Academic Updates

The latest updates regarding support with your academic studies and assessments from the University.

UPDATE - 28TH APRIL 2020 - FROM MARK MASON, DEPUTY VICE CHANCELLOR

KEY POINTS:

UPDATE ON ASSESSMENT CALCULATIONS

Providing that you have completed and passed all applicable modules ...
The University will not allow your average from Semester 2 (2019-20) to negatively impact your overall degree result.
You will not be academically disadvantaged due to the circumstances beyond your control.
Your final degree (award) level will be calculated one of two ways: 1. 'Normal' award calculations OR 2. Benchmark/Alternative Calculation.
The higher result from these calculations will be used to arrive at your final degree outcome.
For more information about specifics please refer to the table at the bottom of the email.
If you have course specific questions please speak directly to your department team.

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Update on assessment calculations relating to the Covid-19 pandemic

Dear Students

1. Principles and Aims

Since my last e-mail to you staff at the University have been working through the detailed processes and calculations required to make sure that – as previously confirmed – we do not allow your average from Semester 2 (2019-20) to negatively impact on your overall degree result at the end of your programme of studies. This communication provides you with information about these detailed processes and calculations that I hope you will find helpful and reassuring and, once again, I am asking you to take the time to read it. The University’s top priority continues to be supporting both your wellbeing (and that of our staff) and your academic studies; the information in this e-mail is important in this regard.

These processes and calculations, along with all of the other measures that the University has put in place to support you through this difficult situation, have been informed and shaped by the principle that we will not allow any student to be academically disadvantaged due to circumstances beyond their control (such as those relating to the Covid-19 pandemic). In sticking to this principle, our aim has been to ensure both (a) that you are able to progress with your studies or, in the case of final-year students, receive the award/degree that you have worked for without undue delay, and, (b) the fairness, integrity and standard of the Chichester award/degree that you receive.

2. Introducing the ‘benchmark/alternative’ calculation (a comparator calculation that will sit alongside the ‘normal’ award calculation) and how this will support you

In accordance with these principles and aims we will be using a benchmark/alternative award calculation for undergraduate students that is designed to prevent your average from Semester 2 (2019-20) negatively impacting on your overall degree result at the end of your programme of studies;
This benchmark/alterative calculation is based upon your actual attainment to date in Semester 1, i.e. pre-Covid-19 and the move to online delivery of teaching and learning;
It is important to stress that this benchmark/alternative calculation is a comparator calculation that will sit alongside the ‘normal’ award calculation, i.e. calculating your award based on all of the semesters (including Semester 2, 2019-20) that we would normally take in to account when making this calculation;
Therefore, we will be using two award calculations – ‘benchmark/alternative’ and ‘normal’ – both of which we will apply consistently to this year’s finalists and future years’ finalists who have marks in their profiles which fall within the Semester 2 (2019-20) Covid-19 affected period;
Providing that you have completed and passed all applicable modules (i.e. that you qualify to graduate, or progress to the next level, based on your marks obtained this year, including those obtained through assessments from the remainder of this current Semester 2 period) then finalists this year and in future years (who have marks in their profiles which fell within the Semester 2, 2019-20 Covid-19 affected period) will benefit from the higher result achieved after applying both the ‘normal’ degree calculation and the ‘benchmark/alternative’ calculation. In other words, the higher result from these two calculations will be used to arrive at your final degree outcome.

