

service provided by Uni Print (rather than on shared network

printers or AirPrint) o Exam papers are not to be provided on a USB or e-mailed to Uni

Print or other approved offsite printers, instead upload papers via

secure file transfer or secure website, where the file will be

encrypted by that service.

Resolution

6.4 The University Assessment Committee resolved to recommend to Learning and Teaching Committee the amendments to the End of Semester Centrally Administered Examination Policy as described in (2014/0005284) and in 6.3 .

7.0 ASSESSMENT SUBMISSION AND RETURN POLICY 7.1 The Learning & Teaching Systems team as part of the service pack upgrade of

Blackboard in August, will be releasing a new function called "in-line grading" that is effectively a "Word track changes" type of functionality that can be used with the native Blackboard assignment submission tool.

7.2 The availability of this tool for use with the Blackboard assignment submission tool has been included in the attached revised

Assessment Submission and Return Procedures (2014/0000523).

7.3 The Committee discussed the proposed changes and made the following adjustments

Section 2 remove reference to checked and tested and refer to being

able to be opened and viewed

Incorporation of a reference to use of unsecured networks in the due

diligence section for staff

7.4 The Committee discussed the need for establishing expectations for recommended practices around electronic security of assessment. There was suggestion that a mandatory training module could be developed and delivered in a similar manner to WHS modules. The Chair will undertake further discussions with the Manager Risk and Compliance and report to the Committee at a future meeting.

Resolution

7.5 The University Assessment Committee resolved to recommend to Learning and Teaching Committee amendments to the Assessment Submission and Return Procedures (2014/0000523 revised).



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SECTION B: ACTION UNDER DELEGATED AUTHORITY

8.0 UNIVERSITY ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE RETREAT

8.1 The Committee deferred discussions of the retreat to this meeting, providing an opportunity for members to reflect on discussions and to consider the issues identified and subsequent actions that may be required in the attached 2014 Work Plan (2014/0005276). The Committee noted that there were ongoing discussions at Learning and Teaching Committee which may inform areas of priority.

8.2 The Committee noted the following items which were raised at the retreat:

Assessment types used – currently a high reliance on written assignments and examinations – selected response.

Alignment between Program Learning Outcomes, Course Learning Outcomes and assessment types.

Course Profiles and Course Profile System Enhancements to drive better alignment between Program Learning Outcomes, Course Learning Outcomes and assessment types.

Professional Development around Course Profiles and assessment.

Roles of School Learning and Teaching Committees and School Assessment Boards.

Governance of assessment and decision-making – Provision of Good Decision Making sessions in relation to assessment.

8.3 The Committee noted that program coherence has improved and the use of

authentic assessment tasks has contributed to this. Schools that have introduced roles of Deputy Head of School Learning and Teaching reported increased consistency and coherency in learning and teaching matters.

Resolution

8.4 The Committee resolved to await further advice from Learning and Teaching Committee before considering if any further adjustments are required to the 2014 Work Plan.

SECTION C: OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS AND REPORTS

Nil

SECTION D: MATTERS NOTED, CONSIDERED OR REMAINING UNDER DISCUSSION

9.0 STUDENT REVIEW AND APPEALS POLICY AND PROCEDURES

9.1 The University Assessment Committee (8/2013 meeting) recommended a full

review of the Student Grievances and Appeals Policy asking the Chair, University Appeals Committee and the Deputy Academic Registrar to develop a proposal for consideration by the Vice President (Corporate Services).

9.2 The Committee (8/2013 meeting) noted that the Student Grievances and Appeals Policy specifies those matters that are for review and appeal and those related to complaints. The Committee was not averse to the document being split in two, however indicated it was user friendly for both staff and students to have information about these processes in the one document. Further suggestions made by the



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Committee at that time were before the Committee in the 8/2013 (2014/0005286) minute extract.

