1. Fiona Allum Derek Milligan Claire Surridge
VCR and AVCR Briefing – 2015
Fiona Allum
Derek Milligan
Claire Surridge

2. Preparation before the Board Meeting
24 November 2018
Preparation before the Board Meeting
VCR and AVCR Training – May 2015

3. VCR folder prepared by TAG Contains:
24 November 2018
VCR folder prepared by TAG
Contains:
crib sheet of codes explaining module outcome descriptors & expected award codes
attendance list
regulations
programme specs
VCR and AVCR Training – May 2015

4. 24 November 2018
Pre-Meeting
Pre-meeting – essential: VCR, AVCR, chair, administrator & programme leader
Your first sight of the Board paperwork, after Panel(s) and before the Board, allowing time for amendments
VCR and AVCR Training – May 2015

5. Board paperwork Paperwork must be A3 sized paper, and all tabs printed
24 November 2018
Paperwork must be A3 sized paper, and all tabs printed
Ordered by route code, and then programme code which indicates regulations
Each route ordered by classification (crib sheet supplied in VCR folder)
UG-A5/PG-A5 (award)
UG-A5-X (provisional award)
UG-X4 (advisory & some mandatory required)
UG-X5 (mandatory reassessment)
UG-RV/PG-RV = incomplete profile (NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT! INCOMPLETE PROFILE) (** missing marks)
UG-A7/PG-A7= intermediate award or withdraw..
VCR and AVCR Training – May 2015

6. Other Issues
24 November 2018
MCs - heavy black outline around 2 sides of module, separate tab shows detail; Board to decide next actions
Clarity re MC options; provisional awards; student choice; progression - be aware at meeting of what actions are agreed and what responsibilities and actions this involves after the board ….see later slides.
VCR and AVCR Training – May 2015

7. Other Issues (2)
24 November 2018
Manual calculation – (rare, tends to be a data problem….administrators should have checked with TAG first) Q&S will calculate, VCR will take the authorisation form to board, noted on paperwork; after board the form must be kept with paperwork by TAG
AVCR- print ‘notes’ template- to be completed throughout board
Support
(College/Department s prioritised during boards)
VCR and AVCR Training – May 2015

8. 24 November 2018
At the Board Meeting
VCR and AVCR Training – May 2015

9. Topics Stopping the Board and getting advice Potential decisions
24 November 2018
Stopping the Board and getting advice
Potential decisions
Clarity re MC options;
Provisional awards; student choice; progression
Requirements for Senate approval
Prog Spec Checks
Where a Masters dissertation may replace a module grade - November
Intermediate awards
Ordinary awards
External Examiners
Recording of decisions
VCR and AVCR Training – May 2015

10. Be prepared
24 November 2018
Please make sure that you have read, re-read and fully understand the regulations concerning Boards, progression, re-assessment, MCs and Awards at the appropriate Level:
SR2 and SR3 – make sure you have the correct version for the cohorts being considered at the Board
SR4
Be prepared to refer to appropriate regulations at the BoE meeting; ideally all potential problems will have been addressed in the pre-meeting with the Chair, but still be prepared.
VCR and AVCR Training – May 2015

11. Stopping the Board
24 November 2018
If you believe that the BoE is proposing to break the rules, you are empowered to halt the proceedings and contact Registry for advice (from named individuals only!). You should then return to the meeting, state your advice and allow the meeting to continue. If the BoE is still proposing to break the rules you should inform the BoE that you will report the matter upwards. Ideally get the BoE to defer their decision on the matter. Remember – and remind the BoE – that all BoE decisions are actually recommendations and are subject to Senate ratification. Make appropriate notes and report your concerns after the BoE meeting.
VCR and AVCR Training – May 2015

12. Potential Decisions
24 November 2018
In the absence of accepted MCs, award and progression decisions should be as per the SITS or (QSO-performed) manual calculation. Where the BoE is proposing to diverge from the calculated decision, your alarm bells should ring! Some divergence will be appropriate, however. For optional re-assessment and provisional award decisions please make sure that the BoE is completely clear of the student choices, potential outcomes and reassessment timing. It is also possible that for a non-standard programme SITS could get the calculation wrong in certain circumstances….
VCR and AVCR Training – May 2015

13. Mitigating Circumstances at BoE
24 November 2018
See Senate Regulations 4.40 – 4.47
See Guidance for Mitigating Circumstances Panels and Boards of Examiners (on QA Webpages)
Essentially, Boards can take a range of actions as it sees fit except:
The marks/grades for individual assessment elements (e.g. exam script, piece of coursework, etc) may not be changed – i.e., the actual level of performance recorded for an individual assessment (confirmed by a PoE) cannot be altered.
If it wants to do something extraordinary, it has to refer to PVC(QAE) for Senate approval.
VCR and AVCR Training – May 2015