3. A reminder of the other supportive measures applicable to students this academic year

This approach of using a ‘benchmark/alternative’ calculation (alongside the ‘normal’ calculation) for undergraduate students that is designed to prevent your average from Semester 2 (2019-20) negatively impacting on your overall degree result at the end of your programme of studies is in alignment with what was set out in my previous e-mails to you. In addition, and running alongside this approach, are a range of other supportive measures applicable to students this academic year that were also set out in my previous e-mail to you (dated 4 April 2020). These include:

‘Blanket’ mitigating circumstances being applied on your behalf (with no need for you to submit either a mitigating circumstances claim form or related evidence) for any modules that are failed or not submitted and fall within the Semester 2 (2019-20) Covid-19 affected period, and for the remainder of the 2019-20 academic year;
The granting of extensions as thought appropriate by your academic area;
The option (as thought appropriate by your academic area) of deferring particular assessments until a later, set assessment point/window, i.e. later in the summer this year, or at the next assessment point/window in January 2021);
The removal, for final year students in 2019-20, of the requirement for your dissertation/individual project (or equivalent piece of work) to be in the higher classification category when calculating your degree outcome;
The choice for final-year students who undertake and submit their dissertation/individual project (or equivalent piece of work) in Semester 2 this academic year (2019-20) and receive a mark for that individual piece of work which is lower than their Semester 1 2019-20 average to, either, (1) accept the mark that they have been given and for their degree result to be calculated accordingly, or, (2) to submit their dissertation/individual project (or equivalent) one further time on a ‘first-sit’ basis and, if receiving a higher mark than on the previous attempt, for this mark to be used in calculating their degree result.

Finally, and underpinning all of these supportive measures, is the important principle of academic judgement. This means that academic staff will make appropriate decisions that take in to account the challenging context in which you will have been preparing for and undertaking your assessments (including, for example, your reduced access to learning resources). On an exceptional basis, and in my role as Chair of the main Boards of Examiners (or ‘Exam Boards’), I have discretion to apply further measures as considered appropriate to the circumstances.

We know that you will be determined to continue to do all that you can in relation to engaging fully with the remainder of your studies this academic year, including completing and submitting your assessments. We want to encourage you in your efforts; given the move that has been made to the online delivery of teaching and learning, it is still possible for you to achieve good results, raising your mark for the year (and final average). However, we also recognise that for some of you, and for a range of reasons, this may not be possible; if so, we hope that you will find the supportive measures that we have put in place reassuring. All of the supportive measures agreed for this academic year have been set out in a set of exceptional Covid-19 related academic assessment regulations and approved by the University’s Academic Board.

4. Additional points for this years’ finalists:

· It is a requirement for both the ‘normal’ and the ‘benchmark/alternative’ calculations that all applicable modules must have been completed and passed. On some programmes of study, particularly performance-based programmes, some modules have had to be deferred and therefore award calculations will also have to be deferred until all applicable module results are available;

· The vast majority of students in the final year of their degree programmes will have achieved fewer than 60 credits in Semester 1 (2019-20), pre-Covid-19 and the move to online delivery for students. This has informed the University’s thinking behind the formulation of the ‘benchmark/alternative’ calculation.

5. Additional points for future years’ finalists:

· There will be a reversion to the University’s pre-Covid-19 Academic Regulations, including the requirement for the dissertation to be in the higher category for the automatic upgrade rule;

· The only exception to the point immediately above is that the application of the two calculations (‘normal’ and ‘benchmark/alternative’) explained in sections 2 and 6 of this e-mail will continue to apply to finalists who have marks in their academic profile that fall within the Semester 2 (2019-20) Covid-19 affected period and which count towards their award calculation.

6. Summarising the ‘benchmark/alternative’ approach (i.e. the specific details of alternative calculations for this year, and subsequent affected years) that we are taking in table form

We appreciate that different students will be on different types of courses and at different levels/stages of study. We also appreciate the need to summarise the ‘benchmark/alternative’ approach that we are taking as simply and is transparently as possible for you. Accordingly, we have set out in the table below – by ‘student course type’ and ‘level of study this academic year 2019-20)’ – the specific details of alternative calculations for this year and subsequent affected years. Please identify the ‘student course type’ and ‘level this year’ applicable to your situation in order to access the details of the ‘benchmark/alternative’ calculation that will be used in your case:

