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    Academic Progress and Review Procedures

    1. Preamble

    These procedures outline processes for early intervention of students at risk of not making satisfactory progress, monitoring continued progress, the constitution and role of review panels, and appeals against progress review outcomes.

    2. Procedures

    2.1 Progress Monitoring for Higher Education and VET Coursework

    2.1.1. Teaching staff/research supervisors will review and monitor students’ performance on their first assessment task or hurdle in the unit.

    2.1.2. If an issue with progress is identified, the unit coordinator/VET teacher/research supervisor will:

      1. Discuss the situation with the student to determine the likely reasons poor academic performance is occurring.
      2. Inform the student of support available through the Institute.
      3. Provide notes on the discussion with the student to the Course Coordinator, including: reason for concern about the student’s progress; date and time of the meeting/discussion with the student; reasons given for poor performance (respecting student confidentiality); outcomes, actions, or agreements made with the student.

    2.2 Progress Monitoring for Placement and Internships

    2.2.1. Placement coordinators, in consultation with student placement supervisors, will review, monitor, and assess students’ progress during placements and internships.

    2.2.2. If a student is identified as not making satisfactory progress, the student’s placement supervisor will notify the Course Coordinator.

    2.2.3. A student will be deemed at risk of not making satisfactory progress if they have:

      1. Failed to attend two consecutive supervision appointments.
      2. Failed to achieve one or more of the PsyBA capabilities.
      3. Experienced personal issues that are impacting on their ability to practice.
      4. Failed to keep satisfactory paperwork (logbooks, assessments, case notes) as required by the relevant peak bodies (e.g., PsyBA/APAC/PACFA/ACA).

    2.3 Investigation of Unsatisfactory Progress

    2.3.1. The Course Coordinator will be responsible for reviewing, as applicable, the student’s academic transcript, supervision attendance records, paperwork requirements progress, and current assessment results.

    2.3.2. If a progress issue is identified, the Course Coordinator will advise the student in writing that they have informally been identified as at risk or unsatisfactory progress.

    2.3.3. The Course Coordinator will then convene an informal meeting between the student, their placement supervisor, and the Course Coordinator to put into place a written progress agreement. The written progress agreement will be developed with input from the student, and is required to be signed by the student, the placement supervisor, and the Course Coordinator. The Course Coordinator will be responsible for communicating the signed progress agreement to the student and placement supervisor once all parties have signed the agreement.

    2.3.4. Where the conditions of the progress agreement are violated, the outcome of the informal process was unsatisfactory, a progress review has been failed, or where one or more units of study have been failed, the Course Coordinator will make a recommendation to the Chair of the Academic Integrity and Progress Committee (AIPC) that the student be formally identified as a student at risk.

    2.3.5. The Chair, AIPC will inform the student in writing that they have been formally identified as a student at risk of not making satisfactory progress and provide details of the process of review including where the student can gain assistance in the process, possible outcomes of the panel review hearing, and in the case of an international student, that satisfactory progress may be a condition of the student visa.

    2.3.6. Unsatisfactory progress matters will proceed to a progress review panel.

    2.4 Constitution of Progress Review Panel

    2.4.1. A panel must be convened to investigate matters of unsatisfactory progress.

    2.4.2. The panel will normally consist of three members chaired by the Chair of the AIPC or nominee and include the relevant Course Coordinator with an additional independent member or members drawn from the AIPC.

    2.4.3. The unit coordinator(s), research or placement supervisor(s) or other relevant academic staff may be invited to attend the hearing but will not normally be members of the panel.

    2.5 Progress Review Hearing

    2.5.1. A time will be scheduled for the progress review hearing. This will normally be held between ten (10) and fifteen (15) working days after the student is first informed that they are at risk.

    2.5.2. The student will be provided with all relevant information.

    2.5.3. The student may attend the progress review meeting and/or provide a written response to their unsatisfactory progress. A written response should normally be submitted at least five (5) working days prior to the hearing.

