O U S A East of England Region

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Register of Decisions 2007

2. Policies relating to the Open University (c i to xiv)

3. Open University Education

   2007/71 Student Support Review

   This Association welcomes the Student Support Review and calls on the University to uphold the values of the Mission Statement as new pedagogies are embraced and ensure widening participation is a key priority.

   2007/70 Providing Support

   This Association recognises the importance of all round student support, and welcomes the potential of the Student Support Review in providing this.

   2004/78 Studying for Self Enrichment

   This Association believes that studying for self-enrichment is as important as conventionally assessed study routes, and urges the University to support personal self-enrichment as a viable option. We ask the University to investigate the development of courses for self-enrichment, where the issue of assessing academic progress is not relevant to students' motivation or objectives.

   1. Animals In Experiments

      2007/75 Annual Report

      This Association asks the Open University to provide the General Manager of OUSA and OUSA Vice President Education with an annual report giving a detailed breakdown of its use of animals in research and education for onward transmission to those OUSA members who request it.

      The report should include:

      1. numbers of animals and/or animal tissue ordered and used on each course or presentation thereof, and:
      2. the number of students on each course presentation in each year
      3. the 2007 report should include the figures for 2006, and subsequent reports should include the figures for the year before’s report until the data for 5 years is shown. Thereafter the figures for the current year and the preceding 4 years should be shown.

      2007/74 Teaching Methods

      This Association urges the Open University to seek out and implement teaching methods that do not include the harmful use of animals.

      2007/72 Introducing Courses

      This Association urges the Open University not to introduce courses that cause harm to animals.

      2006/112 Harmful use of animals

      This Association urges the Open University to encourage research students to discover and implement methods that do not entail the harmful use of animals.

      2006/111 Representation on University Boards or Committees

      This Association urges the Open University to explore ways in which the student body can have representation on university boards or committees where discussion on animal experimentation or research is tabled.

      2005/91 Ethical beliefs and study of particular courses

      This Association recognises that some students may not wish to use animal tissue in the course of their studies at undergraduate level. “This Association believes that students should not have to go against their ethical beliefs to study a particular course and calls upon the University to:

      • Ensure students are always offered a choice between using animal tissue and alternative methods during experiments
      • Where animal tissue is used, that students are informed if it was not ethically sourced.

      2005/90 Opt-out provision for students from animal experiments

      This Association recognises that many students do not wish to take part in experiments involving the use of animals or specifically killed tissue. It calls upon the University to:

      1. provide sufficient details about such experiments in the course choice publications, course materials, and on its relevant website pages;

      2. provide formal alternatives for students where such experiments take place and ensure these alternatives are freely available and published in course choice publications, course materials, and on its relevant website pages;

      3. take steps to reduce the number of animals needed by replacement with viable alternatives e.g. computer simulations.

      4. Explore ways in which these alternatives may be implemented and expanded.

      5. Ensure that no student's academic assessment is affected by refusal to participate and a statement to that effect is placed in the Student Handbook, in course choice publications, course materials and on its relevant website pages;

      6. Implement these changes as soon as possible.

      2003/34 Ethically Sourced Tissue

      This Association recognises that the University may wish to continue to provide experiments using animal tissue.

      It calls upon the University to ensure that any such tissue is ethically sourced, e.g. not from purpose-bred or purpose killed animals.

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   2. Appeals and Complaints

      2006/113 Accessible Appeals and Complaints Procedure

      The Association urges the University to provide an easily accessible Appeals and Complaints Procedure and ensure that all students are aware they can receive a hard copy as well as it being available online.

      2002/55 (R2007) Course Results

      This Association believes that there should be in place a clear and fair appeals procedure for course results. It further believes that such a procedure should not question academic decisions, but ensure that the course result takes into account all factors that lead to such a result. It calls upon the University to:

      1. publish the only current criteria for appeal, procedural irregularity, in the student handbook, with clear definitions of what constitutes procedural irregularity;

      2. undertake an urgent review of the current procedure, with the aim to implement a clear, fair and accessible procedure, that covers both fail and pass course results;

      3. ensure every Examination Board publishes its crieria for each grade boundary each year.

