Academic Quality Framework Chapter 12

Introduction

1. For every programme leading to an award of Northeastern University London (the University), Academic Board appoints a Progression and Award Board (PAB) to consider and approve the progression of students and the conferment of awards in line with the Terms of Reference – Progression and Award Board.
2. The awarding of credits for courses, as part of Northeastern University (Northeastern) Pathway Programme is considered at a PAB meeting.
3. The PAB is accountable to the University’s Academic Board; no recommendation for the conferment of an award of the University may be made by anyone other than the relevant PAB.
4. The University has introduced two additional interim Boards which are not awarding credit: reviewing students’ academic profiles; and making progression decisions. Please see Progression Boards and Conditional Progression Boards.
5. For the purpose of this AQF chapter, ‘student’ refers to students registered on undergraduate programmes or courses, postgraduate taught programmes and learners registered on work related learning programmes.

Progression and Award Board (PAB)

6. A PAB confirms student course marks, approves progression between stages/levels, approves the conferment of University awards, and awards academic credit. It is also responsible for identifying courses where the course data identifies anomalies (see Flagged Courses). It also receives reports where irregularities in the assessment process have been reported.
7. The scheduling of PABs is the responsibility of the Assessment Team. A PAB will be scheduled when relevant to the programme being tabled. For work related learning this could be after each teaching block.
8. A PAB acts within, and applies, the University’s regulations.
9. In respect of each student the PAB will receive:
   1. The overall mark for each course
   2. The mark for each assessment element
   3. Notification of the pathway courses (undergraduate double degree ONLY)
   4. Notification of any irretrievable deficits
   5. Extenuating circumstances decisions confirmed by the University’s Extenuating Circumstances Panel
   6. Confirmation of a Temporary Break in Studies
   7. Confirmation where a late submission penalty has been applied
   8. Confirmation where the student is subject to an academic misconduct ruling
   9. Confirmation where any recognition of prior learning credit has been awarded
   10. Level averages to one decimal place and award classifications to one decimal place
   11. A total of all credit points achieved by the student in the named programme in this and previous years

PAB Order of Business

10. The PAB:
    1. Agrees the final version of the minutes of the previous meeting and note any matters arising from them;
    2. Notes any actions taken under the delegated authority since the previous meeting;
    3. Confirms the course assessment results for students and the award of credit;
    4. Confirms whether students can progress on to the next level/stage of their programme;
    5. Confirms the conferment of an award and, as appropriate, its classification;
    6. Confirms the awarding of a Pathway (undergraduate London degree students ONLY);
    7. Confirms that core attributes have been passed in accordance with the double degree programme specifications (undergraduate London degree students ONLY);
    8. Confirms the successful completion of the individual integrated end-point-assessment and confirms the award of credit (work related learning programmes ONLY);
    9. Notes any reports submitted by the Assessment Team and advises on any relevant follow-up actions;
    10. Identifies any Flagged Courses and advises on any follow-up actions.
11. The business of the PAB is strictly confidential.

Membership and Terms of Reference of Progression and Award Boards

12. The terms of reference for PABs stipulate the membership, frequency and quorum of the meetings.
13. For full details of the membership of PAB please see the Progression and Award Board Terms of Reference in the Academic Handbook Governance section.
14. The Chair of the PAB ensures appropriate weight is given to the comments of the Discipline and Award External Examiners and confirms the final list of assessment results.
15. The Secretary is responsible for:
    1. Making appropriate arrangements for liaison with the External Examiners and End Point Assessor;
    2. Prompt notification of the dates and times of PABs meetings to those required to attend;
    3. The circulation of academic regulations, marking schemes used by internal examiners, the full draft mark sheet including profile of the marks awarded to each student in each piece of assessed work and an analysis of the mean and standard deviation of the marks in each assessment, and recommendations on decisions;
    4. Taking accurate and comprehensive minutes of the PABs and recording decisions taken and any comments made;
    5. Ensuring that the results are released to students as per the published timelines.

Flagged Courses

16. The PAB also scrutinises course statistics, flagging any anomalies. At the first sitting a flagged course will be where 25% or more students did not submit. At the second sitting, a flagged course will be a course where the mean of the overall course mark is below 55%, above 68%, and/or 25% of the students have failed the course.
17. The discussion and confirmation of flagged courses is recorded along with any action for the University to take for the next sitting or academic session.

Deviation from University Regulations

18. Very occasionally circumstances outside of the control of the University such as natural disaster, acts of terrorism, fire, flood or industrial action, will be regarded as disrupting the business of the University, either by causing significant detrimental impact on the continuity of the academic business or by risking adherence to the Office for Student registration, and therefore may require the University to deviate from its standard regulations, see Deviation from University Assessment Regulations. Under the Deviation from University Assessment Regulations, a PAB will be considered quorate when the Chair, an academic member of staff and the Academic Registrar are able to participate in the PAB either in person or virtually.
19. The scope of the PAB will be determined by the Chair and the Academic Registrar prior to the commencement of the PAB, and the decision will be minuted.

