• Section 1 - Purpose
• Section 2 - Principles
• Section 3 - Application and Scope
• Section 4 - Eligibility for a Supplementary Assessment
• Section 5 - Administrative Arrangements for Supplementary Assessments
• Section 6 - Supplementary Assessment Marks and Grades
• Section 7 - Timing of Supplementary Assessments and Examinations
• Section 8 - Form of Supplementary Assessment
• Section 9 - Appeals
• Section 10 - Roles and Responsibilities
• Section 11 - Definitions

Section 1 - Purpose

(1) This Procedure provides a process for allowing some students who have failed a subject, but who were close to passing, with an opportunity to undertake additional assessment to pass the subject. 

(2) This Procedure does not apply where an application for Academic Consideration has been made. Refer to the Coursework Rules, the Student Academic Consideration Policy and the Finalisation of Student Results Policy for provisions relating to Academic Consideration and deferred examinations.

Section 2 - Principles

(3) The use of supplementary assessments is intended to:

1. provide greater scrutiny of students’ academic progress;
2. give greater attention to students at risk of failure and provide eligible students with a second opportunity to demonstrate that they have achieved the learning outcomes of the subject; and
3. provide a more transparent system of grading.

Section 3 - Application and Scope

(4) This Procedure applies to all undergraduate and postgraduate coursework subjects offered by the University of Wollongong.

(5) Subjects, such as professional experience subjects, which have been deemed as unsuitable for supplementary assessment by the Head of Academic Unit are exempt from this Procedure.

Section 4 - Eligibility for a Supplementary Assessment

(6) In accordance with the Coursework Rules, if a student who is awarded a mark of 49 or less, or is awarded a grade of TF (Technical Fail) in an undergraduate or a postgraduate coursework subject, they may be offered a supplementary assessment with the following provisions:

1. a student who gains a subject mark in the range 48 to 49 must be considered for a supplementary assessment;
2. a student who gains a mark of 47 or below, or is awarded a grade of TF, may be considered for supplementary assessment, on the recommendation of the Subject Coordinator and following endorsement by the Academic Unit Assessment Committee (if any); and
3. all offers of a supplementary assessment must be approved by the delegated authority, normally the Faculty Assessment Committee.

(7) In determining whether to make an offer of a supplementary assessment, the following factors will be taken into consideration:

1. the student’s overall academic performance;
2. whether there is evidence of improved performance by the student over the course of the subject;
3. whether there is a reasonable expectation, based on the student’s performance, that the student can achieve a pass in the subject if given the opportunity to undertake a supplementary assessment;
4. whether the student has attempted all assessment tasks;
5. the student’s demonstrated engagement with the subject;
6. whether the student is a potential graduand; and
7. any other relevant circumstances.

(8) Where the Faculty Assessment Committee determines not to offer a supplementary assessment to a student who receives a mark of 48 to 49 the reasons for this decision must be recorded in the Faculty Assessment Committee minutes to provide appropriate justification to the student upon request.

Section 5 - Administrative Arrangements for Supplementary Assessments

(9) Students must be advised in the Subject Outline when the use of supplementary assessments has been deemed unsuitable for the subject in accordance with clause 5. 

(10) At Release of Results, SOLS Mail will be used to notify students, who are to be offered a supplementary assessment, of that offer. 

(11) Where the supplementary assessment is by a centrally administered examination, during the supplementary and deferred examination period, the student’s attendance at the scheduled examination is considered to be an acceptance of the supplementary assessment offer.

(12) Students may provisionally enrol in a subject, if they are undertaking a supplementary assessment in a pre-requisite or co-requisite subject. If, following the supplementary assessment, the student receives a Fail or Technical Fail grade in the requisite subject, the student will be withdrawn from the next subject prior to the census date unless they obtain academic approval to waive the requisite.

Section 6 - Supplementary Assessment Marks and Grades

(13) Where a student is to be offered a supplementary assessment the original grade will be replaced in SMP by the grade WS (Withheld Supplementary).

(14) Where a student is to be offered a supplementary assessment, in the form of a supplementary examination administered by the Student Administration Services Division, the Faculty must notify the Student Administration Services Division.

(15) As per the Coursework Rules a student who achieves a subject mark of 48 - 49 and is not offered a supplementary assessment, or who does not attend an offered supplementary assessment, will receive their original mark and grade.

(16) A student who meets the minimum performance requirement for a supplementary assessment, in line with the assessment criteria or minimum mark for the task, will receive for the subject a mark of 50 and a grade of PS (Pass - Supplementary). It is not possible for a student to receive a mark greater than 50 for the subject where a supplementary assessment has been undertaken.

