1. Mitigations Dr Lisa Jones & Dr Lesley Roberts, Year 2 Tutors (l.a.jones@bham.ac.uk / l.m.roberts@bham.ac.uk) Mrs Margaret Tucker, Student Affairs Co-ordinator (m.tucker@bham.ac.uk) MBChB Year 2 2008-2009

2. What are mitigations? Adverse events that affect learning and assessed work during the academic year Taken into consideration by the Board of Examiners

3. Examples of mitigations Illness Bereavement Serious financial difficulties Personal difficulties Result of a third party –Partner/Family ill-health –Family problems –Burglaries

4. What is not mitigatable? Chosen activities that affect work during the academic year, e.g., –Sport –Holidays –Extra-curricular activities –Religious observances –Paid employment –Charity work

5. What should you do? Tell us as soon as possible! Complete a Mitigations Form (complete this fully and carefully) Provide supporting evidence Submit the form to the SDSO Office (main corridor, West Wing) No-one can raise mitigations on your behalf – it is your responsibility

6. What type of supporting evidence? Must be independent corroborative written evidence and include dates, e.g., –Medical certificate / doctor’s letter –Death certificate –Counsellor’s letter –Bank statements –Solicitor’s letter –Police report –Copies of prescriptions –PM / Year Tutor report We cannot request independent evidence on your behalf – it is your responsibility

7. When should you submit mitigation? As soon as possible after the event! Deadlines for the January exams are: 5pm on Friday 9 January 2009 (to cover Semester 1 period) 5pm on Friday 16 January 2009 (only for submissions of mitigating circumstances that arise during the actual exam period) Mitigation submitted after this will not be considered, and cannot be used in an appeal Remember to apply early to doctors etc. for supporting documentation – we can’t consider mitigation without it

8. May exam period The deadline for the submissions of mitigation for semester 2 period are: 5pm on Friday 8 May 2009 Friday 5 June 2009 (only for submissions of mitigating circumstances that arise during the actual exam period)

9. What happens to the mitigations form? Confidentially considered by a small Mitigations Panel –Graded according to seriousness and likely impact on your academic performance Forms are held in a confidential file separate to your central student file Board of Examiners receives the mitigation grading but not the details of the mitigation

10. Why might mitigation be judged as not admissible? Not submitted on time Lack of supporting evidence Lack of evidence about effect on YOU Dates don’t match ‘Minor’

11. Mitigations can’t… Change your examination marks Allow you to progress to third-year carrying a fail

12. Mitigations might… Allow you to resit an assessment as a ‘first sit’ Allow you to repeat year or repeat module

13. Need further advice? Personal Mentor SDSO Office (Margaret Tucker) –e: m.tucker@bham.ac.uk –t: 0121 414 7830 Year Tutors (Dr Lisa Jones / Dr Lesley Roberts) –Contact them via the SDSO Office Advice & Representation Centre (ARC) in the Guild of Students

14. Useful websites UoB Guidelines for Students: http://www.studserv.bham.ac.uk/sca/mitigations/ Mitigations Form: http://www.as.bham.ac.uk/study/support/sca/Doc uments/mitform.pdf These guidelines are at: http://www.as.bham.ac.uk/study/support/sca/Documents/ mitstudentguide.pdf

15. Useful websites cont: Student Counselling and Guidance Service: –Form: http://www.as.bham.ac.uk/study/support/sca /Documents/mitsscsguide.pdf –Guidelines: http://www.as.bham.ac.uk/study/support/sca /Documents/mitsscsform.pdf