Student course type	Level of study this academic year (2019-20)	Alternative calculations for this year and subsequent affected years
Standard undergraduate 3 year taught programmes	L6	We will use the available Level 6 marks from Semester 1 this year, plus the full profile of marks achieved at Level 5 and calculate an overall average mark to determine the benchmark.
Standard Undergraduate 3-year taught programmes	L5	Next year we will use the unaffected Level 5 marks from Semester 1 this year, plus the full profile of marks achieved at Level 6 and calculate an overall average mark to determine the benchmark. Note: The automatic upgrade rule which includes the requirement for the dissertation to be in the higher classification will be reinstated for future finalists who started their programme pre-2019 academic year.
Undergraduate QTS programmes	L6/L5	Same alternative calculations as Standard Undergraduate. Note: The automatic upgrade rule which includes the requirement for the dissertation to be in the higher classification will be reinstated for future finalists who started their programme pre-2019 academic year.
Undergraduate Social Work	L6/L5	Same alternative calculations as Standard Undergraduate. Note: The automatic upgrade rule which includes the requirement for the dissertation to be in the higher classification will be reinstated for future finalists who started their programme pre-2019 academic year.
BMus (4-year degree programmes)	L6 (final year)	We will use the available Level 6 marks from Semester 1 this year plus the full profile of marks achieved at Level 6 (third year) and calculate an overall average mark to determine the benchmark.
BMus (4-year degree programmes)	L6 (third year)	Next year we will use the unaffected Level 6 marks from Semester 1 this year plus the full profile of marks achieved at Level 6 and calculate an overall average mark to determine the benchmark. Note: The automatic upgrade rule which includes the requirement for the dissertation to be in the higher classification will be reinstated for future finalists who started their programme pre-2019 academic year.
Integrated Masters	L7	We will use the available Level 7 marks from Semester 1 this year plus the full profile of marks achieved at Level 5 and Level 6 and calculate an overall average mark to determine the benchmark.
Integrated Masters	L6	As per programme regulations students would still need to successfully pass research methods modules to progress to Level 7. Students would also need to average 50% across all preceding modules to successfully progress to Level 7. Next year (20/21) we will use the unaffected Level 6 marks from Semester 1 this year plus the full profile of marks achieved at Level 5 and Level 7 and calculate an overall average mark to determine the benchmark. Note: The automatic upgrade rule which includes the requirement for the dissertation to be in the higher classification will be reinstated for future finalists who started their programme pre-2019 academic year.
Integrated Masters	L5	As per programme regulation students would still need to successfully pass research methods modules to progress to Level 7. Students would also need to average 50% across all preceding modules to successfully progress to Level 7. In two years (2021-22) we will use the unaffected Level 5 marks from Semester 1 this year plus the full profile of marks achieved at Level 6 and Level 7 and calculate an overall average mark to determine the benchmark. Note: The automatic upgrade rule which includes the requirement for the dissertation to be in the higher classification will be reinstated for future finalists who started their programme pre-2019 academic year.
UG Adventure Education	L5 without placement	Same principle as Standard Undergraduate but noting that attainment to date from L5 and then the 30 credits at Level 5 will be included in the calculation.
UG Adventure Education	L5 with placement	Same principle as Standard Undergraduate but noting that the 120 credits at Level 5 will be included in the calculation (30 credits from placement to be discounted as impacted by pandemic).
UG Adventure Education	L6	Same principle as Standard Undergraduate but noting that the 150 credits at Level 5 will be included in the calculation. Note: The automatic upgrade rule which includes the requirement for the dissertation to be in the higher classification will be reinstated for future finalists who started their programme pre-2019 academic year.
Ordinary Degree	L5 and L6	Unclassified, so no need to run alternative calculation.
Foundation Degrees	L5	As the award is based upon the final year a benchmark based upon the average achieved in Level 5, Semester 1 will be provisional until sufficient credit has been accumulated to confirm the benchmark. The Board of Examiners will exercise discretion when awarding the classification.
Progression to Honours	L6	As the classification is based upon the final year a benchmark based upon the average achieved in Level 6, Semester 1 will be provisional until sufficient credit has been accumulated to confirm the benchmark. The Board of Examiners will exercise discretion when awarding the classification.
Higher nationals		No change to the existing calculation method, as follows: 6D.3 To be awarded an Higher National Certificate, a student must achieve 120 credits at or above the level of the qualification. The classification is based upon the best 75 credits. 6D.4 To be awarded an Higher National Diploma, a student must achieve 240 credits at or above the level of the qualification. The classification is based upon the best 150 credits. 6D.5 Students will receive a Distinction if they have an overall average of 70% or above across the best credits; students will receive a Merit if they have an overall average of 60% or above; students will receive a Pass if they have an overall average of 40% or above.
Postgraduate		For taught postgraduate students undertaking and submitting their Dissertation/Independent Project (or equivalent) in the remainder of the 2019-20 academic year, we have introduced the following supportive measure: If students achieve a grade of at least ‘A’ in the majority of modules (equivalent to at least 120 credits), students will be awarded a Master’s degree with Distinction irrespective of the grade achieved in the dissertation. Similarly, if students achieve a grade of at least ‘B’ in the majority of modules (equivalent to at least 120 credits), students will be awarded a Master’s degree with Merit, irrespective of the grade achieved in the dissertation.

