Martin College strives to provide excellent service to its students, and seeks to prevent the occurrence of appeals by ensuring that students are fully prepared for assessment by way of monitoring attendance and participation, and that the assessment item in question has been authenticated as the work of the student, through programmes such as Turnitin or by activities being undertaken under supervision. It appreciates, however, that there still may be occasions when a student experiences dissatisfaction, discontent or resentment about an assessment process or outcome. This Assessment Appeals Policy is to address any such concerns.

Any Assessment Appeal will be treated seriously, sensitively, and impartially. The student should be confident that there will be no negative consequences, and that the procedures followed will be seen as fair by everyone involved.

The assessment outcome granted by an assessment review will be officially recognised as the final result for that SGA Learning Unit.

Confidentiality will be strictly observed by all participants and at all stages of the Assessment Appeals process.

Within Orientation, each student will be advised of the Assessment Appeals Policy and Procedure, including the name of the Campus Grievance Counsellor, and where he/she can be found on campus.

If a student disagrees with an assessment outcome or process, he/she may commence the Assessment Appeals process by application through the Campus Grievance Counsellor.

1. How to lodge an Assessment Appeal
    
   Each release of assessment outcomes will feature a Date of Publication. This date will be used as the one from which the official Appeal Time is calculated.
     
   Assessment Appeals must be made within 5 working days of the Date of Publication of the relevant assessment outcome. 
     
   To commence that process, the student needs to complete an Application for Assessment Appeal Form, also available from the Campus Grievance Counsellor.
   Once completed, the form is to be provided to the Campus Grievance Counsellor, who will privately discuss the facts presented with the student.
      
2. Paper and/or Computer-based Assessments
     
   If the Campus Grievance Counsellor decides that a review is justified, the review process will start within 10 working days of the receipt of the application.
     
   The Campus Director of Studies will be advised that the relevant paper-based or computer-based assessment is to be submitted for re-marking, and:
      
   
   • care is to be taken to ensure that this marking is undertaken by a qualified person other than the original assessor;
   • this re-mark is to be done in the absence of the student; and
   • the second assessor is not to sight the original marking notations or marking sheet used by the first assessor.

     On completion of the re-mark, the assessor will submit the outcome to the Campus Director of Studies who will retrieve the first marking sheet and undertake a comparison of the outcomes. He/she will compile a brief written report, addressed to the student, which will identify any changes made as a result of the re-mark.
       
     The Campus Director of Studies will discuss this report with the student, including the reasons for the finding.
       
     This report will be provided to the Campus Grievance Counsellor, who will follow-up to ensure that the student is satisfied with the outcome of the Assessment Appeal. If the student is not satisfied, the Campus Grievance Counsellor will provide information on the Internal Case Review option. 

3. Practical Assessments
    
   If the Campus Grievance Counsellor decides that a review of a practical assessment is justified, the review process will start within 10 working days of the receipt of the application. The Director of Studies will be advised that the relevant assessment task is to be re-performed, and:
      
   
   • care is to be taken to ensure that the re-mark is undertaken by a qualified person other than the original assessor; and
   • the second assessor is not to sight the original marking notations or marking sheet used by the first assessor.

Where it is not possible for the practical activity to be fully re-constructed for one student, the student will be required to provide detailed information in regard to the steps within the practical activity such as to satisfy the second assessor that competency has been attained.

On completion of the re-performance, the assessor will submit the outcome to the Campus Director of Studies who will retrieve the first marking sheet and compare the outcomes. He/she will compile a brief written report, addressed to the student, which will identify any changes made as an outcome of the re-performance.

The Campus Director of Studies will discuss this report with the student, including the reasons for the finding. This report will be provided to the Campus Grievance Counsellor, who will follow-up to ensure that the student is satisfied with the outcome of the Assessment Appeal. If the student is not satisfied, the Campus Grievance Counsellor will provide information on the Internal Case Review option.

In the event that the student is dissatisfied with the outcome of the Assessment Appeal or the way in which it was conducted, he/she has 20 days from the date on the written notification by the College in which to lodge an Internal Appeal to have the case reviewed.

All subsequent steps will be in accordance with the Complaints and Appeals Process.

The College is unlikely to consider an Assessment Appeal which is lodged after the expiry of the 20 working days of the Assessment Appeals period.

The student’s files will be updated to record the outcome and any subsequent actions.

A copy of all related documentation, including a statement of findings demonstrating the reasons behind the decisions made at each stage of the appeal(s), will be retained on the student’s file.

A copy of the statement of findings will be provided to the student.

Assessment Appeals Policy and Procedure: SGA-VET-079/04/10