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Community Engaged Learning At-Risk Procedures

This is not a current document. It has been repealed and is no longer in force.

Section 1 - Purpose and Scope

(1) The purpose of this Procedure is to support implementation of the Community Engaged Learning Policy. It provides an approved mechanism for designated officers of the University to manage at risk situations within Community Engaged Learning (CEL) units by:

  1. preventing a student from undertaking CEL;
  2. withdrawing a student from CEL; or
  3. placing conditions on the student's further participation in CEL;
  4. protecting students from unfair treatment; and
  5. ensuring procedural fairness;
where issues of Conduct, Performance, or Student Security arise.

Scope

(2) This Procedure applies to:

  1. all students; and
  2. all staff who administer or coordinate CEL.
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Section 2 - Definitions

(3) The Academic Board's Definitions Policy applies to this document in conjunction with the definitions specified in this Section 2.

(4) Conduct:

  1. the professional conduct of the student is, or may be, of a lesser standard than:
    1. required under a CEL agreement;
    2. might reasonably be expected by the public or professional peers; or
    3. by reference to documented professional standards.

(5) Notifiable Conduct:

  1. means when a student has:
    1. practised their profession while intoxicated by alcohol or drugs; or
    2. engaged in sexual misconduct in connection with their profession; or
    3. placed the public at risk of substantial harm in their practice because they have an impairment; or
    4. placed the public at risk of harm during the practice because of a significant departure from professional standards.

(6) Performance:

  1. the knowledge, skill or judgment possessed, or care exercised, by the student in the practice of their profession is, or may be, below the standard reasonably expected of a practitioner of an equivalent level of training or experience.

(7) Community Engaged Learning (CEL)

  1. is as defined in the Academic Board's Definitions Policy. It includes all of the CEL descriptors used variously used by the University's Faculties and Colleges such as:
    1. Clerkship;
    2. Clinical Placement
    3. Fieldwork;
    4. Internship;
    5. Placement; Practicum;
    6. Professional and Industry Placement;
    7. Work Experience; and
    8. Work Integrated Learning.

(8) Student Security:

  1. means a student's safety, wellbeing or fair treatment is at risk for any reason, including where the student:
    1. witnesses;
    2. is asked to participate in; or
    3. is subject to;
illegal, unprofessional or unethical acts by a third party while on CEL.
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Section 3 - Procedures

(9) Determinations made under this Procedure are appealable as prescribed within this document and any applicable University Rules, Policies or Procedures.

Part A - Initial Notification - General

(10) Notice that a student may be Not Fit for Practice should be directed by any person to the relevant CEL Coordinator for provisional assessment on Performance, Conduct or Student Security grounds.

(11) Upon receiving notification and before making a determination the CEL Coordinator must:

  1. for all cases:
    1. notify the student that a notice concerning them has been received;
    2. extend an opportunity to the student to provide his or her version of events either verbally or in written form;
    3. examine relevant documentation;
    4. interview relevant parties where necessary; and
    5. seek clarification on information supplied from the relevant parties where required; and
  2. for Conduct concerns, additionally apply clause (13).

(12) Both the notifier and the respondent are entitled to invite a support person or a neutral third party to attend any interviews or meetings conducted during the determination process. The support person can be a fellow student, staff member, friend, family member or a representative of a Student Association and may contribute to any discussion where invited to do so by CEL Coordinator. The support person may not act as an advocate or a lawyer for the complainant.

Additional Procedures for Conduct Related Concerns

(13) Conduct which presents a risk in a Community Engaged Learning setting must be evaluated against the definition of Non-Academic Misconduct contained within the Student Misconduct Rules to determine whether this procedure or the Student Misconduct Rules must be applied.

  1. This Procedure will be used instead of the Student Misconduct Rules only where the threshold of misconduct falls below that defined in the Student Misconduct Rules. For example, persistent failure to adhere to dress standards defined in the Community Engaged Learning agreement.

Part B - Determination

(14) Subject to any additional requirements established at clauses (13), when the CEL Coordinator is satisfied that all parties have been presented sufficient opportunity to present their perspectives, they may elect to:

  1. dismiss the notification (no further action required);
  2. prevent the student from beginning the CEL; or
  3. place the student on a Developmental Support Plan (or similarly termed learning contract) for a specified time frame within the period of the CEL or for the remaining duration of the CEL; and/or
  4. relocate the student to a different CEL setting to complete the CEL, including to:
    1. a different class/classes/work-area in the same school/centre/institution; or
    2. to a different school/centre/institution for a specified period; or
  5. terminate the CEL without providing the student with an option of a Development Support Plan under clause (14)c or terminate the CEL during or at the end of the specified review period determined in a Developmental Support Plan; and/or
  6. provide notification of the student's behaviour to any third party required by law, regulation, or code;
  7. permit a student to complete the CEL coursework even though they are unfit to undertake the practical component of the CEL, allowing the student to be awarded an Incomplete grade in the CEL unit until such times as they are fit to undertake the CEL.