9.3 Professor Peter Healy (Chair University Appeals Committee) was welcomed to the meeting to facilitate discussion of this item and obtain the Committee’s feedback on the following documents:

Student Review and Appeals Policy (2014/0000510)

Student Review and Appeals Procedures (2014/0000511)

Review of Decision Form (2014/0000515)

Notice of Appeal Form (2014/0000516).

9.4 Changes to the Student Grievances and Appeals Policy are proposed in response to findings of an audit on complaints management undertaken by the Queensland’s Ombudsman’s Office. The Committee discussed the current issues and difficulties in assessing student’s grievances, which often include an appeal of a decision as well as a complaint about a process or person. The Committee commented on the unstructured correspondence of students which often omits key details that facilitate appropriate review or consideration of the decision or complaint. Lack of key information or the ability to elicit that information in a suitable form or in a timely fashion often exacerbates student grievances.

9.5 The Committee was supportive of the establishment of a Student Appeals and Complaints Unit, which is under consideration as specified in 3.4.7 of the Student Review and Appeals Policy (2014/0000510) and 3.7 of the Student Review and Appeals Procedures (2014/0000511), to triage student grievances by clarifying students’ intentions as to whether they are seeking a review of a decision or seeking to make a complaint. The Committee expressed the view that the proposed forms will also assist in clarifying students’ intentions and provide structure to student applications for a review of a decision. The Committee suggested that it would also be useful if the proposed Student Appeals and Complaints Unit provided advice to students about completing the Review of Decision and Notice of Appeal forms while not providing advocacy for students. The Committee was advised that initially the forms will be available on the Student Administration Student Forms site but in the future completed through an on-line application system similar to the review of grade online assessment application.

9.6 In discussing the Student Review and Appeals Policy (2014/0000510) the following comments were made by the Chair, University Appeals Committee and University Assessment Committee members:

The draft Student Review and Appeals Policy and the Student Review and Appeals Procedures are a significant improvement on the University’s current Student Grievances and Appeals Policy.

The definition of a ‘student’ needs to take account of those with suspended and terminated enrolment statuses.

Tables 1-3 listing the Decision Types and the Decision-Makers could be moved

from the Student Review and Appeals Procedures (2014/0000511) to Section

3.2 of the Student Review and Appeals Policy.

In Table 1 that the University Appeals Committee not continue to be the Appeals Body

for readmission after exclusion but that the Dean (Learning and Teaching) be the

Appeals Body and this change be included in Table 2.

University Assessment Committee members agreed to review and provide feedback to the Deputy Academic Registrar on the designated review officers and Appeals Bodies for all of the decision types listed in Tables 1-3.



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The flow chart specified in Appendix A of the Student Review and Appeals Procedures (2014/0000511) should be included in the body of Student Review and Appeals Policy (2014/0000510).

Appendix A Reviewable Decisions was seen by the Chair, University Appeals Committee and the University Assessment Committee members to be an extremely helpful addition to the policy. The view was expressed that more of the University’s policies should include self-executing decisions.

9.7 In discussing the Student Review and Appeals Procedures (2014/0000511) the following comments were made by the Chair, University Appeals Committee and University Assessment Committee members:

Section 3.6.1 University Appeals Committee be amended to include the content

specified in 5.2 Consideration of Appeal by the Chair before proceeding into

detail about the University Appeals Committee.

Section 5.2 Consideration of Appeal by the Chair be modified to reflect the

wording of 6.3 Consideration of Appeal by the relevant Senior Officer

Section 5.4.5 be removed as this provision has only been used by the University

Appeals Committee once in the last 17 years

Section 5.6 Appeals involving Allegations concerning a staff member be

removed from the procedures as this issue is dealt with in 3.7 of the Student

Complaints Policy

9.8 The Committee was advised that a review of the appeals provisions of all student related policies has been conducted and these policies will be updated once the University Council has adopted Student Review and Appeals Policy (2014/0000510) and Student Review and Appeals Procedures (2014/0000511).