Where your chosen programme of studies is subject to professional regulation (i.e. Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Bodies [PSRB] requirements) staff in your academic area will continue to advise you on these matters.

7. Conclusion

In conclusion, our hope is that the contents of this e-mail provide you with further reassurance and confirmation of the University’s unwavering commitment to your progression and success. All staff, particularly those in your academic area, will continue to do all that they can to support you with all study related issues in as flexible a way as is possible and taking in to account the impact of the broader individual responsibilities and commitments that we know that you will have at this extraordinary and difficult time. I know that your lecturers will continue to do their best to stay in touch with you throughout this time and we encourage you to do the same with them.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to read this communication.

With my very best wishes.

Mark

Dr Mark Mason

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student Experience)

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UPDATE - 3RD APRIL 2020 - FROM MARK MASON, DEPUTY VICE CHANCELLOR

KEY POINTS:

ALL STUDENTS

The University will not allow your average from Semester two (2019-20) to negatively impact on your overall degree result at the end of your programme of studies.
The University will not allow any student to be academically disadvantaged due to circumstances beyond their control.
Changes regarding assessments have been or will be communicated via your academic department.
When marking staff will taking into account the challenges you are facing when preparing and undertaking assessments.
Your Programme team will do all they can to assist you and help ensure you have every opportunity to complete your studies successfully and without delay.
While this challenging time lasts, we may have to adapt our approach set out above so as to respond effectively to events as they unfold (including additional guidance from the Quality Assurance Agency and the Office for Students).

Undergraduate Students

Whatever level or stage of your studies you are currently at, the University will not allow your average from Semester two (2019-20) to negatively impact on your overall degree result. If negatively impacted then grades will not be included, instead, the average of the other/remaining semesters will be used when calculating your final degree result.
Therefore, as long as you qualify to pass the year, completing remaining Semester 2 assessments can only be of benefit to you.
The University will not let these exceptional circumstances have a negative impact on your overall degree result.

Final year students

Students undertaking and submitting Dissertation/Individual Project (or equivalent) in Semester 2 this academic year and receive a mark for that individual piece of work which is lower than their Semester one (2019-20) average mitigating circumstances will apply:
You will be given the following choice: (1) To accept the mark that they have been given and for their degree result to be calculated accordingly, or (2) To submit their Dissertation/Individual Project (or equivalent) one further time on a ‘first-sit’ basis and, if receiving a higher mark than on the previous attempt, for this mark to be used in calculating their degree result.

