Code of Practice for Teaching, Learning and Assessment

Student responsibilities

Each student has a responsibility:

• to be familiar with both the legislative and other requirements for the degree as set out in the faculty handbook, or included in any other published departmental and faculty guidelines
• to ensure that all administrative requirements of the faculty and University, such as re-enrolling each year, are met
• to adhere to attendance and assessment requirements that are prescribed by the University, faculty and department
• to adhere to the relevant by-laws and rules relating to ethical behaviour and good conduct.

Departmental responsibilities

These responsibilities are those of the head of department. They may however in many instances be delegated to an undergraduate co-ordinator or be exercised through a departmental committee. Such delegations must be clearly defined.

The Department has the responsibility:

• to encourage staff to participate in workshops, seminars and for relating to teaching (including those that relate to teaching cross culturally and acquiring skills in non-discriminatory teaching practice), learning and assessment organised by departments, faculties, clinical schools and/or the Institute for Teaching and Learning
• to provide no later than the end of the first week of the commencement of a subject accurate written information concerning all relevant aspects of chosen subjects and to further provide written advice of the aims and objectives of each course, attendance and class requirements, the methods of assessment to be used and the weighting of that assessment
• to return assessed written work (excluding examination scripts) within a reasonable time with comments appropriate to the assessment
• to ensure that all assessment is appropriately related to the objectives of the subject
• to grant special consideration or make special arrangements where performance is adversely affected by documented illness, disability or other serious cause
• to provide access by appointment to academic staff outside timetabled class time
• where appropriate to have students on departmental committees, who will be provided with the same information as other committee members, to enable them to be as effective as possible
• to ensure that courses use relevant teaching and learning strategies, including, where appropriate, contemporary information and learning technology tools.

School and Faculty responsibilities

The School and Faculty have the responsibility:

• to ensure that applicants for admission to candidature are properly qualified with respect to the minimum requirements for entry to the program concerned and with respect to the particular course of study proposed
• to ensure the appropriate timing of compulsory subjects and the availability of sufficient optional subjects so that a student passing all subjects at the first attempt may complete the course of study within the specified minimum time
• to contribute to course, academic staff and curriculum development through conducting regular evaluation processes, including student evaluations. Reports on the results of student evaluations will be made available to the students in relation to curriculum development activities
• where appropriate to have students on faculty or college committees, who will be provided with the same information as other committee members, to enable those students to be as effective as possible
• to adhere to the procedures laid down by the Academic Board for developing new programs or making major changes to existing programs
• regularly review assessment practices.

The University's responsibilities

The University has the responsibility:

• to ensure that appropriate University policies in respect of undergraduate teaching learning and assessment are developed, kept under review and are effectively promulgated
• to abide by the University's policies on occupational health and safety so that students study and work in a safe and healthy environment
• to ensure that adequate support services and hardware resources are available in such areas as learning assistance and information technology
• to ensure that adequate development opportunities in teaching, learning and assessment practices are available to teachers of undergraduates through the Institute for Teaching and Learning, and/or through programs developed by departments, faculties and clinical schools
• to ensure that clear policies exist with respect to the intellectual property rights of students and that students are aware of those rights
• to ensure that all students are free in all matters relevant to enrolement, assessment and membership of the University community from discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, gender, age, political or sexual preference, marital status, religion, disability or personal beliefs
• to uphold the AVCC Guidelines for Effective University Teaching
• to have students on appropriate University committees, who will be provided with the same information as all other committee members, to enhance their effectiveness
• to uphold information privacy principles relevant to personal student information in accordance with the University's policy on privacy and current legislation, including Freedom of Information
• to provide a timetabled study vacation period of at least one week before each end of semester examination period– except in those faculties where this practice is inappropriate
• to ensure a quality learning environment, including appropriate and properly maintained facilities.