Western Eye 05.14 — Issue 06
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UWE’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT VOICE
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INSIDE ISSUE 06 WESTERNEYE UWE’s INDEPENDENT STUDENT VOICE
SPORTS
MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
COMMENT
Financial Fair Play Alex Storey discusses the difficulty
Game of Thrones & Divergent The start of the fourth season
James Riley Article Politics and Science
Yashika & Global Inequality The IMF’s spring meetings
Continues on page (14–15)
Continues on page (8–9)
Continues on pages (12–13)
Continues on page (4)
UWE’s Extenuating Circumstances Policy Change Raises Mental Health Concerns FIT TO SIT UWESU MENTAL HEALTH CAMPAIGN
Students with problems that could cause them to fail assessments are being urged by a campaign group to voice their concerns following a proposed change to assessment policy RAJITHA RATNAM
Editor@westerneye.net
Will Anderson and Siân Hampson from UWE Mental Health Campaign, wrote a letter to the university that said:“If a student with a mental health issue is unaware of this policy and sits the exam when unwell they will not be able to have extenuating circumstances and we fail to see how this is fair.” The University of the West of England published a draft document on 14 March detailing the proposed changes, which mean if a student submits an assignment or attends an exam, they are “declaring themselves fit to do so”. If they fall ill during the exam, they can submit an extenuating circumstances application to retake the assessment or have it marked again, but this would not cover students with ongoing mental health issues. The Mental Health Campaign is urging students to share their thoughts with student representatives to combat the alleged lack of consultation with
‘We do everything we can to avoid disadvantaging any student and want to make sure we get this right’ students. Rachel Cowie, Director of Academic Services at UWE, responded to these claims stating: “we are still in the process of working through the implementation with the students’ union and other student representatives. Rachel Cowie, Director of Academic Services “Following discussion at the recent academic board we have invited the current VP welfare (and hopefully the chair of the mental health group) to meet with us to work through some case studies so we can see what implications it might have on students with mental health difficulties. We do everything we can to avoid disadvantaging any student and want to make sure
we get this right.” Vice-President for Community Ms Cowie also clarified that and Welfare, Tom Renhard noted: students had been consulted at “The proposals are of huge concern a council meeting in November to the Students’ Union as well as 2012, where no issues were raised. to the Mental Health Campaign WesternEye notes that while and other students who have changes to extenuating circum- provided feedback so far given stances were mentioned, no the potential negative impact the specific references to ‘fit to sit’ introduction of ‘fit to sit’ could were made. have on students. These are being At the moment, students can considered as part of a package of submit an extenuating circum- proposals of changes to academic stances form which could let regulations and would call on the them retake an assessment with university to not to continue to the potential for the mark to pursue trying to introduce ‘fit to be uncapped where this would sit’ as part of this package. not normally be allowed. Some The current proposals do of the reasons that extenuating not provide for students still circumstances may apply include being able to file extenuating “unexpected deterioration in an circumstances should they sit an ongoing illness or medical condi- assessment (exam/submission of tion” or a “major household coursework/etc.). There appears problem” like a fire. to have been some changes in this Under the “Fit to Sit” extenu- stance although this is still not ating circumstances proposal, if clear from the most up-to-date a student had trouble complet- paperwork that was requested ing work due to either of these to be circulated to student reps. reasons, or various others covered Concerns were raised at the under the current policy, they initial Academic Board meeting it would not be able to apply for passed at about who would even extenuating circumstances if they be in a position to assess whether decided to submit an assignment a person was ‘fit’ to make the anyway. decision to sit the exam and allow
for an extenuating circumstances application to progress. Some students when going through difficult periods will attempt to ‘soldier on’ and sit the assessment, believing it shows dedication to their degree, why would we then try and stop this student from submitting extenuating circumstances postassessment should there be a realisation that perhaps that student was not in the best place to submit the assessment in the first place? As a Students’ Union we do not believe ‘fit to sit’ should be implemented and instead thrown out. The majority of student feedback gathered so far on the proposed fit to sit regulation shows that the view of the Students’ Union is reflective of its membership.” Similar proposals for changes to extenuating circumstances and the introduction of ‘fit to sit’ wererejected by the Students’ Union at Keele University in November 2012. Comment below with your thoughts as all feedback will bring attention about the issue to the university.