Diplomas Academic Progress Procedure

Transcription

1 Procedure Title Monash College Diplomas Academic Progress Procedure Parent Policy Monash College Diplomas Academic Progress Policy Preamble Under normal circumstances, students are expected to pass all units in which they are enrolled. Failing units will have an impact on a student s course progression, length of study, and entry into University. Definitions DIBP Department of Immigration and Border Protection Procedure Monash College Diploma Students who do not make satisfactory course progress are subject to the following procedures. 1. Academic Warning Letter At the completion of a trimester, academic warning letters are sent by Student Administration to students who have failed one unit. Failing one unit is not regarded as unsatisfactory course progress. The academic warning letter will advise students to the relevant Education Administration Officer to make an appointment with the relevant Teaching and Learning Team Leader to discuss their course progression (initial appointment). Following the initial appointment, students may be advised to seek further assistance from one or more of the following: a Monash College Learning Consultant; a Monash College Student Counsellor ; a Medical Practitioner; or other assistance as appropriate. 2. Unsatisfactory Course Progress Letter Definition of Unsatisfactory Course Progress: failure of 50% or more of the units in which the student is enrolled in the previous trimester; or failure of the same unit twice in the previous trimesters; or failure to comply with the requirements of a conditional enrolment imposed by Monash College Academic Review Panel or the Academic Progress Committee. Page 1 of 7

2 At the completion of a trimester, students who have been determined to have failed to meet satisfactory course progress requirement will receive an unsatisfactory course progress letter. The unsatisfactory course progress letter will advise the student as to why their course progress is unsatisfactory and require that the student makes an appointment with the relevant Teaching and Learning Team Leader to discuss their course progress. The unsatisfactory course progress letter will be ed and posted by Student Administration, within one week of the date that results are released. 3. Academic Review Panel (ARP) Academic Review Panel Membership The Academic Review Panel (ARP) is a sub-committee of the Academic Progress Committee (APC). The ARP will be comprised of: the relevant Teaching and Learning Team Leader or nominee (Chair); Senior Student Administrator or nominee (Secretary); and the Learning Consultant Team Leader or nominee (Student Support). Role of the ARP The ARP will review and discuss the academic progress of all students who have received an unsatisfactory course progress letter. During the review process, the ARP will examine all relevant information that may have impacted on the students course progress. The ARP can make the following recommendations: student is allowed to continue (no conditions applied); or student is allowed to continue with conditions. Notice of Decision of the ARP Following the meeting of the ARP, students are notified of the outcomes by . If conditions are imposed, the student is required to contact with a Learning Consultant within two weeks of receiving notification of the decision of the ARP. The Learning Consultant will discuss the conditions and any other recommendations made by the ARP with the student. 4. Academic Progress Committee (APC) APC Membership The Academic Progress Committee (APC) of Monash College Diplomas will be comprised of: Associate Director Transition, Learning and Innovation or nominee (Chair); Teaching and Learning Team Leader of the student s academic area or nominee; Manager of Student Administration or nominee (Secretary); and Learning Consultant Team Leader or nominee (Student Support). Unsatisfactory Course Progress (Second Consecutive Trimester) The following procedures will apply to students who fail to meet satisfactory course progress in two consecutive trimesters and are therefore being considered for exclusion*. Students will be sent a Student Response Form (SRF) along with written advice indicating that the form together with any supporting documentation must be completed and returned within seven (7) days from the date of the letter. The SRF provides students with an opportunity to explain why their results were unsatisfactory. Page 2 of 7