9.9 Student representatives of the University's Academic Committee and sub-committees as well as representatives from the Student Guild and SRC have been invited to participate in a Focus Group for the purpose of reviewing the newly developed Student Review and Appeals Policy and Procedures and accompanying forms. The dates of these meetings are as follows:

Monday 28 July 11am – 12pm at Nathan campus

Tuesday 29 July 1pm – 2 pm at Gold Coast campus

Resolution 9.10 The University Assessment Committee resolved to provide feedback (in relation to

the documents listed) to the Deputy Academic Registrar for inclusion with feedback from student focus groups and key stakeholders.

10.0 STUDENT COMPLAINTS POLICY AND PROCEDURES 10.1 The University Assessment Committee (2/2013 meeting) considered making a

number of amendments to the Policy on Student Grievances and Appeals in response to the Ombudsman’s report and recommendations on Complaints Management.

10.2 The Committee had before it an overview of the nine principles specified in The Australian Standard Customer satisfaction – Guidelines for complaints handling in organizations (AS ISO 10002-2006) and how the attached revised Student Complaints Policy and Student Complaints Procedures address the principles:

Australian Standard AS ISO 10002-2006

Student Complaints Policy (2014/0000512)



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Student Complaints Procedures (2014/0000513)

Student Complaint Form (2014/0000517)

Formal Student Grievance Form (2014/0000518)

10.3 University Assessment Committee expressed the view that the Student Complaint Policy and Procedures needs to make it clear that the student is being given the opportunity to identify an issue of concern to them and present it in a considered and measured manner upon which the University can reflect, identify how it may improve its performance and respond in a respectful manner. Students who use defamatory language in making complaints to or about staff/other students may not facilitate resolution of their concern instead such language may lead to unintended and serious consequences for both the staff and students cited in the complaint. Some advice to students about the tone and language to be used in making a complaint needs to be incorporated into the policy and procedures. It was suggested that in Section 3.7 Student Complaints Policy (2014/0000512) reference needs to be made to the Staff Code of Conduct. The following amendment was also suggested to 3.9:

Pursued in a manner that threatens, menaces and harasses a member of University staff or fellow student

10.4 In considering the Student Complaint Form the University Assessment Committee

commented that it is quite common for a group of students rather than an individual student to make a complaint and the Form needs to accommodate such a situation. It was suggested that Section 2 Type of Complaint be changed to the Nature of Complaint and just use the three broad categories: conduct of staff, conduct of students, and conduct of services.

10.5 Student representatives of the University's Academic Committee and sub-

committees as well as representatives from the Student Guild and SRC have been invited to participate in a Focus Group for the purpose of reviewing the newly developed Student Complaints Policy and Procedures and accompanying forms. The dates of these meetings are as follows:

Monday 28 July 11am – 12pm at Nathan campus

Tuesday 29 July 1pm – 2 pm at Gold Coast campus

Resolution

10.6 The University Assessment Committee resolved to provide feedback (in relation to the documents listed) to the Deputy Academic Registrar for inclusion with feedback from student focus groups and key stakeholders.

11.0 CHAIR’S REPORT

11.1 The Chair reported on the following items of business:

11.1 Membership University Assessment Committee’s student representative Environmental Engineering student Elliot Jones has advised that he is unable to continue to serve as a member of the Committee as he has been awarded a scholarship under the Australian Government’s new Colombo Plan Scholarship Program. The Committee recorded Elliot’s contributions to the Committee and wished him well with his studies at the University of Hong Kong. The Committee was advised that the Griffith Honours College, Student Representative Council and the Student Guild have been approached for another student to replace Elliot on the Committee.



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The Committee also recorded its thanks to Ms Barbara Biviano for her contributions to the business of the Committee while the Director, Student Administration, Ms Cathy McGrath was on long service leave in the first half of the year. The Committee welcomed Ms Cathy McGrath back to its membership.