Chair’s Actions

20. Chair’s actions may be used:
    1. To input marks not available prior to a PAB at which the student and/or course were not considered;
    2. For administrative correction of input and recording errors;
    3. To make decisions regarding extenuating circumstances recorded as identified by Registry as in process at the time of the assessment board;
    4. To implement academic appeal decisions reached through the University’s academic appeal procedures;
    5. When a student completes their programme of study (i.e., submits assessment) after the standard PAB schedule: a Chair’s action may only be used where the work involved is subject to moderation and/or external examination, to ensure that cohort standards are maintained.
21. In all cases, Chair’s actions must be recorded (i.e., reasons for change) and be noted at the next meeting at which the decision should have been recorded (i.e., the Chair’s action has to be recorded at the next PAB).
22. A Chair’s action may not be used to:
    1. Decide the results of students or cohorts outside of the standard schedule;
    2. Change the results for any student on the basis of appeal or complaint unless the changes have been approved through the relevant PAB review process.
23. Once Chair’s actions have been agreed and recorded in detail by the PAB, they should be submitted to the Chair of Academic Board via the minutes of the appropriate PAB meeting for ratification.

Presentation of Data to Progression and Award Board

24. Each PAB report lists the students anonymously with a proposed decision.
25. A complete assessment profile for each student is provided to the Board.
26. Where amendments are necessary these are recorded by altering the decisions by marking the appropriate result. These amendments must be made immediately after the meeting by the Secretary to the Board and a report of amendments will be produced to be checked by the Chair and appended to the minutes of the meeting.
27. There are several decisions that may be made by the PAB regarding a student’s performance:
    1. Pass – Proceed
    2. Proceed with Deficit
    3. Pass with Classification
    4. Defer
    5. Refer
    6. Irretrievable Fail
    7. Incomplete Course
    8. Chair’s Action
    9. Repeat Courses
    10. Cannot Proceed
    11. Student Withdrawn
28. There are seven possible individual course outcomes:
    1. Pass
    2. Defer
    3. Refer
    4. Pass Compensated (See exemption list in AQF7, Part C: Assessment Regulations)
    5. Repeat Course
    6. Incomplete Course
    7. Chair’s Action
    8. Failed Final Attempt

Unscheduled Progression and Award Boards

29. Unscheduled PABs (in addition to those scheduled) must be conducted where a cohort completed its study at a time outside of the standard assessment boards schedule. They must be formed and operated in accordance with the University’s AQF7: Academic Regulations.
30. Unscheduled PABs must be quorate and preceded by standard arrangements for moderation and external examination.

Progression Board

31. The University reserves the right to hold progression only boards when student results are required ahead of the scheduled PAB. Credit will not be awarded until the full PAB, however progression decisions can be made prior to the PAB.
32. The Progression Board will be: Dean (Chair); Associate Dean for Teaching and Learning; Academic Registrar; Deputy Head of Registry (Assessment) [Secretary]; Faculty Director and Head of Discipline (for the courses being presented to the Board).
33. Decisions of the Progression Board will follow the University regulations in this paragraph.

Conditional Progression Boards

34. In the case where there is a course that is a prerequisite for a course being delivered the following semester, the University is permitted to hold Conditional Progression Boards (CPBs), where student performance for that course will be reviewed looking at the course mark, using the marked and moderated assessment elements that have been held during the semester and the mark from the first marker for the final assessment element of that course.
35. In the case where a student is passing all the assessment elements and is projected to be successful in completing the course they will be permitted to progress to the next semester course, on condition that they pass the course:
    1. If the student fails the course they will normally be given the opportunity to redeem failed assessment elements at the next attempt, i.e. referral/second attempt;
    2. If the student fails the referral/second attempt, they will have to withdraw from the course with the failed course as a prerequisite;
    3. The student will work with their Academic Advisor to review their programme plan.
36. In the case where the student has failed the course with 36% or above, they will be permitted conditional progression to the next semester course and offered the opportunity to repeat the failed assessment elements. If they fail the referral opportunity and fail the pre-requisite course, they will be required to withdraw from the course that required the pre-requisite course.
37. In the case where the student has a projected fail of 35% or below for the prerequisite course, they will not be given a conditional progression decision and will need to work with their Academic Advisor to review course options for the following semester.

Confidentiality of all Assessment Boards

38. All discussions at all assessment boards are regarded as strictly confidential, as are minutes of the meetings.
39. Details of the discussion and deliberation at assessment board meetings will not be disclosed to students, except in the very exceptional circumstances and then only with the agreement of the Academic Registrar.

Conflicts of Interest

40. Any examiner or Board member who has family or another personal connection to or relationship with any student other than the normal professional relations required in their role as a member of staff shall declare that relationship and shall take no part in any discussion relating to that student’s performance.

Disclosure of Assessment Marks to Students

41. It must be made clear to students that where marks have not yet been considered by External Examiners or a PAB that these marks are provisional, pending endorsement by the relevant PAB.
42. Registry is responsible for publishing the outcome of the PABs to students via the student’s University email account.

Appeals Against Decisions of Progression and Award Board

43. Academic Appeal is the route by which students may seek reconsideration of the decision of a PAB. They are the only basis on which changes, other than correction of administrative errors, may be made.
44. The criteria for appealing against a decision of a PAB are detailed in the University’s  Academic Appeals Policy and Procedures.
45. The University does not consider appeals based solely on a student’s disagreement with the examiners’ academic judgement.

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