THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
 
Programs and Awards Statute 2006
 
ACADEMIC PROGRESS RULES 2007
 
The Council of the Australian National University makes these Rules under section 8 of the Programs and Awards Statute 2006.
 
Dated: 27 July 2007.
 
 
 
 
 
Allan Hawke
Chancellor
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1       Name of Rules and commencement
1(1)     These Rules are the Academic Progress Rules 2007.
(2)       These Rules commence on the day after they are registered.
2       Interpretation
2(1)     In these Rules:
Academic Progress Committee means the Committee established under subrule 17(1).
award means Professional Doctorate, degree, diploma or certificate offered by the University.
combined program means a program leading to the award of 2 degrees.
course means a subject of scholarly study taught:
(a)     in a connected series of classes or demonstrations; or
(b)     by means of practical work, including the production by candidates of essays or theses or case studies or the attendance and participation by candidates in seminars or workshops.
Course Authority, for a course, means the person in charge of a course, appointed under rule 4.
course code means the alphanumeric code used within the University to identify uniquely a particular course.
Delegated Authority means a person appointed under rule 3.
enrol includes re-enrol, and enrolment has a corresponding meaning.
equivalent course is any course declared by the relevant Course Authority to have a sufficient similarity of content to another course, despite having a different title or different course code.
non-award program means a course of study that does not lead to an award.
program means a course of study, or a series of courses of study, leading to an award, or a non-award program, as the case requires.
student means a student who is or was enrolled (as the case requires) in a program.
(2)       A reference in these Rules to a particular course includes a reference to an equivalent course.
[Note: These Rules apply in relation to both graduate and undergraduate awards.]
3       Delegated Authority: appointment etc
3(1)     An ANU College Dean may appoint a person to be a Delegated Authority for the purposes of these Rules.
(2)       The Delegated Authority must take reasonable steps to ensure that the operation of these Rules are applied consistently and fairly within the academic area concerned.
4       Course Authority: appointment
4(1)     An ANU College Dean, or the appropriate Delegated Authority, may appoint a person to be a Course Authority for a course offered by the University in that College.
5       Repeated failure in course
5(1)     If a student fails a course twice, the student must apply to obtain the approval of the Course Authority before re-enrolling in the course.
[Note: Failure includes N, NCN and WN and takes no account of the program in which the course is taken.] 
(2)       A Course Authority may approve, conditionally approve or refuse to approve a student’s application to re-enrol in a course.
(3)       If the Course Authority refuses to approve a student’s application to re-enrol in a course, the Course Authority must specify the duration of that refusal.
6       Notice
6(1)     A student to whom subrule 5(1) applies must be advised of the decision in relation to his or her application and of his or her appeal rights.
(2)       Advice under subrule (1) in relation to appeal rights may be given to an individual student or generally and must contain information about to whom the appeal must be made and the address to which the appeal must be sent.
7       Appeal after re-enrolment in course refused
7(1)     A student whose application under subrule 5(1) to re-enrol in a course is refused may appeal to the ANU College Dean responsible for the course to determine the matter.
[Note: If a student is refused permission to re-enrol in a compulsory component of a program, that may effectively terminate the student’s participation in the program.]
(2)       An appeal must be in writing and must be lodged with the ANU College Dean not later than 14 days after the date on which the notice of refusal was sent to the student, or within any further period that the College Dean allows.
(3)       At an appeal, the ANU College Dean must consider any statement of the student in relation to the appeal and any other matters that the College Dean considers relevant.
(4)       An appeal is to be conducted in such manner as the ANU College Dean conducting the appeal determines.
(5)       The ANU College Dean may decide the appeal with or without a formal hearing, but if the appeal is to be decided after a formal hearing:
              (a)   the student is entitled to appear in person at the hearing; and
              (b)   in default of the appearance of the student at the time and place fixed for the hearing, the hearing may proceed in the absence of the student; and
              (c)   the student is entitled to present to the hearing oral or written statements (whether made by the student or another person); and
              (d)   the student may, in addition to or instead of appearing in person at the appeal, furnish to the hearing a written statement in relation to the appeal (whether made by the student or another person); and
              (e)   the student is entitled to be accompanied at the hearing by another person who may observe the proceedings but not act as an advocate unless expressly invited to do so by the College Dean.
8       Grounds for appeal
8(1)     The grounds for an appeal are as follows:
              (a)   severe illness or medical condition (documentary evidence of which must be lodged with the appeal);
              (b)   harshness of the effect of refusing to approve the request to re-enrol in the course;
              (c)   harshness of the effect of a decision that excludes the student from the program;
              (d)   special circumstances set out in the appeal.
9       Decision on appeal
9(1)     The ANU College Dean may uphold the appeal or dismiss the appeal and, if the College Dean upholds the appeal, the College Dean may:
              (a)   permit re-enrolment in the course; or
(b)permit re-enrolment in the course conditionally; or
(c)    refuse re-enrolment in the course for a period specified by the College Dean.