(17) A student who does not meet the minimum performance requirement for the supplementary assessment to pass the subject will receive their original mark and grade, including where the original grade was TF (Technical Fail). It is not possible for the student to be given a composite mark higher than their original composite mark if they do not meet the minimum performance requirement in the supplementary assessment.

Section 7 - Timing of Supplementary Assessments and Examinations

(18) The Student Administration Services Division will administer supplementary examinations during the supplementary and deferred examination period, as advised by the faculty.

(19) Where possible, the Faculty will administer supplementary examinations before or during the supplementary and deferred examination period.

(20) Where possible, the Faculty will administer supplementary assessments, which are not supplementary examinations, before or during the supplementary and deferred examination period.

(21) The Subject Coordinator or nominee will mark supplementary assessments and determine results in accordance with the timeframes stipulated in the Standards for the Finalisation of Student Results and the Teaching and Assessment: Assessment and Feedback Policy.

(22) To facilitate student progression it is recommended that supplementary assessments results be declared within a shorter timeframe to support students in managing any consequent enrolment requirements prior to the census date.

Section 8 - Form of Supplementary Assessment

(23) In the event that a student is offered a supplementary assessment, the particulars of the supplementary assessment will be determined by the Subject Coordinator, with the agreement of the Head of Academic Unit, based on the assessment task and related learning outcomes identified by the Academic Unit and/or Faculty Assessment Committee. 

(24) A student may be offered a supplementary assessment task that is in a different format to a task for which they failed to meet the minimum performance requirement e.g. a student who failed to achieve the minimum standard for an essay assessment task may be offered a supplementary examination as long as the learning outcomes are consistent.

(25) The supplementary assessment will replace in whole an identified piece of assessment (either the final examination or a previous assessment task), as determined by the Subject Coordinator. It must also be appropriate in terms of content and demonstrate that the student has met the learning outcomes of the subject.

(26) Supplementary assessments will be subject to the same quality assurance and approval processes as other forms of assessment, as set out in the Examination Rules and the Teaching and Assessment: Assessment and Feedback Policy.

Section 9 - Appeals

(27) A student who has a question or concern about a decision, act or omission of a member of UOW staff or committee that affects their academic experience should follow the steps set out in the Review and Appeal of Academic Decisions Policy. 

Section 10 - Roles and Responsibilities

(28) The Faculty is responsible for:

1. ensuring that supplementary assessments are available in all subjects offered by the Faculty, unless a subject has been identified as being unsuitable for supplementary assessment in accordance with clause 5;
2. administering supplementary assessments, which are not SSD-administered supplementary examinations, before or during the supplementary and deferred examinations period where possible; and
3. developing processes by which students receiving excessive PS grades can be identified as needing additional learning assistance.

(29) The Faculty Assessment Committee is responsible for:

1. making the final decision as to whether a student should be offered a supplementary assessment taking into account the factors in clause 7 of this Procedure; and 
   1. recording, in the Faculty Assessment Committee meeting minutes, the reasons why a supplementary assessment will be not offered to a student who receives a composite mark of 48 - 49.

(30) The Academic Unit Assessment Committee is responsible for:

1. endorsing as it deems appropriate the recommendation of the Subject Coordinator as to whether a student should be offered a supplementary assessment, taking into account the eligibility provisions in Section 4 of this Procedure.

(31) The Subject Coordinator is responsible for:

1. advising students in the Subject Outline where the use of supplementary assessment has been deemed unsuitable in that subject;
2. recommending students for supplementary assessment to the Academic Unit Assessment Committee or Faculty Assessment Committee for consideration, taking into account the eligibility provisions in Section 4 of this Procedure;
3. with the agreement of the Head of Academic Unit, determining the particulars of a supplementary assessment based on the original assessment task and related learning outcomes identified by the relevant Assessment Committee;
4. determining whether the supplementary assessment will replace in whole an identified piece of assessment (either the final examination or a previous assessment task); 
5. ensuring the appropriateness of the content and nature of the supplementary assessment and that it can demonstrate that the student has met the subject learning outcomes; and
6. the marking of supplementary assessments and releasing the results to students undertaking supplementary assessments in accordance with the timeframes specified in the Coursework Rules and the Teaching and Assessment: Assessment and Feedback Policy.

(32) The Student Administration Services Division is responsible for:

1. administering supplementary examinations during the supplementary and deferred examination period.

(33) Students are responsible for:

1. attending a scheduled supplementary examination during the Supplementary and Deferred Examinations Period; or
2. attending a scheduled Faculty supplementary examination or submitting another specified form of supplementary assessment to the faculty as specified by the Subject Coordinator.

Section 11 - Definitions