PrintExamination Appeals Policy
Overview of the Roles and Responsibilities
Student
- Students should discuss their appeal with the Customer Services Manager prior to submitting the required documentation to ensure all the criteria and requirements are met.
- Only the student can be engaged in the process, and employers or third parties cannot act on behalf of the student.
- Although students may enrol for an examination while the appeals process is ongoing, they may not sit an examination until a final outcome on their appeal has been reached. This includes the assessment processes for the IPDS portfolio
- Nowhere within the appeals process may a student consult with legal practitioners, except after a Stage 3 decision has been reached.
- Students are expected to present a clear, concise and convincing case to the Customer Services Manager before the Stage 1 assessment.
- All information relevant to the appeal must be provided at the beginning of the process as new information and evidence cannot be included later in the process.
- Students may only appeal on at least one of the grounds listed (see Grounds for Appeal) and all evidence presented should clearly relate to the appeal.
- Students will be responsible for all costs incurred and will only be refunded (at the discretion of the Appeals Review Committee) if the Stage 3 appeal is upheld.
Customer Services Manager
The Customer Services Manager will act independently and objectively and will:
- Carry out an initial administrative check to ensure that the assessment result has been recorded properly.
- Carry out a marking check, if the appeal is on these grounds.
- Check in the case of IPDS assessments whether account of extenuating circumstances has been taken by the assessor.
- Confirm the criteria for an appeal has been met, and notify the student of Stage 1 commencement
- Confirm the criteria for an appeal has not been met, and notify the student of the failure to meet the criteria
- Forward all approved Stage 1 appeals to the Quality Assurance Manager.
Quality Assurance Manager
The Quality Assurance Manager will act independently and objectively and will:
- Fully investigate all Stage 1 appeals
- Ensure that the process is fair, open and transparent
- Ensure the appellant is notified of all decisions made, or any changes to the agreed timescales
- Submit all evidence from the Stage 1 review to the independent external assessor during the Stage 2 review
- Represent CIPFA at the Stage 3 Appeals hearing
Independent External Assessor
The Independent External Assessor will be appointed at Stage 2 to ensure an impartial assessment is undertaken of the Stage 1 decision. It is the role of the assessor to report all findings of the Stage 2 review, and any recommendations, to CIPFA in a prompt and appropriate manner.
The assessor may be required to give evidence during the Stage 3 Appeals hearing.
Assistant Director: Service Delivery
The Assistant Director Operations may ratify the Stage 1 process, including any recommendation made by the Quality Assurance Manager.
The Chair of the Results Panel
The Chair of the Results Panel may ratify the Stage 1 process, including any recommendation made by the Quality Assurance Manager.
Appeals Review Committee
- The Appeals Review Committee will not be a standing committee, but will be convened as necessary.
- Membership shall be formed by at least three CIPFA members, drawn from either the Members and Students Development Board (or its’ subsequent panels). together with at least one other individual who is wholly independent of CIPFA i.e. has never been a member of the Institute.
- In the case of an IPDS appeal, an independent, fully trained and certified IPDS Assessor will advise the committee on the specialist nature of IPDS Portfolio Assessment. The assessor will have no connection to the student or the initial IPDS assessment.
- A Chairman shall be elected by each committee immediately after its formation.
- A quorum shall consist of two CIPFA members and one lay member.
- No individual shall be a member of an Appeals Review Committee if there is a possible conflict of interest. Advice on this will be declared to the Appeals Review Committee Secretary prior to the convening of the committee.
- Where required, outside specialist advice will be sought. Where this is the case, the student will be notified
- The Chairman of the Appeals Review Committee is responsible for taking decisions during the appeal process.
- The Chairman of the Appeals Review Committee is empowered to decide on any dispute over documents or witnesses to be presented to the Committee.