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Assessment Procedure

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Purpose

 To detail the actions and responsibilities required for the efficient and ethical management of the assessment process at Macquarie University.

Procedure

 This procedure requires actions by the following:

Associate Dean, Learning and Teaching

QUALITY ASSURANCE
Put quality assurance processes in place to ensure that new and continuing staff are familiar with the Assessment Policy, its related procedures and guidelines, and all future updates.

Ensure new staff are routinely inducted into institutional assessment expectations.

Assessment Literacy
Provide all stakeholders with opportunities to develop a level of assessment literacy.

Executive Dean/ Dean

 ELIGIBILITY FOR CONTINUATION IN A UNIT
Determine whether a student is eligible to continue in a unit. A student not considered eligible will be excluded from the unit and this will result in the student being awarded a Fail grade (F) for the unit.

Unit Convenor

ASSESSMENT DESIGN
Ensure assessment tasks include authentic challenges and connect learning and learning outcomes.

Where appropriate, incorporate an external supervisor’s evaluation of a student’s learning in the grading process (e.g. for Participation units).

GROUP ASSESSMENT
Where there is group assessment, prepare students to ensure they possess the skills necessary to complete the tasks successfully.

RESUBMISSION
Detail the resubmission options in the Unit Guide. Note that if resubmission is available, it is only permissible after the original assessment task has been graded and returned to students.

CHANGE TO UNIT ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS DURING A UNIT OFFERING
If recommending a change to the assessment requirements after a unit has commenced, consider the implications of the recommended change on both the students and staff members involved. Make the recommendation to the Head of Department or delegated authority.

Upon approval notify students in writing.

Student

ACADEMIC HONESTY
Comply with the Academic Honesty Policy, noting particularly the need to ensure that all the assessment tasks submitted are your original work.

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Be an active participant in the feedback process, act upon the advice given and provide evidence of having done so.

RETENTION OF RECORDS
Keep a copy of all assignment items lodged for assessment, regardless of whether or not they will be graded.

Ensure the copies are kept until the final unit grade has been officially released or until the finalisation of any appeals process.

INCLUSIVE PRACTICE
Where applicable, submit a request for reasonable adjustment, with the necessary supporting documentation, to Campus Wellbeing as soon as practicable after enrolment in the unit. Any such reasonable adjustments must be negotiated between the Disability Support Unit and the Unit Convenor.

ELIGIBILITY FOR CONTINUATION IN A UNIT

Attend required classes and submit required assessment tasks.

Note that the Executive Dean has the authority to refuse students permission to continue in a unit. If not considered eligible to continue, the student will be excluded from the unit and this will result in the award of a Fail grade (F) for the unit. Where there is a final examination, this will result in permission being denied to sit this examination.

Head of Department

CONSIDER REQUESTS FOR A CHANGE TO UNIT ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS DURING A UNIT OFFERING
Consider requests for a change to unit assessment requirements.

In exceptional circumstances, and where they maintain the relationship between the assessment methods and the expected learning outcomes, approve the request.

In giving approval for the change, be satisfied that students are not disadvantaged by either the change or the timing.
Academic Standards and Quality Committee

CONSIDER AN EXCEPTION TO THE ASSESSMENT POLICY
Consider a request for an exception to unit assessment requirements and, where the request is based on sound pedagogical rationale and if appropriate, provide approval.
Academic Senate APPROVE FINAL GRADES
Consider and approve final unit grades for each coursework student.

Faculty Student Administration Manager

 RECORDS MANAGEMENT
Ensure there is a system to record receipt and track the submission of assessment tasks.

RESULTS MANAGEMENT
Ensure a record of the results for each assessment task is retained until the end of any appeal period (six months).

RETENTION OF RECORDS
Maintain a system to allow uncollected assessment tasks to be returned to the student or retained for the mandated period (six months).

Comply with any officially authorised request for assessment records (eg by subpoena, for a student discipline case, for a grade appeal, through a Government Information (Public Access) request, or from an audit request).

DISPOSAL OF RECORDS
At the end of the mandated retention period, arrange for the secure and final disposal of assessment records.

Procedure Information

Contact Officer Chair, Learning and Teaching Committee
Date Approved 4 October 2011
Approval Authority Academic Senate
Date of Commencement For units with a teaching start date of 1 January 2012 or later
Amendment Dates October 2011 – to replace the Assessment Procedure approved 12 August 2008
Date for Next Review July 2014
Related Policies, Procedures, Guidelines, Forms or Templates

Academic Honesty Policy / Procedure
Academic Standards and Quality Committee – Terms of Reference
Assessment Policy / Guideline
Disability Action Plan
Examinations Policy
Grade Appeal Policy
Grading Policy
Policy Framework Policy
Privacy Statement
Records Management Policy
Rules
Special Consideration Policy / Procedure
Staff Code of Conduct
Student Code of Conduct
Unit Guide Policy / Procedure

Resources
Assessment Checklist
Assessment and Feedback
Guide to Implementation of Assessment Policies and Procedures  
Keywords Assessment, Unit Guide, Assignment
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