Academic Quality Framework Chapter 12

Introduction

1. For every programme leading to an award of Northeastern University London (the University), Academic Board will appoint a Progression and Award Board to consider and approve the progression of students and 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 or the University’s Bootcamp courses, will be considered at a Progression and Award Board.
3. The Progression and Award Board 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 Progression and Award Board.
4. 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)

5. A Progression and Award Board (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.
6. 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.
7. PAB acts within and applies the University’s regulations.
8. 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 where a late submission penalty has been applied.
   7. Confirmation where the student is subject to an academic misconduct ruling.
   8. Confirmation where any recognition of prior learning credit has been awarded.
   9. Level averages to one decimal place and award classifications to one decimal place.
   10. A total of all credit points achieved by the student in the named programme in this and previous years.

Flagged Courses

9. 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%; or above 68%; and/or 25% of the students have failed the course.
10. 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.

PAB Order of Business

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

Membership and Terms of Reference of Progression and Award Boards

13. The terms of reference for PABs stipulate the membership, frequency and quorum of the meetings.
14. For full details of the membership of PAB , please see the assessment boards terms of reference in the Academic Handbook governance section, here.
15. The Chair for chairing the meetings of the PAB, appropriate weight is given to the comments of the External Examiners and confirm the final list of assessment results.
16. 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 meeting to those required to attend.
    3. The circulation of assessment 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.

Chair’s Action

17. Chair’s action may be used for:
    1. The input of marks not available prior to a PAB at which the student and/or course were not considered.
    2. Administrative correction of input and recording errors.
    3. Decisions regarding extenuating circumstances recorded as identified by Registry as in process at the time of the assessment board.
    4. Implementing academic appeal decisions reached through the University’s academic appeal procedures.
    5. When a student completed their programme of study (i.e., submits assessment) after the standard PAB schedule; 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.
    6. 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.
18. 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 of any student on the basis of appeal or complaint, unless the changes have been approved through the relevant PAB review process.
19. 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

20. Each PAB report lists the students with a proposed decision.
21. A complete assessment profile for each student is provided to the Board.
22. 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.
23. There are several possible decisions that may be made by the PAB regarding a student’s performance as follows:
    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
24. There are seven possible individual course outcomes:
    1. Pass
    2. Defer
    3. Refer
    4. Pass Compensated (See exemption list in AQF 7 Part C))
    5. Repeat Course
    6. Incomplete Course
    7. Chair’s Action
    8. Failed Final Attempt

Unscheduled Assessment Boards

25. 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 academic regulations AQF7.
26. Unscheduled PABs must be quorate and be preceded by standard arrangements for moderation and external examination.

Progression Board

27. 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. 
28. 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).
29. Decisions of the Progression Board will follow the University regulations, as per paragraph 23.

Confidentiality of Progression and Award Boards

30. All discussions at PABs shall be regarded as confidential, as will minutes of the meetings.
31. 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

32. Any examiner who has family or other personal connection to or relationship with any student other than the normal professional relations required by their role as a member of faculty shall declare that relationship and shall take no part in any discussion relating to that student’s performance. For more information, please see AQF 7 Part C: Assessment Regulations.

Disclosure of Assessment Marks to Students

33. 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.
34. 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

35. 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.
36. The criteria for appealing against a decision of PAB are detailed in the University’s Academic Appeals Policy.
37. The University will not consider appeals based solely on a student’s disagreement with the examiners’ academic judgment.

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