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SRC Case Study - Standardising Assessment & Academic Policies A Journey Toward Equity & Efficiency

Background

The UTSSA identified significant inconsistencies in assessment and academic policies across different faculties. Students—particularly those enrolled in double degrees—faced difficulties navigating varying policies for assessment deadlines, extension applications, and late penalties. The existing special considerations process was also seen as cumbersome, requiring excessive documentation and inconsistent faculty enforcement.

To address these issues, UTSSA launched a campaign advocating for standardised academic policies across faculties. The campaign aimed to introduce uniform submission times, simplify the extension process, enforce consistent late penalties, and create a more trauma-informed special considerations system.

Insight

Research and consultation with students and academic staff revealed several pain points:

  1. Lack of clarity and consistency in extension and late penalty policies, leading to confusion and stress.

  2. Inequitable treatment of students across faculties, with some faculties offering more lenient policies than others.

  3. The special considerations process was arduous, requiring extensive documentation, discouraging students from applying.

  4. Inconsistent timing and quality of feedback on assessments.

Comparative research into policies at other universities, including the University of Sydney, UNSW, and Monash, showed that a standardised, streamlined approach could significantly improve student outcomes and administrative efficiency.


Process

The UTSSA worked collaboratively with the university administration, including the Academic Administration Working Group (AAWG), to push for reform. Through persistent engagement in monthly meetings with Professor Kylie Readman, the President successfully pushed for this group’s creation to address inconsistencies between faculties. Now chaired by Jacqui Wise, the AAWG continues to work on key academic policy reforms.

Key steps in the campaign included:

  • Advocacy & Consultation:
  1. UTSSA representatives, led by President Mia Campbell and Education Officers Alisa Hamilton (2024), engaged in ongoing discussions with UTS faculty members and administration.
  2. Monthly meetings with key university stakeholders, including discussions with the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Students), Jacqui Wise, and participation in the Teaching and Learning Committee (TLC).
  • Evidence-Based Proposal Development:
  1. Collected student testimonials and faculty feedback.
  2. Conducted desktop research comparing extension and special consideration policies at other institutions.
  3. Utilised findings from the Teaching and Learning Committee paper by Professor Kylie Readman.
  • Policy Implementation & System Enhancements:
  1. The campaign successfully pushed for the integration of EzExtend, an automated Canvas add-on, to streamline short extension requests.
  2. Collaborated with university IT teams to ensure the feasibility and efficiency of policy changes.
  • Communication & Awareness:
  1. Regular updates via social media, the UTSSA website, and student handbooks.
  2. Advocacy through the Student Representative Council (SRC) to ensure broad student support.


Student Impact

As a direct result of the UTSSA’s efforts, UTS agreed to implement several key academic reforms by January 2025:

  1. Standardised 11:59 PM submission deadlines across all faculties.
  2. 72-hour automatic extensions for all students without requiring documentation.
  3. Mandated 5% per day late penalties (with a 1-hour grace period) for consistency and fairness.
  4. Review and reform of the special considerations process to be more accessible and trauma-informed.

"The implementation of these reforms is expected to reduce stress and confusion for students, particularly those in double degrees, ensure equitable academic policies across all faculties, improve administrative efficiency by automating extension approvals, and create a more supportive academic environment by recognising students’ diverse needs and life circumstances."

Ongoing Efforts

The AAWG, now a permanent working group, will focus on reviewing and reforming the special considerations process, addressing mandatory class participation/attendance requirements, and enhancing assessment feedback processes. These efforts aim to improve accessibility, fairness, consistency, and the quality and timeliness of responses to students.

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