ADDITIONAL EXAM REQUIREMENTS at the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON

ADDITIONAL EXAM REQUIREMENTS at the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON Processes and Limitations Jackie Lupton 06 March 2015

UNIVERSITY STRUCTURE • Exams, Awards and Graduation team is part of Student and Academic Administration • Enabling Services – incorporating Mentoring, Counselling, Wessex Needs Assessment Centre, Learning Differences – are part of Student Services • No additional requirements are implemented unless recommended by Enabling Services • All Enabling Services recommendations are implemented unless student refuses them 2

STATISTICS • Semester 1 2015 - 952 students with additional exam requirements from 14902 students taking exams (6%) • Up to 6 rooms run by central team, individual ‘in schools’ – 70/30 split • 37 different types of recommendations can be made although only 14 used regularly 3

STATISTICS - TRENDS AER trends 2009 -2014 - Semesters 1 + 2 2500 Number of students 2000 1500 Number of AERs 1000 500 0 200910 201011 201112 Academic year 201213 201314 4

STATISTICS - TRENDS AER trends 2009 -2014 - dyslexia vs other 1200 1163 Number of exam instances 1100 1090 1000 1074 992 991 900 800 700 665 652 694 Dyslexia Other 600 500 430 403 300 200910 201011 201112 Academic year 201213 201314 5

TYPES OF RECOMMENDATIONS AND RESOURCE • 37 different types of recommendations • Students seated by exam finish time to minimise disruption • Cut off date of three weeks before exams EXCEPT for broken limbs, acute mental health problems • PC provided for those students who find it difficult to write • Most mobility problems are dealt with ‘in school’ as requirements for rest breaks, specific furniture etc. 6

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PROCESSES – SCHEDULING AND SET UP • Students are assessed by Enabling Services, based on student declaration on entry or at start of term • Information entered on customised form on student record system (Banner) • Information downloaded to scheduling software (Exam Scheduler) • Student scheduled according to recommendation • Paperwork provided (exam paper, attendance list) 8

PROCESS - RESOURCES • 160+ hours for preparation, 90+ hours for implementation • Scheduling and prep starts 2 months before exam period • Up to 6 lecture theatres/seminar rooms used for Registry run exams plus AER training for all invigilators who have worked more than 1 exam period • Individual rooms used in faculties for ‘in schools’ • Invigilation costs £ 5000+ per semester 9

LIMITATIONS • Time delay in assessment, especially at beginning of term • Late recommendations • Students often say they do not need the requirements (about 15%) • Recommendation types are variable • Ever-decreasing space • Trends difficult to forecast 10

QUESTIONS? ? 11