Mitigations

1. MBChB Year 1 2008-2009 Mitigations Dr June Jones Year 1 Tutor j.jones.1@bham.ac.uk Mrs Margaret Tucker, Student Affairs Co-ordinator (m.tucker@bham.ac.uk)

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 the next 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 Tutor (Dr June Jones ) • Contact 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/Documents/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