3 Student Response Form (SRF) Students will be supplied with a SRF to facilitate their submission of information and documentation to the APC regarding their course progress. The SRF will contain: Particulars of why the student is being considered for exclusion; Advice that the student is strongly recommended to explain to the APC in writing why they have failed to meet satisfactory course progress and why they should not be excluded; Advice that students are recommended to contact a Learning Consultant for assistance in completing the SRF; Advice that the student should provide documentation in support of the SRF where applicable (see section on supporting documentation below); A statement detailing the possible consequences for the student should they fail to respond, including automatic exclusion*; and Information detailing the criteria and process for unsatisfactory academic progress. The information will include names and contact telephone numbers of appropriate counselling services and Monash College staff. Supporting Documentation Supporting documentation provided may include one or more of the following: Evidence provided by medical practitioners or counsellors. Medical certificates must state the impact of the condition on the student and their academic progress and the relevant dates that the student was affected. A mere reference to a medical condition is not sufficient. Death certificate of a close relative. A police report of an incident relating to the student. Statutory declaration from the student or another person with relevant information on other related matters. Students should provide all documentation to the APC for consideration with their SRF by the due date. Where documentation is not available, the student should indicate to the APC when the evidence will be available and provided. In exceptional circumstances, the student may seek permission to provide documentary evidence of a sensitive nature in a sealed envelope directly to the APC Secretary. Given the seriousness of the decision, the APC may seek from the student more details of the conditions referred to in documentation or any submission. Within seven (7) working days of receipt of the SRF, the student will be invited to an APC hearing. If a student has not submitted a SRF within seven (7) days of receipt of their second consecutive unsatisfactory academic progress letter, the student will automatically be required to attend a Hearing of the APC. The student will be advised of the time, date and venue via and letter. Academic Progress Committee Meeting Following the seven (7) day deadline for submitting the SRF, a meeting of the Monash College APC will be held. The APC may exclude* students who have failed to make satisfactory course progress in two consecutive trimesters. Page 3 of 7

4 Grounds for Approving Continued Enrolment As a general guideline and at the discretion of Monash College, students may be permitted to continue their enrolment at Monash College if they have suffered: Serious illness or psychological condition (e.g. hospital admission, severe asthma, severe anxiety or depression, but does not include minor illnesses such as a mild cold); Loss or bereavement (e.g. death of close family member); Hardship/trauma (e.g. victim of crime, sudden loss of income or employment, severe disruption to domestic arrangements); or Other exceptional circumstances outside the student s control that have affected academic performance. Students who are permitted to continue enrolment at Monash College will be informed in writing within seven (7) days of the meeting of the decision of the APC and of the terms and conditions placed on their enrolment. Discontinuation Process If a student chooses to discontinue their course at Monash College, they must do so prior to the finding of the APC hearing. The student must inform the APC of their decision by completing the discontinuation section of the SRF and returning the form to Student Administration. The student will then be required to meet with a Learning Consultant and, where appropriate, a Discontinuation Form will be completed. If the student is transferring to another provider, they must produce a Letter of Offer and complete an Application for Release Letter International Student form, and submit both documents to Student Administration. Academic Progress Committee Hearing Procedure The Chair will invite the student to outline their circumstances, including comments on any documents they may have already presented with their written submission. The student is entitled to make a written submission and/or be heard personally. The student may be accompanied at the hearing by one person such as a Learning Consultant, counsellor, staff or student at Monash College, or any other person approved by the Committee who is not a legal practitioner. A Learning Consultant will attempt to make contact with all students required to attend a Hearing of the Academic Progress Committee prior to the hearing, to discuss the conduct of the Hearing. Adjournment During the APC hearing process, the student will be allowed an adjournment of approximately 5 minutes to speak in private with their support person. The APC Chair will explain the purpose of the adjournment and the student s options. No indication of the outcome of the hearing may be given to the student prior to adjournment. Where a student decides to discontinue from their studies, the discontinuation process outlined above applies. Students who do not attend the Academic Progress Committee Hearing Students who do not attend the APC Hearing will have their case heard in their absence based on material available to the APC, including the student s academic results and any information on their student file. The APC will review all the information and make either of the following recommendations: Student will be placed on conditional enrolment; or Student will be excluded. Page 4 of 7