11.2 Governance of Assessment and online Assessment Applications

11.2.1 Each semester EXT asks academic Groups to advise the name of

the Chair, School Assessment Board for the online student

application processes to ensure the workflow goes to the

appropriate decision-maker.

11.2.2 The Governance of Assessment and Academic Achievement

Standards procedures states the Chair of the School Assessment

Board is ‘the Head of School or nominee as Chairperson’. The

online assessment application draws this data from a Head of

School table and when the Chair is a ‘nominee’ a manual work

around has to be put in place.

11.2.3 Recently the Department of AFE raised with the Chair, University

Assessment Committee the issue of the volume of online

assessment applications in relation to special consideration and

wished to delegate this responsibility to Discipline Heads.

11.2.4 The suggestion was made that such an arrangement could be put in

place if the Discipline Heads were Chairs of Assessment Panels

and the University Assessment Committee agreed to delegate this

responsibility to Chairs of Assessment Panels. However such a

process would require the establishment of a set of courses for

which each Departmental Discipline Head is responsible and

enhancements would need to be made to the online application to

assign the appropriate decision-makers to the set of courses. This

would also mean that AFE would conduct its end of semester

processes through a series of Assessment Panels reporting to a

Departmental Assessment Board chaired by the Head of

Department. A responsibility for assessment would also need to be

included into the position descriptions for those Discipline Heads.

11.2.5 Each semester a number of students dissatisfied with their review of

grade application and the outcome of their appeal to the Dean

(Learning & Teaching) seek an external review via the Queensland

Ombudsman. A key consideration in deciding whether a decision is

unreasonable is whether the decision-maker was unauthorised or

did not have authority to make the decision. The Queensland

Ombudsman has previously highlighted discrepancies between the

decision-makers in policy and those allocated in the online

assessment applications to make decisions. The establishment of

Governance of Assessment and Academic Achievement Standards

procedure was in response to the Ombudsman making findings in

relation to review of grade applications.

11.2.6 The Committee gave consideration as to how due care and

diligence to each application could be given and handled

appropriately. Currently delegations are set up against



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organisations (Schools) and a business process would be required

to collect and verify this more detailed information.

11.2.7 Before considering this matter further it was agreed that the Senior

Manager Exams and Timetabling would bring back to the

Committee data about the number of special consideration

applications made to the Department of AFE to determine whether

this volume of applications is specific to the Department or whether

there are other Schools also experiencing high levels of special

consideration applications.

12.0 GOVERNANCE OF ASSESSMENT IN OUA COURSES 12.1 Learning and Teaching Committee at its 1/2014 meeting considered University

Assessment Committee’s recommendation that the transfer of OUA Assessment processes to the Schools proceed in semester 2, 2014 regardless of the delay in the Gradebook project implementation.

12.2 University Assessment Committee has been asked by Learning and Teaching Committee to liaise with Examinations and Timetabling to develop a business process which clearly outlines the workflow requirements. The Committee provided feedback to the working draft document at the last meeting. A revised document is to be provided for the consideration of the Committee at the next meeting.

13.0 OTHER BUSINESS

Nil 14.0 NEXT MEETING

The next meeting of the University Assessment Committee will be held on Monday 4 August 2014 at 1.00pm,

15.0 2014 University Assessment Committee Meeting Dates Meetings are on Mondays at the times indicated below. All meetings are video-conferenced.

Meeting Date Venues Time

4 August N54_2.06 / G34_1.04 / L03_2.27 1pm – 4pm

8 September N54_2.06 / G34_1.04 / L03_2.27 1pm – 4pm

13 October N54_2.06 / G34_1.04 / L03_2.27 1pm – 4pm

10 November N54_2.06 / G34_1.04 / L03_2.27 1pm – 4pm

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Documents

GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY ASSESSMENT ......exclusion, on the Unofficial Academic Transcript for a period of five years after the student has graduated or terminated their enrolment