For students on on particular programmes of study

Where the majority of your assessment is through modules that run across both semesters of the academic year or where your chosen programme of studies is subject to professional regulation (i.e. Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Bodies [PSRB] requirements); your academic area (Programme Co-ordinator or Head/Director) will provide you with further guidance as soon as possible (if they have not already done so).

Postgraduate Taught (PGT) Students

Such as Masters degrees, including those where assessments are normally due to be submitted in the autumn. If undertaking and submitting their Dissertation/Individual Project (or equivalent) in the remainder of the 2019-20 academic year, we have introduced the following supportive measure: If you achieve a grade of at least ‘A’ in the majority of taught modules (equivalent to at least 120 credits), you will be awarded a Master’s degree with Distinction irrespective of the grade you achieve in your dissertation. Similarly, if you achieve a grade of at least ‘B’ in the majority of taught modules (equivalent to at least 120 credits), you will be awarded a Master’s degree with Merit, irrespective of the grade you achieve in your dissertation.

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Dear Students

Following on from my communication of Monday (30 March 2019) I am writing with another update on further measures that the University has put in place to support you with your academic studies and assessment during the Covid-19 pandemic.

This communication contains additional information that I hope you will find helpful and reassuring and I am, once again, asking you to take the time to read it. In particular, it contains information relating to how we will not allow your average from Semester 2 2019-20 to negatively impact on your overall degree result at the end of your programme of studies. This measure, as with everything else the University is doing to support you, has been informed and shaped by the principle that we will not allow any student to be academically disadvantaged due to circumstances beyond their control (such as those relating to Covid-19). We are doing all that we can to ensure that you are well prepared for the next stage of your studies or, in the case of final-year students, so that you can receive the degree that you have worked for on time.

1. For ALL students (undergraduate and postgraduate taught): A summary of the supportive measures that are already in place for you:

We have moved to the online delivery of teaching and learning;
Where changes have needed to be made to your assessments, these have been, or will be very shortly, communicated to you by your academic area;
Our current University regulations are flexible and help in guarding against anyone being disadvantaged academically due to circumstances beyond their control;
Given the current exceptional situation, the University will be applying mitigating circumstances on your behalf for any modules that are failed during the remainder of the 2019-20 academic year. There is no need for you to submit either a mitigating circumstances claim, or related evidence for the remainder of the 2019-20 academic year. This means that, where a module is failed (including through non-submission) then you will have an opportunity to submit the relevant assessment(s) one further time on a ‘first-sit’ basis. This will be at the summer 2020 assessment point (with the assessment[s] for that module remaining those that have been confirmed following any changes made in response to the Covid-19 situation) or at the subsequent January 2021 assessment point (with the assessment[s] for that module being confirmed by your academic area in due course). We appreciate that you will be determined to continue to do all that you can in relation to completing and submitting your assessments; however, we also recognise that, for some of you, this may not possible for a range of reasons and, if so, we hope you will find this particular supportive measure reassuring;
We have emphasised the important principle of academic judgement. This means that staff will make appropriate decisions that take account of the challenging context in which you will be preparing for and undertaking these assessments (including, for example, your reduced access to learning resources);
Your programme team will do all that they can to assist you in relation to the academic work that you are being asked to undertake in a way that also helps you to have every opportunity to complete your studies successfully and without undue delay. They will be reasonable in reviewing module assessment submission dates and/or granting individual extensions for the submission of work. This also includes, in particular cases that are agreed and offered by your academic area due to the specifics of the subject that you are studying (e.g. performance, or practice, based subjects), the deferral of particular assessments until a later point (i.e. one of our set assessment points/windows – later in the summer this year, or at the next point/window in January 2021). If you agree with your academic area to defer until the next academic year, then the form of the assessment may revert back to its original form; however, we cannot guarantee this at present.