5 Decision of Academic Progress Committee (Hearing) The APC s decision will be communicated in writing to the student within seven (7) days of the APC hearing, via registered mail if the decision was not provided to the student in person. The Monash College APC Secretary will record the decision and reasons for the decision at the meeting and hearing for record-keeping purposes. Records will include: a summary of the student s case, (e.g. health, family, personal, financial) a list of materials/ evidence on which the decision is based (e.g. medical certificates, reports, statutory declarations, verbal advice) reasons for the decision. Notice of Decision for Conditional Enrolment Students who are granted conditional enrolment will receive a letter and from Student Administration requiring the student to meet with a Learning Consultant. The student must meet with a Learning Consultant within two weeks of receiving the letter/ informing of their conditional enrolment. At the meeting, the conditions will be explained to the student and they will be asked to sign the conditions form to indicate their understanding and agreement to the conditions. A copy of the conditions will be given to the student, and a copy kept on file. Students who fail to meet APC Conditions At the beginning of each trimester, the APC will review the circumstances of all students who have not met their APC conditions. Any student who has not met their APC conditions will be asked again to explain in writing to the APC why they have not met their APC conditions and why they should not be excluded. The APC may then decide to either place the student on extended conditions, or request that they attend a Hearing with the view to exclude the student from the Diploma. *Exclusion A student can only be excluded from their course after a hearing of the Monash College APC. If a student does not provide written submission or does not attend, a decision to exclude may be made on the information available at the time of the hearing. The exclusion will take effect once the time period for lodging an appeal against exclusion has expired. The relevant time period is twenty (20) working days from the date of the APC decision. Notice of Decision to Exclude The notice of the decision to exclude must be given to the student personally or sent via registered post to the student s address as detailed on Monash College records, within seven days of the APC decision. The notice of decision to exclude will include, but is not limited to, reasons for the decision, advice regarding appeals, relevant timeframes, and reporting to Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) via PRISMS (if applicable). Students will be advised that any appeal must be received by Monash College within twenty (20) working days from the date of the letter notifying student of the decision to exclude. Where no appeal is received, a letter advising of Exclusion will be given to the student personally or sent via registered post to the student s address as detailed on Monash College records. Appeal against Exclusion A student who is excluded by Monash College can lodge an appeal to the Director, Monash College Diplomas. The appeal must be made within twenty (20) working days of the letter advising of Exclusion. Students who have advised Monash College within the required time period that they have lodged an appeal against exclusion will not be reported to DIBP until the conclusion of the appeal process. Page 5 of 7

6 The appeal process will commence within ten (10) working days of the formal lodgement of the appeal with the Director or nominee. The student will be given an opportunity to present their case to the Director or nominee. The Director or nominee, in making an appeal decision, is not restricted as to who may be consulted to assist with that process. A written record of the appeal decision will be filed. Unsatisfactory Course Progress Reporting Where the student has chosen not to access the appeals processes within the twenty (20) working day period, withdraws from the process, or the process is completed and results in a decision supporting Monash College, Monash College will notify the DIBP through PRISMS of the student not achieving satisfactory course progress as soon as practicable. Student Responsibility in Checking Monash College and Updating Personal Details All students are issued with a Monash College account. This is the normal means by which Monash College will communicate on a range of administrative matters, including academic progress and exclusion. Students are required to check their Monash College account on a regular basis. It is recommended that students check their accounts every 48 hours at all times. All students must ensure that they can be contacted at the address registered on the student database (WES). If a student does not provide this information to Monash College or cannot be contacted at the address given, this may not constitute a ground for appeal. Page 6 of 7

7 Legislation and Standards Supporting Documents Responsibility for implementation Not Applicable Application for Release Letter International Student Form Application to Underload International Students Application for Discontinuation of Studies at Monash College Application for Intermission of Studies at Monash College Course or Unit/s Variation Form Learning Consultant Team Leader Policy Status Revised, July 2012 Key Stakeholders Approval Body Director, Diplomas Associate Directors, Diplomas Teaching and Learning Team Leaders, Diplomas Academic Managers, Diplomas Unit Leaders, Diplomas Student Administration Team Learning Consultants, Diplomas Offshore Providers, Diplomas Teachers, Diplomas Students, Diplomas Monash College Board of Studies Date Effective July, 2012 Next Review Date July, 2015 Policy Owner Policy Author Contact Associate Director, Business Learning Consultant Team Leader Learning Consultant Team Leader Change History Version number Approval Date Approved by Brief outline of changes Page 7 of 7