Academic Standards and Risk Committee Minute Secretary

This policy conflates and replaces the Supplementary Examinations Policy and the Completion of Study Policy. It should be read in conjunction with the Student Academic Responsibilities Policy which guides most extension arrangements.

To describe the grounds under which students who are unable to undertake or complete an assessment task due to immediate and exceptional circumstances beyond their control that emerge after census date are eligible to apply for special arrangements.

This policy applies to all Higher Education students and staff.

The College recognises that there are circumstances which significantly disrupt a student’s study program. Such disruptions include, but are not limited to:

• a medical condition which has been identified or has changed;
• a change to family or personal circumstances beyond the control of the student:

• the death of a family member;
• severe medical problems experienced by a member of the student’s family;
• loss of employment or similar affecting financial circumstances;
• a change demanded by an employer, e.g. a transfer to another location or a major change to an employment contract; or
• the breakdown of a marriage relationship.

• where the College’s schedule may impact the ability of the student to progress

Impacts from such disruptions may range from inability to attend lectures or tutorials, delays in completing assessments, through to withdrawal from units of study and/or discontinuance in the course.

Students are encouraged to discuss their disruptions with their Course Advisor, or may contact the Course Co-ordinator or Registrar. That staff member will negotiate a proposed alternative arrangement and complete and submit the Special Arrangement Form. Students must provide evidence of the disruption.

Special arrangements may be approved by either the Registrar or Dean of Studies if they are satisfied that circumstances would have made it unreasonable to expect a student to continue with their studies at the time of the event which created the special circumstance.

Potential Special Arrangements include but are not limited to:

• granting of an unusually long extension;
• change of date that a specific assessment task is conducted on; or
• extension of a practicum placement so as to attain the required days/hours.

The Dean of Studies or Registrar shall formalise the arrangement with a Special Arrangement and specify a time frame for completion, which would ordinarily be no longer than one additional semester. Generally, no further tuition fee payment will be required from the student under these conditions. The arrangement shall be communicated to the student, course advisor, lecturer, and it is placed on the student’s file.