Exam Rights

The Exam period is a stressful time for everyone. It's important to be aware of your rights and responsibilities in relation to examinations. Here we've sought to bring to your attention some of the major issues we feel are relevant to examinations. You will have been sent a brochure containing information on exams with your enrolment statement. It's a good idea to find this brochure and re-read it closer to exam time

1. Examination Timetable
2. Poorly structured timetables and Exam Clashes
3. What are my rights?
4. What are my responsibilities and the rights of invigilators?
5. Non-English Speaking Background Students
6. What if I am accused of cheating?
7. Where can I find more information?

1. Examination Timetable

You can access your examination timetable at via WES. It is your responsibility to check your exam timetable- do not rely on a friend! All Clayton examinations will be held either at the Clayton campus, or the Caulfield Racetrack, and they start at either 9:30am or 2:30pm. This information will be on your exam timetable which you should print out as it contains all the important details, including your seat number for each exam. Make sure you check your timetable again before the start of exams as details may have changed. Failure to read the exam timetable correctly will not entitle you to a supplementary exam.

2. Poorly structured timetables and Exam Clashes

Many students find that their timetable has them doing several exams in a short period of time (all in the first week, three in two days etc). Unfortunately the university does not have a policy on what it regards as an appropriate exam timetable at this point, though it does make an effort to minimise student problems.

The best advice to deal with a bad timetable is to check it early, and if it is crowded, start preparing as soon as possible. The Monash Student Association has been actively addressing this problem with the university for the last two years, and significant improvements have been made. If you have any feedback you wish to offer on the structuring of exams, please contact the Student Rights Officers at Clayton. If you have an examination clash, the Examinations Branch will arrange for you to sit the exams on the same day but under “clash conditions”. They will write to you approximately two weeks before the exams to explain the arrangements to you. If you have not heard from them within a few days of your exam, you should contact them to enquire about your situation

3. What are my rights?

You have the right to bring in and use any “Authorised materials” that are listed on the front of the exam paper, or which your lecturer has advised the exam staff that you are allowed to have in your possession. You should check that the material you have brought into the exam is identified on your exam paper.
In some exams a textbook or other material will be authorised. It is your responsibility to ensure you are informed of permitted materials.
If you are a first year student of Non-English Speaking Background (NESB), you might be granted permission to have a dictionary or additional time, but this MUST be organised well prior to the exam. You should speak to your lecturer if you think this might apply to you.
If you have disability, you may arrange to have your examinations held under alternative conditions. You should speak to the Disability Liaison Office if you think you might be eligible.
You will obviously need writing materials for the exam. You can take in pens, pencils, rulers and erasers. Pencil cases are not permitted in exams.
Calculators are permitted in some exams. Before the exam you should ascertain from your lecturer whether you are allowed to use a calculator, and if so, what sort. Not all calculators are permitted in exam venues.
You can bring your wallet, keys, any necessary medication (e.g. asthma inhaler) and personal study notes into an exam, however you MUST place these personal items in a closed bag on the floor under your desk during the exam. Any material on your desk, chair, or on your person will be considered as unauthorised material
You have the right to be admitted to the exam venue in good time before the start of the exam.
You can also bring a drink, lollies etc, but remember to be aware that the rustling of papers may be disruptive to other students.
If you feel sick, or otherwise unable to continue, you should notify the nearest exam invigilator, who will assist you
You have to right to go to the toilet if necessary. You should generally raise your hand to get the invigilator’s attention before you leave your seat.
You have the right not to be searched or touched in any way.