2. For undergraduate students: In addition to the above, we are now also introducing the following supportive measures.

Providing that you qualify to progress to the next level, or graduate, based on your marks obtained this year, including those obtained through assessments from the remainder of this current Semester 2 period, then we will ensure that your final academic year average is no less than the overall average that you have attained based on all of the other/remaining semesters that we would normally take in to account when calculating your degree award. In other words, and at whatever level or stage of your studies you are currently at, we will not allow your average from Semester 2 2019-20 to negatively impact on your overall degree result at the end of your programme of studies; if it does then we won’t include it and, instead, use the average of the other/remaining semesters when calculating your final degree result. If you achieve higher marks in assessments undertaken and submitted relating to the remainder of your Semester 2 study then you may be able to raise your mark for the year (and final average). Therefore, as long as you qualify to pass the year, completing remaining Semester 2 assessments can only be of benefit to you because we will not let the exceptional circumstances in which you are completing these assessments leave you with a mark below your overall average based on the other/remaining semesters that we would normally take in to account when calculating your degree result. In addition, for final year students in 2019/20, we will remove the requirement for your dissertation to be in the higher classification category when calculating your degree outcome. All individual student transcripts will be accompanied by a note, as required, to explain this;

3. For final-year undergraduate students undertaking and submitting their Dissertation/Individual Project (or equivalent) in Semester 2, 2019-20:

For final-year students who undertake and submit their Dissertation/Individual Project (or equivalent) in Semester 2 this academic year and receive a mark for that individual piece of work which is lower than their Semester 1 2019-20 average mitigating circumstances will apply and they will be given the following choice: (1) To accept the mark that they have been given and for their degree result to be calculated accordingly, or (2) To submit their Dissertation/Individual Project (or equivalent) one further time on a ‘first-sit’ basis and, if receiving a higher mark than on the previous attempt, for this mark to be used in calculating their degree result.

4. For students on particular programmes of study, including Postgraduate Taught (PGT) students:

We are continuing to develop our approach for students on particular programmes of study in the following situations:

Where the majority of your assessment is through modules that run across both semesters of the academic year;
Where your chosen programme of studies is subject to professional regulation (i.e. Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Bodies [PSRB] requirements). For those programmes recognised by professional bodies, there will still be a need to align with assessment guidance that they provide; this will be evident in the details that your academic areas will communicate to you regarding assessments;
Where students are on postgraduate-taught (PGT) programmes, such as Masters degrees, including those where assessments are normally due to be submitted in the autumn;
For PGT students undertaking and submitting their Dissertation/Individual Project (or equivalent) in the remainder of the 2019-20 academic year, we have introduced the following supportive measure: If you achieve a grade of at least ‘A’ in the majority of taught modules (equivalent to at least 120 credits), you will be awarded a Master’s degree with Distinction irrespective of the grade you achieve in your dissertation. Similarly, if you achieve a grade of at least ‘B’ in the majority of taught modules (equivalent to at least 120 credits), you will be awarded a Master’s degree with Merit, irrespective of the grade you achieve in your dissertation.

If any of these situations applies to you, your academic area (Programme Co-ordinator or Head/Director) will provide you with further guidance as soon as possible (if they have not already done so).

Of course, while this challenging time lasts, we may have to adapt our approach set out above so as to respond effectively to events as they unfold (including additional guidance from the Quality Assurance Agency and the Office for Students). We will communicate any further measures as clearly and openly as we can. We will adhere to both the principle of not allowing students to be disadvantaged academically due to circumstances beyond their control and our duty to maintain the standards of our awards. Accordingly, we will carry on doing our very best to respond to challenges as they arise.

Our hope is that the contents of this e-mail provide you with further reassurance and a sense of the University’s total commitment to your progression and success. We will continue to do everything that we possibly can to support you with all study related issues in as flexible a way as is possible and taking in to account the impact of the broader individual responsibilities and commitments that we know that you will have at this extraordinary time.

Once again, thank you for your understanding and for taking the time to read this communication.