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   3. Assessment of Student Performance

      2007/76 Referencing

      This Association requests the University to ensure that Course Teams clearly set out in the Course Guides the method of referencing to be used, with examples, including how to reference the course materials, together with their policy on word counts (e.g. if in-text references are included in the word count), and that tutors adhere strictly to the instructions in the Course Guide given to the students on that presentation of the course, unless there are extenuating circumstances.

      2006/114 Recognition of assignment scores

      This Association recognises the disappointment felt by some students who, for whatever reason, fail to have their Assignment scores recognised should they fail to take an exam or fail the exam they have taken. This Association calls upon the University to look into means to recognise the work undertaken by students during their continual assessment, regardless of their ability to sit the exam or their exam outcome.

      2005/93 Assessment documents to be available in hardcopy

      This Association, whilst welcoming the growing use of electronic communications within University courses, notes that the downloading of assessment material can be costly and time consuming to the student. Therefore this Association calls upon the University to ensure Tutor Marked Assessments and other assessment documents are available both electronically and in hardcopy.

      2005/92 Failure to make academic progress policy

      This Association recognises the ‘failure to make academic progress’ policy where students are restricted in their choices and access to Open University courses. However, this Association firmly believes that the OU should take note of their diverse customer base and;

      • Ensure that personal circumstances are taken into account;

      • A fair appeals process is made available to students, and that this information be sent to students when a decision has been made on their right to study with the OU;

      • That immediate priority is placed on finding a method of reintroduction to OU study where prevention from OU study is being considered;

      • Students are not prevented from studying with the OU unnecessarily, and steps should be taken to avoid the decision to restrict OU study.

      2003/59 Reasons for Deferment of Results

      This Association believes the University should give reasons for deferment of results in their letters to students and instructs the Executive Committee to take this matter forward.

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   4. Assignments

      2007/78 Word Counts

      The Association urges the University to clearly define the rules on word counts for Tutor Marked Assignments and to ensure that they are applied consistently by all tutors.

      2007/77 Word Counts of Referencing

      The Association urges the University to clearly define the rules on word counts of referencing within Tutor Marked Assignments and to ensure that they are applied consistently by all tutors.

      2006/118 Provision of extensions

      The Association welcomes moves by the University to introduce more consistency between courses, faculties and levels in terms of standards of tutor and assessment services provided. However, this Association acknowledges the valuable facility of assignment extensions for students and instructs the Executive Committee to object to any University move to abolish it.

      2006/117 Provision of electronic End of Course Assessments (ECAs)

      This Association calls upon the OU to take more account of the special difficulties often experienced by both UK and particularly overseas students in regard to the postal receipt and submission of End of Course Assessments (ECA). The ECA is posted to the student towards the end of the course with instructions to return it within a fixed number of days. However, if the ECA arrives late (because of postal delays), the student could be put at a disadvantage in that he or she has less time to complete the ECA, potentially leading to him/her failing the course. This Association proposes that ECAs be made available electronically on the closed course website so that all students can begin work on their ECA at the same time.

      2006/116 Computer Marked Assignments (CMA) forms on course website

      This Association proposes that Computer Marked Assignments (CMA) also be available as computer forms on the respective course website.

      2005/99 Option of electronic submission of TMAs

      This Association calls upon the University to ensure that all students have the option of submitting their Tutor Marked Assignments (TMAs) electronically. Students should be able to retain the choice of submitting their TMAs electronically or in hard copy.

      2005/97 TMA Criteria

      This Association recognises that TMAs can be an essential part of the learning process.

      It calls upon the University to ensure that:

      1. all TMAs are returned at least one week before the cut-off date of the following TMA.
      2. the final TMA cut-off date is at least 4 weeks before the examination
      3. the final TMA feedback is received at least 2 weeks before the examination
      4. that TMAs do not contain questions or material that have not yet been studied, as laid out by the course calendar.
      5. In the event of a rescheduling of a TMA, rescheduled dates meet the above criteria.

      2005/95 Consistent approach for word counts

      This Association recognises that inconsistencies within the University can cause confusion for students, and therefore calls upon the University to ensure that there is a consistent approach towards enforcing word count limits throughout the University, at all levels and between all Associate Lecturers.

