Mobile phones, bags or briefcases of any description are not permitted to be brought into examination rooms.  Any breaches of this requirement will be regarded as misconduct under the University's Misconduct and Discipline Rules, with appropriate penalties applied.

END-YEAR EXAMINATIONS 2009

FINAL EXAMINATION TIMETABLE - All units

You are advised that it is Macquarie University policy not to set early examinations for individuals or groups of students. All students are expected to ensure that they are available until the end of the teaching semester, which is the final day of the official examination period (for end-year 2009 the final day is 4 December 2009).
Please note carefully the time and place of your examinations as no special provision may be made for a candidate who does not present for examination at the correct time and place.  If you misread the timetable, report immediately to the Academic Program Section (Level 4, Lincoln Building C8A), or if you are a distance education student sitting your examination at an external examination centre, report the circumstances in writing to the Academic Registrar.  Distance education students will be advised in writing of any changes after the issue of the final timetable.

You must show your current student ID card (campus card or other form of current photo ID) to gain entry to your examination and you must display your card on your examination table for the whole of your examination with your signature showing.  You will be inconvenienced if you do not have your card with you.

LOCATION OF EXAMINATIONS:

For students sitting examinations at Macquarie University, examination location information can be obtained from the examination timetable website (http://www.timetables.mq.edu.au/exam).  No information relating to the location of examinations at the University will be supplied by telephone.  Separate instructions are issued to distance education students writing examinations in country centres.

IMPORTANT QUALIFICATION FOR AWARD INFORMATION:

All students must notify the University in advance that they are expecting to complete the requirements of their program of study and take out their award (degree/diploma/certificate).  THIS PROCESS IS NOT AUTOMATIC.  If you do not notify the University in advance, there can be delays in your qualifying and subsequently graduating. If you have not already done so, please go to http://www.reg.mq.edu.au/academic-index.htm and click on the link entitled "I Expect to Complete my Program (Degree/Diploma/Certificate)" and follow the instructions.   Please note that your qualification status will not be confirmed until after the results are released, i.e. from 18 December 2009.

COMMUNICATION OF RESULTS/UNIT RESULT NOTIFICATIONS:

It is expected that unit result information and postgraduate qualification details will be available on the eStudent website (https://student1.mq.edu.au) from 12.01 am on Friday, 18 December 2009.  It is expected that undergraduate qualification details will be available on eStudent from 12.01 am on Tuesday, 22 December 2009.  The University does not issue paper-based result notifications to students except for those students who qualify for an award.  If you wish to change the address to which advice regarding confirmation of your eligibility to graduate is to be sent, you must amend your address by accessing the eStudent website (https://student1.mq.edu.au), by no later than 17 December 2009.

STUDENT CONDUCT IN EXAMINATIONS:
The rules governing the conduct of students in examinations are:

• Candidates are required to obey any instructions given by an examination supervisor for the proper conduct of the examination.
• No bag, writing paper, manuscript or book, other than a specified aid, is to be brought into or removed from an examination room.
• No candidate shall be admitted to an examination after one hour from the time of commencement of the examination.  No candidate shall be permitted to leave an examination room before the expiry of one hour from the time the examination commences.  Where in special cases this rule is varied an appropriate announcement will be made.
• No candidate shall be readmitted to an examination room after he or she has left it unless during the full period of the absence the candidate has been under approved supervision.
• A candidate shall not by any improper means obtain, or endeavour to obtain, assistance in his or her work, or give, or endeavour to give, assistance to any other candidate.
• There must be no communication of any kind between candidates in the examination room except where laid down in the rules for a specific examination.

You are reminded that no writing of any kind is permitted until permission has been given by the supervisor.  You must cease writing immediately when instructed to do so.  Failure to follow any instruction given by an examination supervisor or breach of any examination rule may result in disciplinary proceedings against you.

