Terms of Reference
Introduction and Principles
University Programme Assessment Boards (UPABs) are responsible for the operation of the decision-making process relating to marks, awards and progression.
All Assessment Boards report to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic as Chair of Academic Board, and to the Deans of Faculty for the respective programmes considered.
Academic Deans must nominate Chairs of Boards for approval by the Academic Development and Quality Sub-Committee (ADQSC) no later than November. Each Faculty is required to nominate a minimum of four Chairs, each of whom must chair at least one UPAB per academic year on rotation.
All Chairs and Officers must complete the Board training provided by Programme Administration (Academic Registry). Programme Administration will submit all UPAB minutes electronically at the end of each academic year, where a sample will be reviewed by a group composed of a Chair from each Faculty (nominated by the Academic Dean), the Academic Registrar, the Head of Programme Administration, and the Head of Quality. The group will report its findings and any recommendations to ADQSC.
It is the responsibility of all UPAB members to declare any potential, perceived, or actual conflicts of interest involving a student under consideration. Such declarations must be made in writing to the Chair. If the Chair agrees that a conflict of interest exists, this must be recorded in the minutes, and the member/s must absent themselves from discussions and decisions related to that student.
Any Chair's Actions must be formally logged and reported to the next UPAB meeting.
Asynchronous Module Ratification
Every module must have an identified Module Leader. Where appropriate more than one Module Leader can be identified (for example where a module runs both on and off campus).
Module Leaders are responsible for reviewing the module assessment records shared with them electronically by Programme Administration. They must confirm that all marks are accurate and appropriate moderation has taken place, all students are recorded, appropriate changes have been made in accordance with the regulations (e.g. capping of marks). Any notes of inaccuracy must be shared immediately with Programme Administration.
Asynchronous Programme Leader/Manager Student Profile Review
Every programme must have an identified Programme Leader/Manager. Where appropriate more than one Programme Leader/Manager can be identified (for example where a module runs both on and off campus).
Student Profiles will be made available to Programme Leaders/Managers in advance of the University Programme Assessment Board.
Programme Leaders/Managers are responsible for reviewing the student profiles shared with them electronically by Programme Administration. They must confirm that all annotations are accurate, in accordance with the academic regulations. Any notes of inaccuracy must be shared immediately with Programme Administration.
Programme Leaders/Managers are responsible for sharing any relevant information with the Associate Head of School or their nominee, who will be presenting the profiles that are not regulatory-bound for discussion at the UPAB.
University Programme Assessment Boards
Every Faculty-based programme and short course will be included within the scope of a UPAB unless otherwise agreed by Academic Board. Such Boards shall be established to operate every month of the academic year. University of Sunderland in London operate its own Assessment Boards. The School of Medicine award boards are also held separately due to their different nature of assessment operation.
Student profiles where decisions are entirely bound by regulations and require no discretion will be included in a report. Profiles where discretion may be applied will be presented for review at the Board.
Programmes must be considered by the scheduled UPAB. Decisions cannot be delayed to a subsequent Board as this can impact progression, completion, graduation and statutory returns.
Constitution of University Programme Assessment Boards
Membership of UPABs
a) Chair, which in the case of Assessment Boards will be nominated by the Dean of the Faculty or Assistant Director/Dean in London and must be a permanent member of academic staff.
b) The Associate Head of School or the Head of Academic Operations/Associate Head of School in London, or their nominee, when provision from their area is scheduled for consideration by the Board.
c) An External Examiner who is nominated by the Academic Dean of Faculty or Assistant Director/Dean in London, in consultation with the Programme Studies Board and approved on behalf of Academic Board.
d) Where appropriate (to be decided by the Academic Registrar or Head of Programme Administration), any other stakeholder where confidentiality/conflict of interest is not breached, to be in attendance. Those in attendance are there to observe and do not have any voting rights.
Quoracy requirements for UPABs
a) Attendance at UPABs is mandatory for all invited University of Sunderland staff members. The quorum for a UPAB is based on the membership. Anyone in attendance does not count towards the quorum. The quorum shall be one third of this membership or three internal members (one of whom must be the Chair), whichever is the greater.
b) Where an external examiner is absent from the Board and first attempt profiles are being presented, the protocol in Policy on the Role of External Examiners must be followed.
c) Procedure in the event of an inquorate board meeting:
If a UPAB is inquorate the Chair should send a written statement of the position to the Academic Registrar or the Head of Programme Administration (unless they had to act as Chair) who will discuss the situation with the Chair of Academic Board or their nominee for authorisation for the Board meeting to proceed, if possible, in order not to disadvantage students in relation to progression and referral information or to participation in graduation.
The following protocol should be followed.
If the Chair is absent a senior internal member of the Board should contact the Academic Dean of Faculty or the Assistant Director (Academic)/Dean in London where the Chair is from to provide an alternative Chair, or in their absence to provide a Chair from those authorised and trained for the role: (in order of precedence):
a) an Academic Dean or Head of School of a different Faculty
b) the Head of School or Head of Academic Operations in London
c) the Academic Registrar
d) the Head of Programme Administration.
The Chair should then follow the protocol below.
If other member(s) of the Board are absent, and appropriate alternative representatives cannot be sourced, the Chair should hold the UPAB, noting that the Board was inquorate and taking particular note of the views of the external examiner(s).
The Chair of Academic Board, Academic Registrar or the Head of Programme Administration may request the annotated paperwork from an inquorate Board for review. The annotated paperwork will be reviewed within two working days of receipt.
No marks may be released until this process has been completed.
Frequency of Board meetings
The UPAB shall meet at least once per month and shall be responsible:
a) to Academic Board for decisions upon the progression of each student in accordance with the approved assessment regulations, including decisions on compensation, progression and classification of awards. Interim awards may be made where a student does not complete the full programme of study.
b) for advising Academic Deans of Faculties or Assistant Directors/Deans in London, Programme Studies Board or Faculty Academic Committee or Academic Development and Quality Sub Committee on related matters.
c) making assessment attempt decisions on the basis of recommendations from Extenuating Circumstances reviews and Academic Misconduct Panels.
Notes
The UPAB will receive decisions on marks, failures, referrals and deferrals from the asynchronous module ratification, together with information on special cases and circumstances such as extenuating circumstances and academic misconduct outcomes.
There will be a complex mix of programmes with wide choices of optional and elective modules, and a need for consistency and equity in assessment. The programme assessment must depend strongly upon the profile presented. The personal circumstances of students should not be presented at the Board. No students should be advocated for, as not every student will have an advocate present at the UPAB.