14. Mitigating Circumstances at BoE (2)
24 November 2018
Make sure you understand SR !
Default action for accepted MCs is to allow uncapped reassessment (SR4.43a)
If the BoE decides to assign grades in light of MCs, the case must meet requirements of SR4.43b and make sure that an intelligent estimate is made (please discuss at pre-Board meeting with Chair and get advice if unsure)
Note that P grades are only allowed if student is being awarded an aegrotat award at the Board.
VCR and AVCR Training – May 2015

15. Provisional Awards
24 November 2018
Where a student has optional reassessment possibility or has accepted MCs: If the student is already eligible for an award, the BoE can agree that award as a provisional award and ask student to choose whether to accept it or to undertake the optional reassessment Please ensure that the provisional award decision is clear and that the offer to the student is clear. Please ensure that you properly record the decisions. Suggest MC PROV is recorded
VCR and AVCR Training – May 2015

16. Programme Spec Checks
24 November 2018
Make sure that you know all of the restrictions or variations on SRs defined in the relevant Programme Spec, particularly around:
Intermediate awards available and grade profile requirements for them.
Special re-assessment limits
Ability to substitute Masters dissertation for failed taught credit for award of PGDip (very few programme specs permit this now)
Any other strange rules or requirements
VCR and AVCR Training – May 2015

17. Ordinary Awards
24 November 2018
A student who at Level 3 does not have a minimum satisfactory profile for Honour, might, after max 40 credits of reassessment:
Be eligible for an Honours
Be eligible for an Ordinary Award
SITS will identify the former students, but might miss the latter.
So for any student calculating as Fail Withdraw (with a DipHE), the BoE should check whether after 40 credits of reassessment the student could be eligible for an Ordinary award – if so put them into reassessment.
This assumes that an Ordinary Award is defined for the particular programme – check programme spec!
VCR and AVCR Training – May 2015

18. New Classification Rules from June 2015
24 November 2018
Please note that for all “new regs” students (post 2009 SR2 post2013 SR3) the classification rules have been simplified and refined for all awards made from June 2015 onwards. See SR2 Appendices A and B, and SR3 Appendix A
VCR and AVCR Training – May 2015

19. Role of External Examiner at Boards
24 November 2018
Full membership of the BoE
Contribute to the collective academic decision-making
Have a distinct influence on the BoE (through their independence and their overview)
EEs are not empowered to change marks or grades/progression/classification unilaterally – all decisions are made collectively
Assure themselves that due process has been followed and appropriate consideration and decisions have been made by the BoE
See Senate Regulations SR4.117 – 4.123
VCR and AVCR Training – May 2015

20. Students in Disciplinary Process
24 November 2018
Please ensure that such students are not discussed in any way at the Board – simply decision deferred
VCR and AVCR Training – May 2015

21. Recording of Decisions
24 November 2018
Its obvious, but: It is vital that you make an accurate record of all decisions and any justification where appropriate
VCR and AVCR Training – May 2015

22. After the Board Meeting
24 November 2018
After the Board Meeting
VCR and AVCR Training – May 2015

23. After the Board (1)
24 November 2018
Clarity of decisions – ensure you (both VCR and AVCR) understand the decision agreed at the board (esp. MC outcomes, provisional awards; student choice; progression)
AVCR notes
Template
What to record – students discussed, including key points and evidence underpinning the decision, and the decision itself; Don’t list all students awarded without discussion, as this is given on the board paperwork and the list detracts from the exceptions where notes are needed
check copy to VCR and then notes and attendance list to
VCR and AVCR Training – May 2015

24. VCR Entering and Checking awards
After the Board (2)
24 November 2018
VCR Entering and Checking awards
FQs; unusual decisions; standard processing will be worked through, with a TAG team member
Check sheet is then printed and checked against annotated board paperwork
VCR and AVCR Training – May 2015

25. On-going responsibilities
After the Board (3)
24 November 2018
On-going responsibilities
External examiner sign-off (template copied to VCR as check for any issues before award processing)
MC Provisional awards ( copy to VCR as check before award processed)
Senate approval ( copy to VCR as check before award processing)
Chairs’ Actions (Just need a note on paperwork and in notes; VCR role provided by Q&S)
Miscellaneous issues to be followed up need to be chased and completed by board VCR
VCR and AVCR Training – May 2015

26. Any Questions?
24 November 2018
Contact or in the first instance.
VCR and AVCR Training – May 2015