[Note: If a student is refused permission to re-enrol in a compulsory component of a program, that may effectively terminate the student’s participation in the program.]
(2)       The decision of the ANU College Dean is final.
10     Graduate coursework: failure to maintain satisfactory standard
10(1) A student undertaking graduate coursework who fails one or more courses attempted in a semester (including a session) of enrolment is considered to have failed to maintain a satisfactory standard of academic progress in his or her program.
[Note: It is intended that, for this rule, First Semester includes courses taken in Summer Session and Second Semester includes courses taken in Winter and Spring Sessions.]
(2)       A student who is considered to have failed to maintain a satisfactory standard of academic progress in his or her program must be notified as soon as practicable, in writing, of that fact.
(3)       However, the relevant ANU College Dean may, by Order, determine that a student undertaking graduate coursework who fails one or more courses at a first attempt in a semester (including a session) of enrolment in a program is to be considered to have failed to maintain a satisfactory standard of academic progress in his or her program and may be excluded by the Delegated Authority from the program.
(4)       If a student to whom subrule 10(1) applies fails, for a second time, one or more courses in a semester (including a session) of enrolment, he or she is considered to have failed to maintain a satisfactory standard of academic progress in his or her program and may be excluded by the Delegated Authority from the program.
11     Graduate coursework: failure to achieve results at specified level
11(1)   A student undertaking graduate coursework who fails to achieve results in the courses in the program for which he or she has enrolled at the level specified in the Orders for continuation in the program, is considered to have failed to maintain a satisfactory standard of academic progress in his or her program and may be excluded from the program by the Delegated Authority.
12     Graduate coursework: grading Fail for program
12(1)   A student undertaking graduate coursework who fails to achieve results in the courses in the program for which he or she has enrolled at the level specified in the Orders for the award to be granted, is considered to have failed to maintain a satisfactory standard of academic progress in his or her program and is to be graded Fail for the program by the Delegated Authority.
(2)       A student undertaking graduate coursework who is required to submit a research thesis who fails the examination and any subsequent resubmission and re-examination of the thesis, is to be graded Fail for the program.
13     Graduate coursework: appeal after exclusion from program or graded Fail
13(1)   If a student is to be graded Fail for a program under subrule 12(1) or (2), or excluded from a program under subrule 10(3) or (4) or rule 11, the student must be given written notice, as soon as practicable, of the grade or exclusion.
(2)       A notice under this rule must set out the right of the student to whom it is addressed to appeal against the decision in writing to the relevant ANU College Dean and tell the student to whom an appeal must be sent.
(3)       The appeal must set out the grounds on which it is made and, in particular, include a statement demonstrating why the student should be permitted to continue in the program, or should not be graded Fail for the program, and must be lodged with the person mentioned in subrule (2) not later than 14 days after the date on which the notification of the exclusion was sent to the student or within such further time that the ANU College Dean allows.
(4)       The ANU College Dean must decide the appeal, and must notify the appellant of the decision, within 20 days after the day on which the appeal is lodged.
(5)       The ANU College Dean may decide the appeal with or without a formal hearing, but if the appeal is to be decided after a formal hearing:
              (a)   the student is entitled to appear in person at the hearing; and
              (b)   in default of the appearance of the student at the time and place fixed for the hearing, the hearing may proceed in the absence of the student; and
              (c)   the student is entitled to present to the hearing oral or written statements (whether made by the student or another person); and
              (d)   the student may, in addition to or instead of appearing in person at the inquiry, furnish to the hearing a written statement in relation to the appeal (whether made by the student or another person); and
              (e)   the student is entitled to be accompanied at the hearing by another person who may observe the proceedings but not act as an advocate unless expressly invited to do so by the College Dean.
14     Graduate coursework: decision on appeal
14(1)   The ANU College Dean may uphold an appeal or dismiss the appeal, and, in upholding the appeal, may:
              (a)   permit the student to re-enrol in the program; or
              (b)   permit the student to re-enrol in the program conditionally; or
              (c)   require the student to take leave of absence from the program for a period determined by the College Dean; or
              (d)   determine that the student be admitted to an alternate program.
 (2)      The decision of the ANU College Dean in a particular case is final.
15     Undergraduate coursework: failure to maintain satisfactory standard
15(1)   A student undertaking undergraduate coursework who fails more than 50% of the unit value of the courses attempted in a semester (including a session) of enrolment is considered to have failed to maintain a satisfactory standard of academic progress in his or her program.
[Note: It is intended that, for this rule, First Semester includes courses taken in Summer Session and Second Semester includes courses taken in Winter and Spring Sessions.]
(2)       However, a student in the School of Art or Music who at any stage fails his or her major study (within the meaning of the relevant Order published in the Undergraduate Handbook) is considered to have failed to maintain a satisfactory standard of academic progress in his or her program and may be excluded by the Delegated Authority from the program.