4. What are my responsibilities and the rights of invigilators?

You must ensure that you are aware of the correct venue and time details for all your exams, as misreading the timetable would not normally be sufficient grounds for Special Consideration
You will not be allowed to enter the exam venue after more than one hour has elapsed since the beginning of the exam.
If you enter the wrong venue or at the wrong time you will be required to remain inside until one hour after the exam time has elapsed
You are not permitted to leave the exam until one hour has passed. You also cannot leave in the last 10 minutes of the exam.
You must bring your student ID card to every exam. It must be produced on demand and displayed prominently on your desk during the examination.
You have the responsibility to ensure that unauthorised materials are not in your possession during the exam. All non-authorised materials (including calculator cases and lids) MUST be placed on the floor in a closed bag under the exam desk. Exam invigilators may inspect calculators with non-detachable cases/lids.
Mobile phones must be switched off and placed under your desk. You are not allowed to use these as calculators during the exam
A standard 10 minutes’ reading time applies at the beginning of most exams and you are not permitted to write anything – not even your name – before the formal commencement of writing time.
Exam papers or script books must not be removed from the exam venue.
Communication with other students is strictly prohibited. You are strongly advised not to behave in a way that might draw the attention of exam invigilator, for example, looking around the room.
The exam supervisor and invigilators may give instructions from time to time which you should pay attention to and follow.
At the conclusion of the exam you should remain seated until all exam papers have been collected and you have been given permission to leave.
Invigilators can make spot checks at any stage during the exam.

5. What if I am unable to sit my exam?

If you fall ill on the day of the exam or something serious happens that prevents you from sitting your exam, you can apply for Special Consideration (which may include a deferred exam). In each case you need to make an assessment as to whether you should sit the exam if possible or seek to re-sit at another date. Special Consideration forms are available from your faculty office. An application for special consideration must be accompanied by supporting documentation and detailed evidence from a medical practitioner. The relevant forms are available from your faculty office

6. What if I am accused of cheating?

You should read the accompanying leaflet on exam cheating and contact a Student Rights Officer as soon as possible.

Strict penalties- including suspension- apply if you have unauthorised materials or are accused of cheating

7. Exclusion

To find more information on exams and exam cheating, go to:

Monash Examinations website:
http://www.monash.edu.au/exams/index.html

Monash University Discipline Procedures:
http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/calendar/statutes/statutes04.html
http://www.adm.monash.edu.au/unisec/pol/acad27.html

Special Consideration Procedures

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions please email your Student Rights Officer at
studentrights.msa @adm.monash.edu.au