      2005/94 Appropriate emphasis on formative assessments

      This Association believes that Open University study should engage in increasing knowledge and skills and progressing personal development, and should not solely concentrate on students gaining marks, points and qualifications. This Association asks the University to ensure that appropriate emphasis is placed on Formative assessment to address these issues and to review assessment with a view to look at the role that self-evaluation, peer evaluation and computer assisted feedback could play in assessment.

      2004/58 TMA Remarking

      This Association believes that re-marking of TMAs should not be influenced by previous tutor comments or marking. The University is urged to make provision so that scripts submitted for re-marking are cleansed of previous comments and marks.

      2004/57 Remarking of Exam or TMA Script

      This Association calls upon the University to arrange a second AL to re-mark any TMA or exam script at the request of the student.

      2003/49 Acknowledgement of P139 form

      This Association requests the Open University be required to acknowledge receipt of each P139 form.

      2002/47 TMA Marks

      This Association calls on the University to ensure that all faculties specify the marks available for each part of each TMA question.

      2000/33 Participation in Course Conferencing

      Conference urges the Open University to make sure that procedures are in place to ensure that tutors monitor course team moderated computer conferencing, so that in courses where assignments are carried out in collaboration with other students a check is made to ensure that students are participating fully, and action taken if necessary, so others within the group are not disadvantaged.

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   5. Bachelor Degrees

      2007/80 Retention of Flexibility

      Whilst the Association is grateful for the continuing progress made to provide programme-based learning for those who seek this, the Association request the University to retain the flexibility currently available for part-time students to gain an open degree which can include modules from several faculties.

      It welcomes the additional flexibility that could arise from the implementation of alternative start dates for courses but requests that any introduction of semesterisation continues to allow for the principle of part-time study so that students remain able to restrict their studies to 30 credit points in a period of twelve months at second and third level if they wish to do so.

      2006/120 Change of Criteria for Named Awards

      This Association welcomes the effort on behalf of the University to take on board OUSA’s recommendations for informing students of Award and course changes, and recognises that it may be necessary to change the criteria for awards or make adjustments to courses and course presentations.

      It calls upon the University to:

      • do everything necessary to avoid delays in the presentation of amended or replaced awards and courses

      • ensure a decent lead time between the decision made and the presentation of the award or course, and ensure there is enough time for students to amend their study plans without being disadvantaged due to the change;

      • establish a procedure based on OUSA’s guidelines for informing students of changes, that all faculties and other academic units must adhere to when dealing with either delays or changes to courses and awards

      • continue to use OUSA’s guidelines until they have time to develop their own revised version, in consultation with OUSA.

      2006/119 Raising the profile of Open Degrees

      This Association welcomes the move within the University to raise the profile of the Open Degree to ensure students view it as a valid option. This Association asks the university to investigate means to ensure students are able to identify a strand within their Open Degree, in line with the option available to students studying a subject named degree.

      2004/93 Named Degrees

      This Association welcomes the introduction of the policy to award Named Degrees. It requests that the University expands the current listing of Named Awards, to meet student demand.

      2003/40 Modern Languages Named Degree

      This Association calls upon the University to make provision for a Modern languages named degree, attainable after studying a minimum of two languages.

      2003/38 New Courses

      This Association believes that new courses are welcomed by the students. It calls upon the University to:

      1. investigate all possible means to reduce lead-time, whilst maintaining quality,

      2. meet published deadlines for introduction and delivery of course materials,

      3. ensure that all secondary materials are available,

      4. introduce a scheme of refunding of fees for bate or non-delivery of materials,

      5. only allow students to register for a course where the University are certain that all the course material will be available on time to meet the timescales in the course timetable.

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   6. Counselling Provision

      2007/81 Student Support for Students who Withdraw

      This Association calls on the University to ensure when a student notifies them they are going to withdraw from a course they are contacted by a member of the student support staff. The date of the initial notification of withdrawal should be deemed to be the withdrawal date.

      1989/74 Provision of New Services for Independent Learning

      The Association believes that the development of independent learning can only be achieved with increased direct support to students and by more and better communication between the University, its staff and students.

      Through the Executive Committee it will bring to the attention of the University its strongly held belief that independent learning will require more, rather than less, resources to be deployed in the areas of teaching and counselling and requires that provision be made for developing and providing new services.

