Mitigating Circumstances 2011-12
A form must be submitted for every request for Mitigating Circumstances to be taken into account, and must be submitted as soon as possible after the event/illness has occurred, but a final deadline for applications is as follows:
Applications relating to Semester 1 assessed coursework/presentations/in-class tests should ideally be submitted before the deadline, but if this is not possible the application should be received no later than 7 days after the deadline for the piece of work. Applications and evidence relating to the Semester 1 Examination period must be received no later than 30 January 2012
Applications relating to Semester 2 assessed coursework/presentations/in-class tests should ideally be submitted before the deadline, but if this is not possible the application should be received no later than 7 days after the deadline for the piece of work. Applications and evidence relating to the Semester 2 Examination period must be received no later than 11 June 2012.
Applications and evidence relating to Coursework and Examinations taken during the August examination period must be received no later than 3 September 2012.
Mitigating Circumstances FAQs:
Does the University offer any support for students with Mitigating Circumstances?
If you are affected by Mitigating Circumstances you may wish to consider the University Counselling Service and Student Guidance Service who can offer help and support to all students. For further information on the services they provide please refer to the following links:
It is not the role of the Mitigating Circumstances Committee to assess your potential, but the likely effect of any unforeseen circumstances on your actual performance in examinations or assessed coursework.
What will be considered as Mitigating Circumstances affecting Examinations or Assessed Coursework?
It is important to remember that, in order to qualify for consideration, the adverse circumstances or events must be unforeseeable or unpreventable as far as you are concerned, and sufficiently disruptive to have a significant adverse effect on your academic performance in an examination or your ability to complete assignments by the due date.
Circumstances or events that merit consideration may include:
· Suffering a serious illness or injury;
· The death or critical/significant illness of a close family member/dependant;
· Family crises or major financial problems leading to acute stress;
· Unplanned absence arising from such things as jury service or maternity, paternity or adoption leave.
What will not be considered as Mitigating Circumstances affecting Examinations or Assessed Coursework?
Circumstances or events that would not normally merit consideration include:
· Holidays, moving house and events that were planned or could reasonably have been expected;
· Assessments that are scheduled close together or on the same day;
· Misreading the timetable for examinations or otherwise misunderstanding the requirements for assessment;
· Inadequate planning or time management;
· Failure, loss or theft of a computer or printer that prevents submission of work on time: students should back up work regularly and not leave completion so late that they cannot find another computer or printer;
· Consequences of paid employment (except in some special cases for part-time students);
· Exam stress or panic attacks not diagnosed as illness;
· Sporting Commitments;
· Minor disruption in an examination room during the course of an assessment
· Last-minute or careless travel arrangements.
Please Note : For the avoidance of doubt, pregnancy is not considered to be an illness but an altered state of normality, so that unless the woman has an illness she decides how near to the birth she will work. However, events may arise during pregnancy that may constitute mitigating circumstances, and these will be considered on an individual basis. Please note that UK legislation does not allow a woman to work in the first two weeks following the birth.
How do I make an application for Mitigating Circumstances to be taken into account by the Board of Examiners and what evidence should I provide?
The online form (link below) should be completed as soon as possible after the unforseen circumstances. If you are requesting an extension to an assessed coursework deadline your application should ideally be submitted before the deadline date.
- To support your application you must also submit independent third-party supporting or corroborative documentation separately to the Undergraduate Assessment Coordinator. The nature of such documentation will vary according to the nature of the circumstances, but it must sufficiently independent to confirm the veracity of the case you are making (e.g. a letter or medical certificate signed by a medical practitioner, a document from an outside agency etc.). If you are unsure about what evidence to provide please contact Anne Thompson (anne.g.thompson@manchester.ac.uk) for advice. Information of a confidential nature should be included in a sealed envelope.
- It is imperative that supporting evidence is provided, and your application cannot be discussed until evidence is received. If supporting evidence has not been received within a maximum of 4 weeks after your application was submitted, it will be refused and no further action will be taken.
- Please note that if you submit supporting documentation that is found to be fraudulent/forged disciplinary action can be taken against you.
What if I want to submit a late application?
- You must submit the form as soon as possible and always before the beginning of an examination period, except for circumstances arising during the course of that assessment period, in which case the application must be made by the deadlines outlined above.
- Late requests for mitigation will not be considered without a credible and compelling explanation as to why the application was not made at the appropriate time.
- Requests made after the publication of results will be treated as appeals under Regulation XIX, but again there should be a credible and compelling explanation as to why you did not bring the circumstances to the attention of your School at an earlier stage.
- Academic and Administrative staff are here to help you. We understand that students may be reluctant to discuss personal problems, but please bear in mind that whatever you disclose to us will be kept confidential. For this reason reluctance to disclose problems cannot be considered as sufficient justification for submitting a late application for mitigating circumstances.
I have been affected by Mitigating Circumstances and need a deadline extension, who should I talk to?
Individual tutors and course unit convenors are not empowered to grant deadline extensions. You can only apply for an extension to a submission deadline via the Mitigating Circumstance procedure and filling in the web-form (below).
Applications for extensions to assessed coursework deadlines will only normally be accepted if they are submitted before the original deadline, but certainly no later than 7 days after the deadline has passed.
If you apply for a deadline extension, unless your circumstances completely prevent you from doing so, you should continue working on your assessed coursework with a view to submitting it as soon as possible. If your application is accepted by the Committee you will be contacted by email to confirm your new deadline date as soon as possible.
I have been affected by Mitigating Circumstances. If my application is accepted will my marks be changed?
Mitigation will not result in the changing of any marks, unless penalties for late submission are waived after an assignment has already been marked. Instead, mitigation may result in some marks being disregarded and the assessment being excused because it was adversely affected. You may also be given a mark for a whole unit based on your performance in the parts that were not adversely affected. Mitigation may also mean treating your overall performance as borderline even though the marks you obtained would not normally be high enough, and so considering you for a more favourable result such as a higher degree class.
Can I submit my Assessed Coursework by post?
All coursework must be submitted in person to the School Reception (Room S3.8 Samuel Alexander Building) unless prior permission has been granted as a result of Mitigating Circumstances. In this case you must obtain a receipt or proof of postage.
How will I find out about the result of my application?
The results of the deliberation of the Mitigating Circumstances Committee are not communicated to students as a matter of course due to the high volume of applications we receive. However, you can contact the Undergraduate Manager or the Undergraduate Assessment Coordinator on an individual basis to request the decision relating to your case.
I cannot access the online version of the Mitigating Circumstances Form, what should I do?
If you are having difficulties accessing the online version of the form please contact Anne Thompson (anne.g.thompson@manchester.ac.uk) or Fiona Hallard (fiona.hallard@manchester.ac.uk)
NOTE: ONLY COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING FORM IF YOU ARE A STUDENT OF THE SCHOOL OF LANGUAGES, LINGUISTICS AND CULTURES. IF YOU ARE NOT, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR HOME SCHOOL.
Click here for the Mitigating Circumstances on-line form