[Academic] Important information for exam boards

[Benjamin Hourahine]

Dear all,

Prior to the exam pre-board next week, please find attached the University’s relevant new procedures, which the HAAS faculty publicly released last week, along with the IOP’s statement regarding post-COVID accreditation of degrees.

The procedures contain the statement in the appendix:
39. This document contains guidance for all staff and external examiners involved in Boards
of Examiners activities during periods of widespread, significant disruption.

Hence  I have been asked by the local Physics UCU members to make you aware of the procedures document.

There are several points in the procedure document which are concerning or should be noted. In particular:

70. Ensuring Rigour of Marking
  “Unless there are concerns about an individual student’s performance, in which case moderation of marks will be required, the absence of moderation activities should not preclude an award or progress decision being made.”

Translation: Unless an objection is raised, individual students who are disadvantaged by a lack of returned marks (particularly in cases such as projects or where an estimated mark has been substituted), where they may receive an unfair decision or award which does not reflect their work. In the case of PH450, this can be particularly important, since the supervisor mark usually increases the student’s overall mark (often significantly), or the lack of a full examining committee may not correctly moderate the viva or report marks.
Due to the removal of the talk presentations from the assessment, we are already close to the limits set by the IOP (see point 96. In the procedures).

This also is potentially dangerous regarding the credibility of Strathclyde Physics graduates’ degrees (particularly given the unspecified guidance in point 92).

9. “[Markers and Boards of Examiners play a crucial role] to ensure that appropriate progress and outcome decisions are made, and that academic standards continue to be upheld.”

This means that significant deviations from the agreed assessment process or reduction of standards of a Physics degree, either within or between cohorts, are not acceptable and should be objected to.

This is also relevant in relation to:

15. “This Procedure provides the flexibility for Boards of Examiners to draw on information
from previous years, particularly in making award decisions.”
Hopefully the end of this clause “This will support transparent decision making and communication with students.” will be upheld in regard of

22. a. “The number of credits which can be compensated1;”

And

42. “Where a decision is taken at a module-level to provide a grade based on incomplete information, the Board of Examiners should record this, indicating the information that was considered in reaching the grade.”



Enjoy the long weekend

Regards,

Ben


Dr. B. Hourahine
Senior Lecturer and Director of Student Support
Department of Physics, SUPA
University of Strathclyde, John Anderson Building,
107 Rottenrow, Glasgow G4 0NG, UK.
+44 141 548 2325, benjamin.hourahine at strath.ac.uk

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