LEEDS BECKETT UNIVERSITY

Mitigation and Extenuating Circumstances

Quality Assurance Services

Aims of session • Overview • Process• Membership of University mitigation

panel • Remit of University mitigation panel• Case study exercise• Questions

OverviewIssues that prevent students from fully engaging with their course, submitting pieces of work, sitting exams, poor performance• Submission of extenuating circumstances

form• Mitigation at the point of assessment

(extension)• Mitigation considered by a panel

Purpose of a mitigation panel Purpose of a mitigation panel University authorises the establishment of

mitigation panels at scheme/ faculty level (may wish to undertake at partner/school level)

Purpose:• Consider extenuating circumstances• Make recommendations to the relevant

Board of Examiners i.e. accepted / rejected

Process

• At cognate subject area / partner level• As a minimum one per semester• Prior to Examination Committee • Feedback to students post panel meeting via

a letter • Decisions recorded on template for

recommendation to the Board of Examiners

Agenda of mitigation panel1. Membership and Attendance

2. Consideration and determination of requests for late submissions

3. Reporting of requests for mitigation at the point of assessment

4. Consideration of individual requests for extenuating circumstances

5. Arrangements for notification to Chairs of Boards of Examiners

6. Arrangements for the retention of appropriate documentation

7. AOB

8. Date of next meeting

Membership of mitigation panel

• A Chair (senior member of academic staff)• One experienced member of academic or

senior support staff external to the faculty/ school in which provision is located

• A minimum of two members of academic staff internal to the faculty/ school in which provision is located

• A secretary (student administration)

* All staff involved should be trained.

Outcomes of a Mitigation panel

Mitigation panels will consider the extenuating circumstances and will report to the relevant Board of Examiners:• Advise as to whether circumstances should be

accepted/ rejected • Categorise the seriousness; A, B, C • Identify the assessments which were affected • Note any spent extensions to avoid double

counting

Categories of mitigation A - Very serious - a range of options open to

the Board of Examiners

B - Sufficient to warrant deferral

C - Not sufficiently serious to warrant deferral

Disclosure• The precise nature of the extenuating

circumstances will NOT be disclosed to the Board of Examiners

• All discussion will remain confidential to the membership of the panel, except where a student late submits an appeal against a decision of a Board of Examiners

Documentation • Independent supporting documentary evidence

may include:- A medical certificate- A letter from a medical professional treating a

family member- A letter from an employer- A letter from a transport company e.g. bus/ rail - A statement from an academic member of staff

(at the request of the student)- A statement from a counsellor

Third party submission

There is provision for a third party to submit on behalf of the student where

it is not possible for the student to submit – normally due to a serious

medical condition.

Statement by staff There is provision for staff to present statements but these must be at the

behest of the student and not the member of staff.

These must be in writing and detailed information must be provided.

Case study scenarios

Resources• Academic Principles and Regulations: C15• Guidance on mitigation and extenuating circum

stances• Registration of Extenuating Circumstances for

Extension or Mitigation form • Franchise mitigation outcome letter • Outcomes of a mitigation panel template

Questions

collaborations@leedsbeckett.ac.uk