	Exam Rights The Exam period is a stressful time for everyone. It's important to be aware of your rights and responsibilities in relation to examinations. Here we've sought to bring to your attention some of the major issues we feel are relevant to examinations. You will have been sent a brochure containing information on exams with your enrolment statement. It's a good idea to find this brochure and re-read it closer to exam time 1. Examination Timetable 2. Poorly structured timetables and Exam Clashes 3. What are my rights? 4. What are my responsibilities and the rights of invigilators? 5. Non-English Speaking Background Students 6. What if I am accused of cheating? 7. Where can I find more information? 1. Examination Timetable You can access your examination timetable at via WES. It is your responsibility to check your exam timetable- do not rely on a friend! All Clayton examinations will be held either at the Clayton campus, or the Caulfield Racetrack, and they start at either 9:30am or 2:30pm. This information will be on your exam timetable which you should print out as it contains all the important details, including your seat number for each exam. Make sure you check your timetable again before the start of exams as details may have changed. Failure to read the exam timetable correctly will not entitle you to a supplementary exam. 2. Poorly structured timetables and Exam Clashes Many students find that their timetable has them doing several exams in a short period of time (all in the first week, three in two days etc). Unfortunately the university does not have a policy on what it regards as an appropriate exam timetable at this point, though it does make an effort to minimise student problems. The best advice to deal with a bad timetable is to check it early, and if it is crowded, start preparing as soon as possible. The Monash Student Association has been actively addressing this problem with the university for the last two years, and significant improvements have been made. If you have any feedback you wish to offer on the structuring of exams, please contact the Student Rights Officers at Clayton. If you have an examination clash, the Examinations Branch will arrange for you to sit the exams on the same day but under “clash conditions”. They will write to you approximately two weeks before the exams to explain the arrangements to you. If you have not heard from them within a few days of your exam, you should contact them to enquire about your situation 3. What are my rights? You have the right to bring in and use any “Authorised materials” that are listed on the front of the exam paper, or which your lecturer has advised the exam staff that you are allowed to have in your possession. You should check that the material you have brought into the exam is identified on your exam paper. In some exams a textbook or other material will be authorised. It is your responsibility to ensure you are informed of permitted materials. If you are a first year student of Non-English Speaking Background (NESB), you might be granted permission to have a dictionary or additional time, but this MUST be organised well prior to the exam. You should speak to your lecturer if you think this might apply to you. If you have disability, you may arrange to have your examinations held under alternative conditions. You should speak to the Disability Liaison Office if you think you might be eligible. You will obviously need writing materials for the exam. You can take in pens, pencils, rulers and erasers. Pencil cases are not permitted in exams. Calculators are permitted in some exams. Before the exam you should ascertain from your lecturer whether you are allowed to use a calculator, and if so, what sort. Not all calculators are permitted in exam venues. You can bring your wallet, keys, any necessary medication (e.g. asthma inhaler) and personal study notes into an exam, however you MUST place these personal items in a closed bag on the floor under your desk during the exam. Any material on your desk, chair, or on your person will be considered as unauthorised material You have the right to be admitted to the exam venue in good time before the start of the exam. You can also bring a drink, lollies etc, but remember to be aware that the rustling of papers may be disruptive to other students. If you feel sick, or otherwise unable to continue, you should notify the nearest exam invigilator, who will assist you You have to right to go to the toilet if necessary. You should generally raise your hand to get the invigilator’s attention before you leave your seat. You have the right not to be searched or touched in any way. 4. What are my responsibilities and the rights of invigilators? You must ensure that you are aware of the correct venue and time details for all your exams, as misreading the timetable would not normally be sufficient grounds for Special Consideration You will not be allowed to enter the exam venue after more than one hour has elapsed since the beginning of the exam. If you enter the wrong venue or at the wrong time you will be required to remain inside until one hour after the exam time has elapsed You are not permitted to leave the exam until one hour has passed. You also cannot leave in the last 10 minutes of the exam. You must bring your student ID card to every exam. It must be produced on demand and displayed prominently on your desk during the examination. You have the responsibility to ensure that unauthorised materials are not in your possession during the exam. All non-authorised materials (including calculator cases and lids) MUST be placed on the floor in a closed bag under the exam desk. Exam invigilators may inspect calculators with non-detachable cases/lids. Mobile phones must be switched off and placed under your desk. You are not allowed to use these as calculators during the exam A standard 10 minutes’ reading time applies at the beginning of most exams and you are not permitted to write anything – not even your name – before the formal commencement of writing time. Exam papers or script books must not be removed from the exam venue. Communication with other students is strictly prohibited. You are strongly advised not to behave in a way that might draw the attention of exam invigilator, for example, looking around the room. The exam supervisor and invigilators may give instructions from time to time which you should pay attention to and follow. At the conclusion of the exam you should remain seated until all exam papers have been collected and you have been given permission to leave. Invigilators can make spot checks at any stage during the exam. 5. What if I am unable to sit my exam? If you fall ill on the day of the exam or something serious happens that prevents you from sitting your exam, you can apply for Special Consideration (which may include a deferred exam). In each case you need to make an assessment as to whether you should sit the exam if possible or seek to re-sit at another date. Special Consideration forms are available from your faculty office. An application for special consideration must be accompanied by supporting documentation and detailed evidence from a medical practitioner. The relevant forms are available from your faculty office 6. What if I am accused of cheating? You should read the accompanying leaflet on exam cheating and contact a Student Rights Officer as soon as possible. Strict penalties- including suspension- apply if you have unauthorised materials or are accused of cheating 7. Exclusion To find more information on exams and exam cheating, go to: Monash Examinations website: http://www.monash.edu.au/exams/index.html Monash University Discipline Procedures: http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/calendar/statutes/statutes04.html http://www.adm.monash.edu.au/unisec/pol/acad27.html Special Consideration Procedures If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions please email your Student Rights Officer at studentrights.msa @adm.monash.edu.au