Academic progress regulations

Read our regulations about academic progress.

51. Massey University Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa is committed to providing a learning environment which facilitates students achieving to their fullest potential.

52. All students at Massey are expected to make a genuine effort in their studies and all students are expected to achieve at least satisfactory academic progress in each study period in which they are enrolled in order to continue studying at Massey.

53. Students’ published course results at the end of each study period will be evaluated by the Academic Progress Committee (APC) and/or its sub-committees (which consider specific programme regulations).

Evaluating Student Academic Progress

54. The process of general evaluation of Academic Performance is called the ‘Evaluating Student Academic Progress’ (ESAP) process.

55. The ESAP process will involve the regular evaluation of results based on general thresholds of expectations outlined in the Academic Progress Policy. These evaluations will result in APC determining if a student is:

(a) Excelling i.e. performing above expectations; or

(b) Achieving Satisfactory Performance; or

(c) Performing at levels Below Expectations.

56. Where results received by APC or one of its subcommittees indicate that a student’s course results may be below expectations, or contrary to specific programme regulations, the evaluation processes shall involve inviting a student to make a written submission explaining their situation.

57. Where APC evaluates a student’s performance for the period of study under review is:

(a) Excelling relative to the thresholds: APC will initiate acknowledgment of excellence procedures to signify the accomplishment, and initiate any rights and entitlements that ensue from this status. This will result in an ‘Excelling Status’ being added to the student’s record in the Student Management System, visible in the Student Portal, and noted on the student’s Academic Record (transcript).

(b) Satisfactory relative to the thresholds: APC will initiate acknowledgement of the accomplishment. It is likely this status will also be noted on the student’s record in the Student Management System, visible in the Student Portal, but not noted on the student’s Academic Record (transcript).

(c) Below expectations relative to the thresholds: APC will initiate procedures to signify a concern, and initiate formal student support processes where appropriate. This will be indicated by a ‘Status of Concern’ being added to the student’s record in the Student Management System, visible in the Student Portal, but there will be nothing recorded on the student’s Academic Record (transcript).

58. Whenever APC determines a Status of Concern should be added to a student’s record, those statuses will accumulate over time if a student’s performance continues to fall below expectations in concomitant situations. Concomitant situations are defined in the Academic Progress Policy Section 5.3.

(a) The oldest Status of Concern will de-activate and only be seen in a student’s background history when a student achieves three successive periods of enrolment* with Satisfactory Status.

* In this case meaning sequentially one after each other with no intervening Status of Concern, but also with no negative impact if a student takes a break and does not study in consecutive enrolment periods.

(b) Once three Statuses of Concern have been placed on a student’s record, the APC will apply restrictions and exclusions as specified by the Academic Progress Policy.

59. Whenever a student is recorded as having a Status of Concern, APC will refer that student into a Case Management process. This process will result in formal and personalised ‘Provision of Support Offers’ (PSOs) for the student. The intent of this process is to support students while they seek to improve their performance, or where students have had a restriction or exclusion applied to them.

Performance on Professional and Accredited Qualifications

60. A small number of qualifications offered by the University have specific performance and competence requirements in their Programme Regulations. For these qualifications, a process known as ‘Performance on Professional and Accredited Qualifications’ (P-PAQ) will evaluate the relevant aspects of student performance. APC will work with expert programme sub-committees which will make evaluations of students’ performance in compliance with those specific performance and competence requirements listed in the Programme Regulations.

61. P-PAQ processes will determine whether a student’s performance in relation to the specific performance and competence requirements is:

(a) Satisfactory relative to the specific programme regulations.

(b) Below expectations relative to the specific programme regulations.

Following a hearing process in cases where a P-PAQ outcome is below expectations APC shall initiate procedures to signify this by recording a Status of Concern and initiating Case Management and PSOs or, if so indicated in the relevant programme regulations, will institute restrictions or exclusions.

Course Performance:

62. Apart from looking at the general performance of the student relative to ESAP and P-PAQ performance expectations, APC may consider if any student has enrolled in:

• And on repeated occasions, has not passed a specific course (including by being awarded a failing grade and/or by withdrawing late) OR

• Has missed sufficient assessment that they cannot pass the course;

And in either of these circumstances APC may cancel the enrolment of the student in that course and/or restrict the student’s ability to re-enrol in that course for a period of one year starting from the following semester.

63. In line with clause 59 of the Enrolment Regulations, in order to respect the principle that students will make genuine efforts in their studies, course enrolment cancellations may be initiated by the University where an evaluation determines that a student has not, or cannot, or will not, participate in the course(s) they have enrolled in, and it is not feasible that the student’s position will be recoverable prior to the end of the course. To determine if these situations apply APC shall consider proposals made by Colleges related to specific courses and specific students. The evaluations shall particularly weight the student’s:

(a) history of enrolment in the course,

(b) participation in the course learning activities and

(c) engagement in assessment and

(d) engagement with Provision of Support Offers

APC will issue notice in writing to relevant students of the intention to cancel their enrolment in a course or courses and invite a submission in reply prior to any decision being made prior to any decision being finalised.

Right to Appeal

64. Students will have the right to appeal the determinations of APC, including those of the P-PAQ subcommittees, to the Provost or Nominee. Appeals must be made in writing within the timeframe designated by the Provost or Nominee. Appeals will only be valid where the student can show they have suffered actual disadvantage, and that

(a) the student can demonstrate that the determination was incorrect, and/or

(b) new evidence that was not known or available at the time of the original Academic Progress Committee determination is now available and could have affected the determination.

65. The Provost or Nominee will have the power to determine whether an appeal meets these validity rules and may decline any appeal that does not meet the validity criteria without substantive consideration.

66. If an appeal is successful, remediations outlined in the Academic Progress Policy will be applied.