You are strongly advised not to bring any bags or briefcases on the day of the examination.  You are not permitted to take bags or briefcases of any description into an examination area.  The University has made arrangements for the following areas to be staffed by members of the Security Office during examinations:  Mason Theatre (for exams in the eastern area of the campus) and Macquarie Theatre (for exams in the central and western area of the campus).  Note:  Macquarie Theatre will not be open for depositing bags on Saturday 28 November 2009 and from the afternoon of Tuesday 1 December 2009 and therefore all bags should be deposited in Mason Theatre.  All bags, briefcases or other property are deposited at the owner's risk and the University will not be responsible for loss or damage of any description to property so deposited.  Mobile phones or other unauthorised electronic devices (eg. MP3 players) are not permitted to be brought into examination rooms.  Students found in possession of an unauthorised electronic device(s) in an examination room may be subject to disciplinary action.  You may take in small money purses or cosmetic bags only.  DO NOT LEAVE YOUR BAGS OUTSIDE THE EXAMINATION ROOM - THIEVES ARE ACTIVE ON THE CAMPUS.

Calculators may notbe used in examinations except where permission is given in a particular paper. Random checks of calculators being used during an examination may be carried out.  Students found to be using illegal calculators may be subject to disciplinary action.  Standard paper-based translation dictionaries may be used in examinations except where the use of dictionaries is specifically prohibited.  You should check with the Lecturer in Charge of any unit you are undertaking if you wish to bring a dictionary into an examination room.  Random checks of dictionaries being used during an examination may be carried out.

UNAVOIDABLE DISRUPTION - REQUEST FOR SPECIAL CONSIDERATION:
If you are prevented by serious unavoidable disruption from attending an examination you will need to complete an Application for Special Consideration form, which is available from the Student Enquiry Service (Level 1, Lincoln Building C8A) or online at http://www.reg.mq.edu.au/academic-index.html.  Please note that for an application to be valid, you must have been performing satisfactorily in the unit(s) prior to experiencing serious and unavoidable disruption. The application must be completed by the student seeking special consideration and must be submitted within five days of the date of the formal examination.  IMPORTANT:  Please refer to the following web site for important information relating to policy on Special Consideration:  http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/special_consideration/policy.html
Absence from a special examination at the time chosen by the examiner may lead to failure in the unit.  If you are planning to be overseas you should note that all incomplete grades and special examinations must be resolved by 30 January 2010.  Students who have requested special consideration should check the website of the relevant Faculty or contact the Faculty office for further details regarding the date and time of special examinations.

UNAVOIDABLE DISRUPTION - DEFINITION:
Academic Senate has adopted the definition of unavoidable disruption set out below which is relevant in the administration of the Degree Rules relating to:

• requirements to complete a unit;
• the award of special examinations;
• discontinuance of a unit.

Unavoidable disruption to studies is defined as resulting from an event or set of circumstances which -
(a)    could not have reasonably been anticipated, avoided or guarded against by the student; and
(b)    were beyond the student's control; and
(c)     caused substantial disruption to the student's capacity for effective study and/or the completion of required work; and
(d)    interfered with the otherwise satisfactory fulfillment of unit or program requirements; and
(e)    were of at least three (3) consecutive days duration within a study period and/or prevented completion of the formal examination.
Circumstances routinely encountered by students would not normally be acceptable grounds for claiming unavoidable disruption to studies.  Such matters include:
(a)    routine demands of employment;
(b)    routine family problems such as domestic tension with or between parents, spouses, and other people closely involved with the student;
(c)     difficulties adjusting to University life, to the self-discipline needed to study effectively, and the demands of academic work;
(d)    stress or anxiety associated with examinations, required assignments or any aspect of academic work;
(e)    routine need for financial support;
(f)      demands of sport, clubs and social or extra-curricular activities.
Conditions existing prior to commencing a unit of study are not grounds for Special Consideration. The student is responsible for managing their workload in light of any known or anticipated problems. The student is responsible for contacting Student Support Services if they have a chronic condition.  For further information on unavoidable disruption, please refer to the Special Consideration policy, which can be found at http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/special_consideration/policy.html

 

 

C M Hawkins
ACADEMIC REGISTRAR                                                                                                           October 2009