(15) Termination of a CEL as per clause (14)e will automatically result in a Fail Grade being awarded for the relevant unit. In these circumstances, the CEL Coordinator will advise the student of the factors that led to this decision and their appeal rights at the earliest opportunity (refer clause (24)).

(16) Where a student is prevented from beginning the CEL as per clause (14)b, no grade will be recorded.

Development Support Plan (or similar)

(17) In the event a student is placed on a Development Support Plan (or similar) as per clause (14)c:

  1. the placement mentor and/or University Liaison (as variously defined within the University’s Faculties and Colleges) must verbally or in writing notify the student that they are 'at risk' of failing the CEL and outline the factors that led to this decision;
  2. the placement mentor and/or University Liaison will prepare a Developmental Support Plan (DSP) which will be ratified by the CEL Coordinator and provided to the student at the earliest opportunity;
  3. if the student is placed on a Developmental Support Plan (DSP) for a specified period of time during the CEL, the student's ability to satisfy the requirements as set out in the DSP will be reviewed by the placement mentor, in consultation with the University Liaison during and at the expiry of the specified review period;
  4. if it is deemed that the student has not fulfilled the requirements of the DSP during or at the end of the specified review period, the CEL will be terminated in terms of clause (14)e and the student may not be afforded the option to relocate to another class or school/centre/institution in terms of clause (14)d;
  5. if the student is placed on a DSP for the remainder of the CEL or relocated to another class or school/centre/institution in terms of clause (14)d, the placement mentor and/or University Liaison shall evaluate the Student's performance as either satisfactory or unsatisfactory on completion of the CEL.

Assessment on Completion of Development Support Plan

(18) In the circumstances where the student is afforded the opportunity to complete the CEL under clause (14)c, the CEL Coordinator, in conjunction with the Course Coordinator, will determine at the conclusion of the CEL whether the student has satisfied the requirements for passing the CEL and may decide to:

  1. require the student to undertake additional remedial work including, if warranted, a repeat CEL; or
  2. advise the student that a Pass grade for the Professional Experience unit will be recommended to the Associate Dean (Education); or
  3. advise the student that a Fail grade for the Professional Experience unit will be recommended to the Associate Dean (Education).

(19) For the purposes of clause (18), the CEL Coordinator and Course Coordinator may determine to note, but not accept, the evaluation of the Mentor and/or University Liaison.

Part C - Appeal

Appeal: Student Prevented from Beginning CEL

(20) A student may appeal to the relevant Associate Dean (Education) against a determination made under (14)b on the grounds that the determination was inappropriately or unreasonably applied.

(21) A request stating clearly the reasons why the determination was inappropriately or unreasonably applied must be submitted in writing to the Associate Dean (Education) within (10) working days of the determination made under clause (14)b.

(22) The Associate Dean (Education) will review the evidence presented, and may make any additional enquiries as reasonably necessary in the circumstances.

(23) When satisfied they have considered the relevant evidence, the Associate Dean (Education) will determine whether the student may or may not commence the CEL at that time (subject to course progression requirements (previously called Specific Award Rules).

Appeal: Fail Grade

(24) If a decision is made to terminate a student's participation in a CEL or recommend a Fail grade be awarded under clause (18)c, the CEL Coordinator shall advise the student about appeal processes available under the Rules Relating to Awards Rule 3 Section 14 and Section 15.

Appeal: Maintaining Enrolment

(25) The University will maintain a student's enrolment while an appeal is ongoing and immediately implement any decision and/or corrective and preventative action required.

Part D - Re-enrolment, Course Progression and Exclusion

(26) Where a student is prevented from beginning CEL under clause or (14)b, or where an Incomplete grade is recorded under clause (14)g, they may apply to the relevant Associate Dean (Education) for permission to participate in subsequent CEL units on the basis that the relevant circumstances have changed and the determination should no longer apply.

(27) The student must provide relevant evidence in support of their application.

(28) The decision to admit the student to the CEL will be at the discretion of the relevant Associate Dean (Education) in consultation with the CEL Coordinator.

(29) The maximum time period to apply under clause (26) is the lesser of:

  1. 12 months from the date of the determination made under clause (14)b; or
  2. up until the date when the student becomes unable to complete the course within any maximum duration prescribed in the relevant Course Requirements (previously called Specific Award Rules).

(30) A student who for whatever reason receives a grade of Fail for a CEL unit shall not have an automatic right of re-enrolment in the unit. Permission to re-enrol in a professional placement unit is subject to the exclusion provisions of the Rules Relating to Awards Rule 2 Section 10.

Part E - Record Keeping

(31) All relevant documentation shall be held in the student's Faculty or College file, pending any subsequent appeal processes.

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Section 4 - Guidelines

(32) Nil.