Conduct of Examinations Policy
Latest Amendment/Approval Date: March 2021
1. Purpose
1.1 The purpose of this document is to direct staff and students on the process to be followed when conducting and undertaking examinations.
2. Definitions
2.1 Academic Integrity means, as according to the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2015, ‘the moral code of academia. It involves using, generating and communicating information in an ethical, honest and responsible manner’.
2.2 Academic Misconduct means obtaining academic advantage for oneself or for others by dishonest or unfair means. It refers to a breach of academic integrity.
2.3 Invigilator means an individual responsible for supervising students during the examination.
3. Scope
3.1 This policy and procedures apply to all enrolled students undertaking examinations and all staff involved in organising and invigilating exams.
4. Principles
4.1 Campion College Australia is committed to an equitable and enriching environment for students, which fosters academic achievement. Academic integrity and respect for knowledge and truth are fundamental tenets of the College. Accordingly a student must not act in a manner which constitutes academic misconduct (see Student Academic Integrity Policy).
5. Policy
5.1 Student Rule 34 (Student Handbook) concerning conduct during examinations, stipulates that the Academic Board specify procedures for examinations, including – a. requirements for a student entering or leaving the examination room; and b. requirements for a student’s conduct during the examination.
5.2 Examinations will normally be conducted by an invigilator, other than the unit coordinator. Unit coordinators may take on responsibility for the supervision of examinations themselves or delegate this responsibility to other members of staff. The invigilator will administer the examination and will normally be present for the whole examination. Examinees will not be left unsupervised at any point during an examination.
5.3 A student found guilty of breaching any of the standards of conduct during examinations, listed below, in a way that may compromise or defeat the purposes of the assessment may suffer the penalties prescribed for academic misconduct. These penalties include a mark reduction, a zero mark for the examination, the award of a fail in the unit and exclusion from the College either temporarily or permanently at the Dean’s discretion as stipulated by Student Rule 32 published in the Campion College Student Handbook.
5.4 The Invigilator has the right to remove a student from the examination room at any point during the conduct of the examination if there is a perceived instance of academic misconduct.
5.5 A student will comply with all directions given by the Invigilator and all instructions to candidates set out on the examination materials or displayed in the examination room. A student’s behaviour must not disturb, distract or adversely affect any other student.
6. Procedures
6.1 No student is to leave the examination during the first ½ hour or during the last 15 minutes of any examination.
6.2 Except at the discretion of the Invigilator or supervisor, no student shall be re-admitted to an examination room after he or she has left it unless during the full period of the absence the student has been under approved supervision.
6.3 No student shall be admitted late to an examination room after 20 minutes have elapsed, including scheduled reading time.
6.4 With the exception of students with special arrangements as stipulated by the Dean’s Office, students may bring into an examination room only those materials approved for the unit under examination. These include pens, pencils, rulers and erasers etc. or any materials as approved by the unit coordinator. All other materials are expressly prohibited, unless brought into the room with the permission of the Invigilator (such as students’ bags; electronic devices such as mobile phones, laptops, tablets, ipads, etc.), and deposited by the student directly upon entering the examination room at a place stipulated.
6.5 If students are permitted to bring text books, dictionaries, or other materials into the examination, these must be checked by the Invigilator or Course Coordinator to make determinations on the legitimacy or otherwise of notes they contain. Students, for whom English is not the first language, are allowed to bring a language dictionary to the examination, only with approval of the Dean of Studies. The dictionary must be submitted the day before the examination at the Student Administration Office so that it can be checked. The Dean of Studies/Director of Operations must be informed if unauthorized notes are found.
6.6 During an examination a student will not communicate by word or otherwise with any other person except the Invigilator.
6.7 Students are prohibited from having any device capable of communicating verbal or written information, such as mobile telephones, electronic dictionaries or handheld computers, in their possession during an examination. Such devices must be turned off and left at a designated location within the room as stipulated by the Invigilator. All electronic devices belonging to the invigilator must also be switched off or placed on silent mode.
6.8 Food and drinks other than water are not permitted in the examination room.
6.9 Students are allowed toilet breaks of a reasonable length only during exams exceeding one hour. In this case one of the assistant invigilators will accompany the student to the facility and wait in order to re-accompany the student back to the examination room. No additional time will be granted to the student in order to complete the examination.
6.10 A student will not remove from the examination room any worked scripts or other paper provided for use during the course of the examination or other material which is the property of the College.
6.11 Some exam rules may vary if they are conducted online. Any variations must be approved and documented by the Dean of Studies.
7. Roles and Responsibilities
7.1 It is a condition of enrolment that students inform themselves of and obey the College’s rules and policies affecting them, and conduct themselves accordingly.
7.2 Invigilators, examiners and all other staff are responsible for the implementation of this policy and procedures.
7.3 The Teaching & Learning Committee is responsible for monitoring the policy and procedures outlined in this document.