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   7. Course

      2005/106 Further physics courses

      This Association believes that there are likely to be more students choosing to study with the OU, provided the available degree programmes are seen as comparable with those at other institutions. In some subjects, notably physics, this would entail the introduction of new courses, on such topics as nuclear and particle physics. Increasing student numbers would make this economically viable.

      The Association calls upon the University to ensure that the necessary broadening of the curriculum anticipates, rather than lags behind, demand.

      2005/105 Intermediate level Chemistry and Biochemistry courses

      This Association notes, with regret, the demise of the Chemistry course "ST240 Our Chemical Environment" and requests the OU to develop a similar, exciting, replacement introductory chemistry course to bridge the gap between the "S103 Science Foundation" course and the more advanced Chemistry and Biochemistry courses.

      2005/104 Further medicine and pharmacology courses

      This Association applauds the OU for the development of its forthcoming course "SK120 Diabetes Care", and strongly urges the OU to develop similar courses on equally interesting topics in the fields of medicine and pharmacology.

      2005/103 Extension of autumn start courses

      This Association welcomes the introduction of autumn course starts by some faculties and calls upon the University to introduce this to courses at all levels to allow students to be able to follow a coherent path of their choice.

      2005/102 Errata in examination papers

      This Association is disappointed that examination errata continues to be an issue and urges the University to exercise the following areas of good practice when the presentation of errata is unavoidable;

      1. Errata should be presented to students on a printed page

      2. Errata should only be printed on one side of the page

      3. If students are asked to replace more than three words or expressions on one examination document page, then an amended page should be issued as a replacement

      In addition, this Association calls upon the University to take measures to avoid errata in examinations at all times, and to publish the steps it has taken to avoid errata in examinations to the student body.

      2005/101 Errata in course material

      This Association believes that although the occurrence of errata in course material has improved in the past year it still exists at an unacceptable level. This Association calls upon the University to;

      1. Ensure that Course Teams are taking appropriate measures to avoid errata in new course materials;

      2. That revised and updated course materials should be produced with existing errata amended;

      3. That students are alerted to errata amendments in web or electronic based course materials;

      4. That steps taken to reduce errata in course materials be published to the student body.

      2005/100 Advertisement of changes in course presentations

      This Association calls upon the University to use all avenues of publicity available to them to advertise changes in course presentations, as well as the introduction of new courses, to enable students to plan ahead in their studies. This Association asks that all courses should be retained once they have been advertised as being available in the forthcoming year.

      2002/43 (R2007) Changes to Award Criteria

      This Association calls on the University to ensure that all students should receive at beast three weeks notice before bookings open for Residential Schools.

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   8. Course Choice

      2006/121 Content of Course Choice Events

      This Association believes that face-to-face course choice events are an important resource for students within the Region. This Association calls upon the University to ensure that;

      1. Each faculty is represented by at least one member of University staff with relevant faculty experience;

      2. Current course units are available for inspection by students;

      3. Postgraduate and research information is readily available;

      4. Students within the region are informed of such events well in advance

      5. The University seek advice from OUSA in the region as to when and how best to advertise the events to students;

      6. All events are held in convenient locations, ensuring that geographical differences are taken into account within the region

      7. Course choice events continue to be run in all regions.

      2005/108 Retention of Course Choice events

      This Association recognises that course choice events are a valuable tool in both recruitment and retention of students. This Association strongly urges the Open University to retain its policy of holding course choice events, where a wide variety of course materials and associated tutors is available to provide assistance in course choice.

      2005/107 Advertisement of Course Choice events

      This Association is disappointed with the negative impact that the centralisation of advertising budgets has had on Course Choice meetings. This Association believes that Course Choice events are an invaluable resource to students, and calls upon the University to ensure that they are advertised to all relevant students well in advance of the event itself taking place whilst utilising all methods of advertising available including Course Choice mailings direct to students and local media advertising.

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   9. Course Delivery

      2007/89 Course Materials in Voice Recorded Format

      This Association urges the University to provide course materials in voice recorded format on a suitable portable medium, to students who have a registered disability with the Open University who request it.

      2007/88 Postal Deliveries

      This Association calls on the University to only dispatch course materials via “signed for“ delivery methods where a student has indicated in advance that such a delivery method is acceptable. Where such agreement has not been given, the University should only dispatch materials via standard unsigned postal delivery.

