Examination Policy
| Policy name | Examination Policy |
| Policy number | ACA019 |
| Date approved | 27 November 2024 |
| Approving body | Academic Board |
| Responsible officer | Dean |
| Implementation officer | Dean |
| Next review date | November 2029 |
| Related policies | Course and Unit Change Policy
Assessment Policy Academic Integrity and Student Conduct Policy |
| Related forms and documents |
1. Purpose of this policy
This policy sets out the principles and procedures for developing, conducting, administering, marking, and storing exams.
This policy sets out expectations of examination processes that are fair, transparent, consistent, and uphold the highest academic standards.
2. Scope
2.1.1 This policy refers to invigilated examinations that are conducted in-person.
2.1.2 This policy does not refer to non-invigilated examinations, which fall within the existing Assessment Policy (ACA011).
2.1.3 This policy does not refer to the assessment of theses, which fall within the existing thesis Assessment Policy (ACA011).
2.1.4 This policy applies to students and staff who engage in such examinations.
2.1.5 This policy sets the additional rules for examinations over and above standard rules for assessment. It, therefore, should be read in conjunction with Cairnmillar’s Teaching and Learning Policy suite.
3. Definitions and Acronyms
3.1 Examination – For the purposes of this policy, examinations are a type of high-stakes summative assessment that typically involves students answering a series of questions under time pressure. These are usually administered at the end of a teaching period or the end of a content topic and used to assess student mastery of subject matter and associated student learning outcomes. The high-stakes nature of examinations means the security and integrity of these assessments are of the utmost importance.
3.2 In-Person examination – Examinations that take place at the Cairnmillar Institute.
3.3 Online examinations – Examinations that take place on Cairnmillar’s online learning management system.
3.4 Remote examination centre – A location external to Cairnmillar that hosts in-person invigilated examinations.
3.5 Invigilation – the use of an examination officer or equivalent technologies to ensure examinations are completed within the examination rules.
3.6 Invigilator – a person or equivalent technologies that oversees the examination procedure.
3.7 Chief Invigilator – a person who has the final determination of all decisions made during an examination that does not require input from unit coordinators, course coordinators, Dean, Deputy Dean, or student services. The Chief Invigilator bears the responsibility for the conduct of the examination. The Chief Invigilator may be a unit coordinator, course coordinator, Dean, Deputy Dean, or other appropriately trained academic staff member.
3.8 Open book – specific external study-related materials are allowed to be used during the examination.
3.9 Closed book – no study-related materials are allowed to be used during the examination.
4. Policy
4.1 Students are responsible for:
4.1.1 Staying up to date with information about the examination.
4.1.2 Following all examination instructions.
4.1.3 Arranging an appropriate examination space.
4.1.4 Ensuring they are available for examination any time during weeks 12 to 14 of semester; exceptions can be made in accordance with special considerations and learning access plans (see the Assessment Policy ACA011).
4.1.5 It is the student’s responsibility to identify and report any examination clashes specific to them that meet any of the conditions listed in Section 3.6 of the Examination Procedure.
4.1.6 It is the student’s responsibility to keep track of time during an examination, regardless of how the time is presented in the examination.
4.2 Invigilators are responsible for:
4.2.1 Taking attendance of all students in the examination on an attendance report.
4.2.2 Ensuring that the examination is carried out in strict accordance with this procedure.
4.2.3 Noting on the attendance record any breaches of examination rules that are to be reported after the examination.
4.2.4 Submitting breaches of examination rules to the Academic Integrity and Progress Committee via email (CC’ing the relevant Course Coordinator, Unit Coordinator, Deputy Dean, and Dean).
4.2.5 Ensuring that there is a working clock in the room. Where a clock is not available, the Chief Invigilator is responsible for drawing a clock face on the room whiteboard and visually updating the drawn clock every fifteen minutes.
4.3. Unit coordinators are responsible for:
4.3.1 Creating and implementation examinations that are:
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- Inclusive of diversity, equitable, and scheduled within the semester
- Directly related to the course and student learning outcomes
- Valid and reliable
- Reviewed periodically as part of standard unit quality assurance.
4.3.2 Communicating requirements of examinations to students in relevant documents (e.g., unit outline and/or assessment guide) including the:
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- Process of examination
- Expectations of the examination (timing, weighting, approved materials, and modes of assessment) prior to and during the examination
- Time, date, and room booking of examination.
4.3.3 Scheduling the examination in concert with the Course Coordinator, Dean, Deputy Dean, and Student Services.
4.3.4 Ensuring that formal examinations are not scheduled immediately before or after a class.
4.3.5 Maintaining a high standard of security, storage, and destruction of examinations prior to, during, and after the examination, in accordance with Section 7 of the Examination Procedure.
4.3.6 Ensuring all assessments are marked in accordance with Ratification Timelines.
4.3.7 Ensuring that each examination has two forms, one for the scheduled examination and a second different form for the deferred examination (both forms are to be approved each year as per procedures for revising assessments under the Assessment Policy ACA011).
4.3.8 Being contactable during the examination time or having an appointed proxy who is available. The contact details of the unit coordinator or their proxy should be on the examination attendance record.
4.4 Course coordinators are responsible for:
4.4.1 Reviewing and approving the examination in accordance with standard assessment procedures for new or revised assessments.
4.4.2 Scheduling examinations for that course coordinator’s course and ensuring such schedule has no examination clashes.
4.4.3 Providing student services with the examination timetable for their course.
4.5 The Associate Dean for Teaching and Learning is responsible for:
4.5.1 Reviewing and approving the examination in accordance with standard assessment procedures for new or revised assessments.
4.6 The Deputy Dean is responsible for:
4.6.1 Reviewing and approving the examination in accordance with standard assessment procedures for new or revised assessments
4.6.2 Ensuring appropriate staffing is available for the invigilation of in-person examinations, including for instances where students are required to complete the examination in a separate room
4.6.3 Ensuring there are no conflicts of interest for staff allocated to invigilate an examination
4.6.4 Ensuring staff are appropriately trained in the invigilation of examinations
4.6.5 Resolving timetable and room booking problems that are not resolvable by a Course Coordinator or Student Services
4.7. The Dean is responsible for:
4.7.1 All activities of the Deputy Dean and Associate Dean in their absences.
4.7.2 The ongoing storage and destruction of examination materials in accordance with Section 7 of the Examination Procedure.
4.8. Student Services are responsible for:
4.8.1 Managing in-person examination room bookings to ensure appropriate availability of rooms.
4.8.2 Creating and publishing examination timetables on my.CMI.