    2.5.4. The student may bring one support person to the hearing who is not a practicing lawyer.  Notification of the support person attending should be provided at least five (5) working days prior to the hearing.

    2.5.5. If in attendance, the student will be provided with the opportunity to speak; the panel will ask questions of the student, and the student may ask questions of or seek clarification from members of the panel.

    2.5.6. If the student does not attend, the hearing will go ahead, and any written evidence will be considered by the panel.

    2.5.7. The Panel will make a determination, which must be conducted in accordance with the requirements and principles of natural justice and align with the outcomes provided in Schedule A.

    2.5.8. The decision will be communicated in writing to the student within five (5) working days of the progress review hearing.

    2.6 Progress Agreements

    2.6.1. Where conditions or recommendations are placed on a student’s continued enrolment these will be detailed in a Progress Agreement contract.

    2.6.2. The Progress Agreement will be sent to the student as part of the panel decision.

    2.6.3. It will normally be an explicit condition of the agreement that progress improves.

    2.6.4. The Progress Agreement must be signed by both the student and a representative of the progress panel within 5 working days of issue.

    2.6.5. Failure by the student to sign and return the Progress Agreement within five (5) working days may be treated as a withdrawal from the course.

    2.7 Failure to Meet Progress Agreement Conditions

    2.7.1. Where a student is allowed to progress under the conditions of a Progress Agreement, and:

      1. progress does not improve to the normal minimum or (if applicable) to a special minimum standard stated in the agreement, or
      2. if other conditions of the agreement are not fulfilled within the agreed timeframes, then
      3. no further enrolments will be possible without the express permission of the Dean.

    2.7.2. The student will normally be considered to have failed the course but may appeal the decision as per the Academic Progress and Review Policy (SSP008).

    2.7.3. The student will be notified in writing within one (1) working day once they are considered to have formally failed to meet their conditions. Where possible, warnings and reminders will be sent prior to this occurring and standard informal progress monitoring should be in place to avoid a failed Progress Agreement.

    2.7.4. Course Coordinators are responsible for monitoring Progress Agreement conditions and reporting any unmet conditions to the AIPC Secretary for action when applicable.

    3. Appealing the Decision

    3.1. An appeal of a decision by the AIPC can be made as equivalent to an Appeal of a Decision by the Dean in accordance with the SSP007 Student Grievance Policy.

    3.2. All appeals must be in writing to the Chief Executive Officer within five (5) working days of the notice of the decision.

    3.3. Appeals can only be made on the following grounds:

    1. Due process was not followed.
    2. The evidence presented was not adequately addressed.
    3. There is new evidence that could not be made available at the time of the hearing.
    4. The outcome was too severe when compared with equivalent determinations or precedent.

    3.4. Supporting documents must be submitted with the appeal.

    3.5. The Chief Executive Officer will consider whether grounds for appeal have been met and will determine if a Grievance and Appeals Committee will be convened in accordance with the SSP007 Student Grievance Policy.

    3.6. For matters that remain unresolved either following a hearing by the Grievance and Appeals Committee or a decline to convene the Grievance and Appeals Committee, the relevant processes of the SSP007 Student Grievance Policy can apply including the provisions for external mediation.

    3.7. A new grievance cannot be raised regarding the outcome of a decision by the AIPC or the Grievance and Appeals Committee.

    4. Records

    4.1. The AIPC secretary will take minutes at hearings and review meetings and maintain confidential records of relevant material.

    4.2. Signed and draft Progress Agreement contacts will be kept on file (if applicable).

    4.3. If an exclusion or enrolment restriction is imposed Student Services Manager will be informed within five (5) working days of the decision so that the enrolment changes can be processed in the relevant systems.

    4.4. A simplified summary of all panel hearings and outcomes will be reported to the full meeting of the AIPC twice per year.

    4.5. A report on academic progress matters will be made to the Academic Board once per year by the Chair, AIPC.

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