      2007/87 Parcel Post Delivery Times

      This Association calls on the University to research parcel post delivery times to its Agreed Study Areas, and to dispatch course materials to those study areas in line with those delivery times so that all students receive their materials at approximately the same time.

      2007/86 Dispatch of Course Materials

      This Association calls upon the University to ensure that materials for all 30 and 60 point courses are dispatched at least 3 weeks before the materials are required as specified in the course timetable.

      2007/85 Updating of all Formats of Course Material

      This Association calls on the University to make every effort to update all formats of course material in a timely and appropriate fashion.

      2007/82 Collection for Local Depot

      This Association calls upon the University to provide a facility to enable students to collect their course material from a local depot.

      2006/131 Overloaded 30 Point Courses

      This Association is concerned that in many cases the workload of 30 point courses often exceeds what would be expected from half a 60 point course at the same level. As a result, this Association calls upon the University to ensure that;

      1. Careful consideration is given when creating new 30 point courses to ensure that they do not exceed the workload expected at 30 points.

      2. Existing courses are examined and either the workload decreased or points awarded that reflects the workload;

      3. Ensure that the workload of any two 30 point courses equals the workload of a 60 point course at the same level.

      2006/129 Choice of electronic medium for course materials

      This Association urges the University to give each student an appropriate choice as to which medium (either audio cassette, VHS video tape, CD or DVD) their pre-recorded Vital Teaching course materials are provided on.

      2006/127 First Year of Course Presentation

      This Association is concerned that during the first presentation, many new courses fail to meet the University’s usual high standards. We therefore call upon the University to delay the presentation of courses where they are not fully confident of the quality of materials or presentation. They should also provide increased tutor support on such courses to ensure that students are not disadvantaged by any shortcomings in the material or presentation.

      2006/126 Flexible Start Dates

      This Association welcomes the introduction of Autumn start dates and dual start dates for a number of courses and calls upon the University to increase the number of courses where this is available.

      2006/123 60 point courses over 2 years

      This Association accepts that many capable students are unable to study the desired courses, which consist of 60 points, because of time commitment, and feels that this is prohibiting those students from study. This Association calls upon the University to ensure that all 60 point courses are able to be studied over a period of 2 years.

      2006/122 Extension of interrupted study provision

      This Association welcomes the facility of Interrupted Study where students can retain assignment scores already attained, pause their studies and continue on the same course the next year where they left off. However, this Association believes that this is a facility that will benefit all OU students and calls upon the University to;

      • Accelerate the roll out of the facility to all students studying courses 30 points and over, at any level
      • Look to dramatically reduce, or remove, any fees associated with this option
      • publicize the scheme to all students.

      2005/111 Alternative offline medium to videocassettes

      This Association requests that the Open University makes provision to supply, for all courses where vital teaching is on videocassettes, an alternative offline medium to accommodate the withdrawal of video recorders by leading electrical retailers.

      2004/79 E-Books

      This Association recognises the value of printed material in our study. We welcome the introduction of e-books as an additional study aid, but not as a replacement to the printed material.

      2004/76 Distribution of Course Materials

      This Association calls upon the Open University to improve the distribution of its course materials to students by:

      1. checking the terms and conditions of its contract with the SMS delivery service and
      2. confirming whether or not SMS is complying with its contract and if not
      3. seeking ways to enforce the contract and improve the service, or by
      4. finding another delivery service.

      2004/75 Overseas Students Material Dispatch

      This Association calls on the University to send out mailings to overseas students first as delivery takes longer.

      2004/74 Requesting Early Dispatch

      This Association asks the University to study the possibility of allowing students to request — without obligation — early dispatch of their course materials, in order better to distribute the workload of the dispatch centre and courier services.

      2004/73 Material Dispatch

      This Association requests that the Open University dispatch 30 and 60 point course materials as soon as feasibly possible and before the course start date.

      2004/72 Material Dispatch Data

      This Association calls upon the University to update and maintain the materials despatch data, accurately and on a daily basis.

      2004/56 Distance Learning and Centres

      This Association regrets that the International Centre for Distance Learning (ICDL) ceased most of its activities from 1st April 2003 as its external funding has come to an end, and asks the University to make every effort to continue to maintain and update the excellent online database of distance-learning courses and institutions of the Centre.