(3)       Also, a student in the ANU Medical School must reach a satisfactory standard (within the meaning of the relevant Order published in the Undergraduate Handbook) in all assessment tasks and courses before being permitted to progress to the next level of study.
[Note: The ANU Medical School has its own review processes and matters in relation to that School are not usually referred to the Academic Progress Committee.]
(4)       A student who is considered to have failed to maintain a satisfactory standard of academic progress in his or her program must be notified as soon as practicable, in writing, of that fact.
(5)       A student undertaking undergraduate coursework who, for the second time, fails more than 50% of the unit value of the courses attempted in a semester (including a session) of enrolment is considered to have failed to maintain a satisfactory standard of academic progress in his or her program and may be excluded by the Delegated Authority from the program.
16     Undergraduate coursework: appeal after exclusion from program
16(1)   If a student is to be excluded from a program under subrule 15(2), (3) or (5), the student must, as soon as practicable, be given written notice of the exclusion.
(2)       A notice under this rule must set out the right of the student to whom it is addressed to appeal against the decision in writing to the relevant ANU College Dean and tell the student to whom an appeal must be sent.
(3)       The appeal must set out the grounds on which it is made and, in particular, include a statement demonstrating why the student should be permitted to continue in the program, and must be lodged with the person mentioned in subrule (2) not later than 14 days after the date on which the notification of the exclusion was sent to the student or within such further time that the ANU College Dean allows.
(4)       After the period for submitting an appeal has expired, the matter and any submission tendered by the student concerned may be sent to the Academic Progress Committee for recommendation and report to the relevant ANU College Dean.
(5)       If a student’s academic progress is referred to the Academic Progress Committee, the Academic Progress Committee must consider the matter, and report back to the relevant ANU College Dean, within 20 days after the day on which the Academic Progress Committee receives the matter.
17     Academic Progress Committee
17(1)   There is to be an Academic Progress Committee for the University consisting of the Registrar as Chair and the ANU College Dean (or his or her nominee) of each of the ANU Colleges.
(2)       If a student’s academic progress in a program is referred to the Academic Progress Committee, the Committee may recommend to the relevant ANU College Dean that the College Dean:
              (a)   exclude the student from the program permanently or for a period determined by the Committee; or
              (b)   determine that the student transfer to an alternate program; or
              (c)   determine that the student vary his or her load to take account of the impact of external pressures on his or her academic studies; or
              (d)   determine that the student take leave of absence from the program for a period determined by the Committee; or
              (e)   impose conditions on the student’s re-enrolment in the program; or
               (f)   refer the student to academic and professional staff for advice and support; or
              (g)   determine other strategies as appropriate.
18     Undergraduate coursework: decision on appeal
18(1)   The ANU College Dean may uphold an appeal or dismiss an appeal, and, in upholding the appeal, may:
              (a)   permit the student to re-enrol in the program; or
              (b)   permit the student to re-enrol in the program conditionally; or
              (c)   require the student to take leave of absence from the program for a period determined by the ANU College Dean; or
              (d)   determine that the student be admitted to an alternate program.
(2)       The decision of the ANU College Dean must be made within 5 days of receiving the relevant report from the Academic Progress Committee and is final.
19     Appeal on procedural grounds
19(1)   A student may appeal against a decision made under subrule 9(1), 14(1) or 18(1) to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor on procedural grounds only.
(2)       The Deputy Vice-Chancellor may:
              (a)   decide to take no action; or
              (b)   make any decision that could have been made by the original decision-maker; or
              (c)   refer the matter back to the ANU College Dean to review the process used in making the decision.
(3)       In determining an appeal, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor may inform himself or herself as he or she sees fit.
(4)       The decision of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor in a particular case is final.
20     Attending classes pending decision on appeal
20(1)   A student who appeals against a decision not to approve re-enrolment in a course or program, or a decision that the student be excluded from a program or be graded Fail for a program, may apply to re-enrol in the next semester or session in another course or program pending the outcome of the appeal.
21     Saving
21(1)   The Academic Progress Rules 2006 as amended and in force immediately before the commencement of these Rules, continue to apply to a student for a course to which these Rules would otherwise apply if:
              (a)   before the commencement of these Rules, the student completed work towards that course and elects to be bound by this subrule; and
              (b)   not to do so would affect the student adversely.
22     Application of amending Rules
22(1)   If an amendment is made to these Rules, and that amendment affects a course to which these Rules relate, the amendment does not apply to a student who, before the making of the amendment, has completed any work towards that course unless:
              (a)   the student elects that the amendment apply to the student; or
(b)the responsible Delegated Authority otherwise determines.
23     Repeal
23(1)   The Academic Progress Rules 2006, as amended and in force immediately before the commencement of these Rules, are repealed.
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