With my very best wishes

Mark

Dr Mark Mason

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student Experience)

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Update - 30TH MARCH 2020 - From Mark Mason, Deputy Vice Chancellor

KEY POINTS:

The University will not allow any student to be academically disadvantaged due to circumstances beyond their control (such as those relating to Covid-19).
Primary communication will be via the relevant staff in your academic area; they are best placed by far to update you on how the remainder of your programme this academic year will be delivered and about any changes that have/are being made.
By the middle of this week you should know the specifics of all the assessments that you are being asked to undertake.
The University remain committed to the success of every student.
Given the current exceptional national and international situation, the University will be applying mitigating circumstances on your behalf for any modules that are failed during the remainder of the 2019-20 academic year.
There is no need for you to submit either a mitigating circumstances claim, or related evidence, for the remainder of the 2019-20 academic year.
Your programme team/lecturers will do all that they can to assist you in relation to the academic work set, in a way that also helps you to have every opportunity to learn, complete your studies successfully and without undue delay.
Stay safe, follow the Government Advice, together we will get through this.

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Dear Students

I am writing to give you an update on the work that is being done by staff at the University to support you with your academic studies (including arrangements for your learning and assessment) during the Covid-19 pandemic. Admittedly, this is a long communication but it contains information that I hope you will find helpful and reassuring; accordingly, I am asking you, please, to take the time to read it.

First, we recognise that this is an extremely challenging time for you, indeed for everyone. It is also completely understood and appreciated that each of us will be dealing with our own particular situations and have specific concerns and questions. Although no single institution has the definitive blueprint for dealing with the situation that we are in, I believe that we can, nevertheless, draw encouragement from the knowledge that our University community is characterised by staff and students working together and supporting each other to a high level; we will, I am confident, continue to do this to the best of our ability (recognising that – like any community and institution – we aren’t perfect but also that we never cease trying to act in accordance with our values) throughout this difficult season. As we do this please know that we are mindful of, and wishing for, the wellbeing of every student and member of staff (and their loved ones). In addition, and when it comes to your academic progression and success (at whatever stage of your studies that you are currently at – starting, finishing or mid-way), I want to emphasise that the University is guided by a very clear principle that is at the heart of our student-centred ethos: We will not allow any student to be academically disadvantaged due to circumstances beyond their control (such as those relating to Covid-19). Please be reassured that it is this principle that is guiding us as we seek to do all that we possibly can to support you and that informs everything in this e-mail.

Second, I want to thank you – the collective student body – for the way in which you are working and communicating with University staff, including those in the academic areas within which your programme of studies is located. I have seen a number of messages from individual students expressing gratitude for the support that they are receiving from these staff. I would like to join you in acknowledging my colleagues across the University for all that they are doing to support you, including delivering teaching and tutorials online as well as dealing with the inevitable queries that will arise. We are grateful for your ongoing support and understanding as staff in your academic areas finalise any remaining new arrangements in relation to your studies following the move to online delivery of teaching and learning that we have needed to make. Given that students at Chichester are studying different subjects, with specific and varying requirements (including assessment requirements), and will also be at different points with their studies, the primary way that we are choosing to communicate with you about arrangements is through the relevant staff in your academic area; they are best placed by far to update you on how the remainder of your programme this academic year will be delivered and about any changes that have/are being made. Therefore, and as and when you have any queries about your academic studies, please can I encourage you to contact your Module Co-ordinators, Programme Co-ordinator or, if necessary, Head or Director of area in the first instance. They will continue to respond to you as quickly as possible offering guidance, practical support and reassurance. If they haven’t already done so, staff in your academic area will, shortly, be confirming with you the assessments arrangements for each of your modules. In many cases, the assessment to be undertaken will remain the same as originally intended for each module. However, where – because of the specifics of the subject and/or module (to take one example: performance subjects/assessments) – changes have needed to be made to the assessment the University has put in place a process to approve this and in order to assure academic quality, standards and transparency. All academic areas will have completed this process by the early part of this week (a considerable achievement given the size and complexity of the task) and will communicate with you as required as soon as possible after that. What this means is that by the middle of this week you should know the specifics of all the assessments that you are being asked to undertake.