      2003/62 Accessible Course Software for Disabled Students

      The Association calls upon the University to provide accessible course software to ensure disabled students can participate fully, in their courses, as required by the Disability Discrimination Act (1998) and appropriate amendments.

      2002/79 (R2007) Course materials in Appropriate Format

      This Association believes that all students have the right to expect all course materials to be in an appropriate format and that these materials be delivered at the same time as all others in the same course.

      To this end the Association calls on the University to produce its alternative course materials for students with special requirements in good time.

      2002/35 Opposition to Increased Costs for Flexible Start Dates

      This Association welcomes the chance to start any course at multiple course start dates during each calendar year. The Association is opposed to any increases in costs or reduction in academic support that may be passed on to students as a result of this flexible provision.

      2001/91 (R2007) Timing of Education Course Project Assignments

      This Association urges the University to consider carefully the timing of project assignments in education courses, due to the differences in vacation periods, in order to ensure that all students have equal access to classroom time to carry out project work.

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   10. Course Design and Review

       2004/77 Taster Packs across all Faculties

       This Association calls upon the University to provide taster packs for all courses across all faculties.

   11. Course Results

       2005/113 Actions on pending results

       The Association calls upon the University to introduce a mechanism so that where final results are notified as "pending" to an OU student, that the reason(s) and likely delay period are given and subsequent explanation given for any additional delays.

       2005/112 Review of grading system

       This Association requests the University to review its grading system so that the grades are awarded on the average of all the components, unless one or more of the elements falls below a pre-determined pass mark in which case the student will fail.

       2001/79 (R2007) Course Results

       This Association recognises that there are often valid reasons why some results are released later than others. However, such delays can cause distress to students.

       It recognises that release of results via the OU web-site is progress, but it calls upon the University to:

       1. investigate a system whereby personal callers at their Regional Centre, can obtain their results on production of valid identification,

       2. make results available via an OU e-mail address,

       3. ensure that in the event of a delay students are treated in a sympathetic manner, reasons for any delay are clearly explained and a release date is specified.

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   12. Diplomas

       2003/39 Top Up Courses

       This Association calls upon the University to make top up courses, to enable existing students .o complete their Diplomas, available for a reasonable length of time.

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   13. Examinations

       2007/93 Examination Arrangements for Students with Additional Needs

       With regard to examination arrangements, this Association calls upon the University to ensure that all students with additional needs have the opportunity to notify the University of their needs, and that such notification is acted upon fully and in good time.

       2007/92 Exam Conditions

       This Association believes that when students enter a room for an examination, the University should ensure that:

       1. no practice procedures are to take place during the examination,
       2. in the event of an evacuation, students are allowed a short period to recompose themselves before continuation and that special circumstances are automatically recorded and considered.

       2007/91 Adverse Conditions During Exams

       This Association recognises that examinations can heighten anxiety for students and be extremely traumatic where problems occur.

       The Association resolves to press the University to implement a procedure whereby students taking examinations who have been affected by adverse conditions defined by E39 should automatically be offered an opportunity to resit the examination during the next exam session and the original answer paper be discounted when calculating the overall course results.

       2007/90 Plagiarism

       This Association fully supports the stance of the university in seeking to address any issues regarding students committing plagiarism and thereby seeking to protect the validity of our qualifications. We are however concerned that students are not always clear on precisely what constitutes plagiarism and so inadvertently commit the act.

       In an effort to help students avoid accidental plagiarism this Association calls upon the university to ensure that every course guide contains specific clear examples of referencing acceptable on that course.

       2006/138 Use of amanuensis

       This Association urges the Open University to allow a minimum of twenty per cent extra working time as a standard addition to all examinations where the student has to use an amanuensis for the production of answers.

       2006/137 Right to receive all personal data

       The Association urges the University to ensure that students are made aware of their right to receive all personal data (marks and personal notes) in relation to their examination scripts and receive it within 40 days of the request, as defined by the Data Protection Act.

       2006/136 Feedback and guidance

       This Association calls upon the Open University to provide detailed feedback and guidance to students who have failed in the examination content of their course or courses.

       2006/133 Specimen answers

       This Association calls on the Open University to introduce the practice of providing, for each specimen examination paper, at least two specimen answers illustrating the preferred format and approach, which students should aim to achieve.

