Tuesday 20-12-2022 - 15:43

We campaigned for the following changes to the Fit to Sit Policy before it was approved by GCU Senate in August 2022:

1. We asked that the Fit to Sit Policy included five days, instead of two days, post sit/submission period for students to declare themselves unfit in additional to the 5 days pre-sit/submission period [Outcome: Not successful]
2. We asked for the removal of the question where students had to state the reason why a Fit to Sit Form was submitted post assessment [Outcome: Not Successful]
3. Students should be provided an opportunity (i.e. optional) within the Fit to Sit Form to provide an impact statement (outlining any issues that have resulted in them not considering themselves to be fit to sit) for forwarding to Student Wellbeing [Outcome: Successful, this was included in the process]
4. It is made clear to students where their module is exempt from Fit to Sit Policy due to Professional Statutory Regulatory Bodies (PSRB) requirement or the practical nature of an assessment that this is made clear in Module Handbook, GCU Learn and at the start of the assessment. [Outcome: Success. Any alternative approach will be fully outlined for students in Module Handbooks and as appropriate on GCU Learn for programmes]

We have consistently asked that clear communications are provided to students to explain the significant change with the removal of the Mitigating Circumstances and Retro MITS Policy. Whilst there have been high level communications sent by email to students we fundamentally believe that most students (and GCU staff) do not understand the new Fit to Sit Policy.

We strongly encourage students to make every effort to fully understand the potential adverse implications of submitting a Fit to Sit Form. We strongly encourage all students to seek an extension from their Module Leader before they utilise the Fit to Sit Form. It is important to note that the normal resit period is August and that for some international students a submission of a Fit to Sit Form could impact their Post Study Work Visa submission. Our Advice Centre re-opens on 4th January 2023 for any students wishing support or advice from our Student Advisers.

We continue to campaign for changes to the Fit to Sit Policy and it's implementation. We note that the staff FAQs on the GCU staff intranet site is now on version 5 and staff guidance is on version 3. The student FAQs is currently on version 5. This highlights to us that implementation of this policy is still evolving. We raised the following points to the University on 15th December 2022 and currently await responses:

1. What exemptions will be provided to students who do not have information about Fit to Sit within their Module Handbooks or where the information still incorrectly references Mitigating Circumstances information.
2. The Fit to Sit Policy says in section 1.3 “Where a student believes that they are not ‘Fit to Sit/Submit’, they can advise the University up to five days prior to an exam/coursework submission date and up to two days after the date, allowing for a period of reflection”. The staff guidance says the two day post submission window is when a student has submitted coursework earlier than the original or extended deadline. The staff guidance would appear incorrect and the policy not being implemented correctly. 
3. We question the reason why the Fit to Sit Form and Extreme & Exceptional Extenuating Circumstances Form are not pre-populated with the relevant students' information (such as programme name, module name, module code, students email etc). [Outcome: Not successful. The Pre-population of forms is not possible at the moment but the University will review and update if things can be changed]
4. We acknowledge the University has been clear on a review after one year. We are unclear how this review will proceed. [Outcome: Success. A paper to APPC in March 2023 that outlines stats for Trimester A and also a proposed methodology for the end of year evaluation]
5. We remain consistent that the two days post assessment Fit to Sit timeframe for submission is insufficient and unfair, particularly where assessments are on a Friday and provides no time for a student to receive any advice.
6. Students have to check their Module Handbook to establish if their assessment/module is exempt from the Fit to Sit Policy. We have asked for this to be more prominent on the GCU website. In addition, we have asked for a list of modules with exemptions to be downloadable from the GCU website. 
7. Any alternative approach will be fully outlined for students in Module Handbooks and as appropriate on GCU Learn for programmes with an approved exception to th Fit to Sit Policy.  We have sought clarity on that every module have an alternative approach and if not, what happens for these students.
8. We have continued to ask for the reason for submitting a Fit to Sit Form post assessment is asked and who receives this information. We believe this may have an impact on how students complete the Fit to Sit Form.
9. The University has created a definiton of 'engagement' that is not itself included within the Fit to Sit Policy: "Please note: Non-engaging with the University is defined as not engaging AT ALL with the University i.e. not accessing GCU email, GCU Learn, accessing the library, attending any learning activities (on campus or online) or attending any placement activities - for ALL modules”. This point is important as students who have engaged with the University may not be able to submit an Extreme & Exceptional Extenuating Circumstances Form, the safety net within the Fit to Sit Policy. We are seeking clarity where this definition came from and was approved.
10. The staff and student guidance is inconsistment on these two aspects: Does a student declaring themselves unfit automatically mean that they are given a preserved re-attempt of an assessment? and What happens if a student declares themselves unfit for a piece of assessment more than once (e.g. they declare at 1st diet, then declare again at the resit)? 
11. We are asking for clarity that under the suspension of studies guidance that students are being advised to apply for "extenuating circumstances" and whether this is a seperate process from Extreme & Exceptional Extenuating Circumstances. [Outcome: Successful. Clarification that this is a seperate process]

 

Please feel free to contact me with any queries at: VP.SHLS@GCUstudents.co.uk

Jennifer Abali
Vice President School of Health and Life Sciences