Third, I wanted to give you particular reassurance in relation to how the University will be approaching your academic progression and success this academic year. Again, the principle here is that we will not allow any student to be academically disadvantaged due to circumstances beyond their control. Some of you have contacted us about approaches that you have become aware other universities are taking with their students (and, here, I want to note that most universities are not cancelling assessments but, rather, like us, are changing their assessments towards tasks that can, where the subject being studied permits, be completed remotely). We are aware of some of these approaches. However, and as I am sure you will appreciate, different universities operate with different systems, regulations and calculations/algorithms in relation to academic achievement. Given this, what one university decides to do may not work/‘fit’, or be appropriate or necessary at another. At the University of Chichester, our student-centred approach (one that informs our academic regulations on various aspects of assessment and academic outcomes) has always operated on the principle that we will not allow students to be disadvantaged academically due to circumstances beyond their control. Please be assured that this principle, alongside the closely related one of the primacy of the academic judgement of your lecturers - who we are completely confident will make appropriate decisions throughout the assessment process - means that we are in a strong position to support you at what we appreciate is a worrying time. In summary, our current regulations and normal approach are flexible enough to guard against anyone being disadvantaged academically due to circumstances beyond their control. We remain committed to the success of every student.

Fourth, and notwithstanding all of the above, the University continues - on a daily basis - to review how we can best support students, (including considering guidance that is being issued for the whole higher-education sector). For example, we have ensured that for the remainder of this academic year we have an appropriate and streamlined process for agreeing mitigating circumstances (given the extreme nature of our current situation). This process is now as follows: Given the current exceptional national and international situation, the University will be applying mitigating circumstances on your behalf for any modules that are failed during the remainder of the 2019-20 academic year. Accordingly, there is no need for you to submit either a mitigating circumstances claim, or related evidence, for the remainder of the 2019-20 academic year. I know, of course, that you will be determined to continue to do all that you can in relation to completing and submitting your assessments but - if this is not possible - I hope you will find this decision reassuring. The University is committed to ensuring that we do all that we can to support you with all study related issues in as flexible a way as is possible and taking in to account the impact of the broader individual responsibilities and commitments that we know that you will have at this extraordinary time. In other words, your programme team/lecturers will do all that they can to assist you in relation to the academic work that you are being asked to undertake in a way that also helps you to have every opportunity to complete your studies successfully and without undue delay. This includes, to be agreed at the individual programme level, reasonable flexibility in relation to both specific whole module assessment submission dates and/or granting individual extensions for the submission of work (where the latter is requested by an individual). In addition to this, your programme team/lecturers will, if you request it, also help facilitate your communication with our library services and e-learning teams if you have any queries regarding accessing learning resources.

In conclusion, it is my hope that the contents of this e-mail provide you with reassurance and a sense of the University’s total commitment to your progression and success. We will continue to do everything that we possibly can to support you – as fellow members of this learning community we can, and should, do no less for each other – and, in so doing, emerge from this current challenge intact and together.

Thank you for your understanding and for taking the time to read this communication.

With my very best wishes

Mark

Dr Mark Mason

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student Experience)

Academic Updates

Update - 28TH April 2020 - From Mark Mason, Deputy Vice Chancellor

Update - 3rd April 2020 - From Mark Mason, Deputy Vice Chancellor

Update - 30TH MARCH 2020 - From Mark Mason, Deputy Vice Chancellor

UPDATE - 28TH APRIL 2020 - FROM MARK MASON, DEPUTY VICE CHANCELLOR

UPDATE - 3RD APRIL 2020 - FROM MARK MASON, DEPUTY VICE CHANCELLOR

ALL STUDENTS

Undergraduate Students

Final year students

For students on on particular programmes of study

Postgraduate Taught (PGT) Students

Update - 30TH MARCH 2020 - From Mark Mason, Deputy Vice Chancellor