       2005/114 Examination re-sits

       This Association believes that students are better equipped to take an examination re-sit within a few months of the course result notification and calls upon the University to;

       1. Introduce a re-sit period within four months of the course result notification;

       2. Ensure that re-sit results are available in good time for students being able to reserve for their next course.

       3. Where there is tutor support involved between the original result and the re-sit date and the course has been withdrawn or updated, that the OU ensures that the student is appropriately catered for.

       2004/94 Disclosure of Oral and Written Results for Modern Languages Exams

       The Association calls upon the University to disclose both the oral and written components of the modern languages examinations separately on the result letter.

       2004/64 Exam Results

       This Association calls upon the University to provide exam results to all students who have taken exams in the October session by the 24th December of the same year. Should results not be available, the student should be given a full explanation by the same date.

       2004/63 Exam Centre Closures and Alternatives

       This Association believes that the number of Open University exam centres should not be reduced. Where closure is unavoidable, local alternatives must be provided.

       2004/54 Pt 1 Policy on Plagiarism

       This Association calls on the University to ensure that all students receive the policy on plagiarism in hard copy.

       2004/54 Pt 2 Standard Method of Referencing

       We also call on the University to ensure that all students are instructed in a standard method of referencing.

       2003/50 Specific Gender of Invigilator for Home Examinations

       Where a student is sitting a home examination, and requests an invigilator of a specific gender, this Association insists this request should be upheld.

       2003/48 Applauds Examination Feedback

       This Association applauds the feedback already provided for candidates of some University examinations. This Association affirms Policy B22.4 and calls on the University to make the desired feedback available to candidates for all its examinations.

       2003/46 Instructions of Requirements for Marking of Additional Questions

       This Association calls on the University to ensure that all students are treated fairly and consistently in the marking of Examination scripts. In particular where a choice of questions is available. In such circumstances a strict marking scheme should be used to ensure that all students know of the exact requirements in relation to how any additional questions answered will be treated.

       2003/45 Informing University of Disturbances During Examinations

       This Association agrees that where a student is under examination conditions, and any disturbance takes place, the university should take this into account when marking the examination scripts.

       This Association calls on the University to ensure that where such a disturbance has occurred that the invigilator informs the students involved of their right to have the University informed of the circumstances.

       2002/50 (R2007) Trained and Competent Amanuensis

       This Association believes that all students who have to use an amanuensis have the right at no extra cost to themselves to a properly trained and competent amanuensis with knowledge of the examinable subject and calls on the University to make it a priority to implement such a policy.

       2001/84 Specimen Exam Papers

       This Association calls upon the University to ensure that the specimen exam paper is included in the first course mailing.

       2001/82 Interruption for Identification

       This Association believes that it is unnecessary and inappropriate to interrupt students during an examination to deal with identification queries and asks that University procedures be reviewed to prevent that happening.

       2001/80 Feedback

       This Association recognises that exam feedback would enable a student to identify areas of weakness and strength. This is especially important in terms of learning outcomes, as many Level 2 courses are prerequisites for Level 3 study.

       It calls upon the University to:

       1. introduce a system of exam feedback,
       2. ensure that such a service would not incur an additional charge,
       3. ensure that the minimum feedback provided is a simple list of questions attempted and scores for each of these

       4. examine a system where marked scripts are returned, as long as they do not compromise future examinations.

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       2001/77 (R2007) Minimum Standard of Working Conditions

       This Association believes that there should be minimum standards for working conditions for students sitting examinations.

       These should include:

       1. reasonable minimum working area, able to contain all permitted examination material,

       2. satisfactory lighting and heating conditions,

       3. reasonable ambient noise levels,

       4. access to the examination room at least 10 minutes before the start of the examination.

       1997/40 Change of Exam Venue

       This Association acknowledges that the University may find it necessary to change an examination venue and urges the University to supply a map with letter E21R4 clearly indicating the new examination centre and to give due consideration to the geographic spread of students involved.

       1992/59 Location of Examination Centres

       This Association notes that the increasing autonomy of educational establishments is enabling the Open University to be more selective when negotiating the location of examination centres.

       The Association calls upon the University to take into account the needs of students when negotiating the location of examination centres and not to use cost as the sole criterion for selection.

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