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Implementation of the Eight Year Rule

ralph — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 00:38:26 +0000

Following my comments at Massey’s Academic Board it was noted that the Eight Year Rule regulation could disadvantage traditional distance learners. It was agreed that communication to students of the rational for this regulation should be clear and immediate. Furthermore, the provision of negotiated pathways should be highlighted. Without a student voice in this process, not only would this regulation be harsher but I feel the communication to students would have been less complete.

You would have received this communication by now. Supporting material has been placed on the Massey site here. It is in this material on-line that the language becomes more difficult for students. Students are expected to “choose pathways that articulate into one another and thereby include completion milestones en-route to a final study destination.” What this means is that students may be required to graduate with a diploma if they are not going to complete their Bachelors in eight years. They can then go on to complete the Bachelors if Massey offers them a further place.

As well as being involved in this discussion, as your student representative I have been placing students first in discussions about;

Applied learning – integrating work experience into tuition
The role of contact courses
The provision of printed vs digital material to students
Guidelines for teaching hours
Plagiarism database and disciplinary regulations
Grievance database and grievance processes
Student survey framework
Failure of students to engage in coursework pilot process
Academic reform process

Each of these areas needs student input to ensure Massey keeps its most important stakeholder at the forefront of their thinking. The voice I supply is appreciated by Massey, particularly those staff who have teaching and learning, rather than financial operations and compliance, as their primary concern.

Why have Student Representatives?

ralph — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 02:29:03 +0000

What good do student reps do? A cutting question for a student representative. I expect that students would continue learning regardless of whether or not student representatives exist. But there is a case to be made to support student representation. In a committee today some papers were tabled that changed the learning Outcomes and number and weighting of the paper’s assessment. This is not normally a problem except that the paper was for 2012. Students may have already enrolled. Imagine their surprise when the find out the first assessment is not 10 but 20 per cent of the final grade, and that all the assessments had changes. Imagine their surprise when they learn – perhaps a few weeks into the paper – that the learning outcomes had also changed.

Student Reps support University communication to students

I made the point that students who have enrolled should be notified of the change. This was noted and agreed – the paper cordinator was instructed to ‘make it so’. This point would not have been raised if the student rep had not been at the meeting. This is a small point – but possibly significant to a few students.

At Academic Board the issues are University wide. With the roll-out of the eight year rule communication is again an issue for students. As your representative I have been vocal in my opposition to this regulation and now that it comes to implementation I continue to advocate for students’ interests.

The communication to students, regarding the eight year rule, will be released soon. If it had not been for your student reps this rule may have been more restrictive and the communication a minor detail. Following student rep involvement, I expect a clear explanation of the regulation changes and for the opportunities to negotiate a personal pathway to be included.

Eight Years to Complete Starting 2012

ralph — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 07:59:26 +0000

Today Academic Committee, a committee of the Board, approved the introduction of the ‘eight years to complete’, ‘award a qualification that a student has not enrolled in’, and ‘complete under current years regulations’ regulations.

The eight years to complete regulation states that students have eight years in which to complete their undergraduate qualification. If they are demonstrating good progress, but have not finished, then after eight years they may be allowed to continue and complete by ‘pathway approval’. If their progress is deemed insufficient then they will be awarded a lower qualification where possible. Progressing from such an awarded qualification requires students to apply for a place again and the student’s academic record will be considered as a part of that place offering. If a student is able to continue the time to complete is prorated down according to the number of credits in the awarded qualification. Note also that if you change from one programme to another, the time spent in the first programme is part of the eight years a student has to complete.

Complete under the current regulations is somewhat self-explanatory. Each year Massey makes changes to the structure and content of qualifications. This regulation states that students must fulfill the requirements of the most current offering, rather than the requirements set out when the student enrolled, in order to complete. The difficulty here exists for students who have been enrolled for some time and the paper offerings that make up the qualification have changed. A student may find that additional compulsory papers are required or that some papers already completed are no longer part of that qualification. I have been assured by Massey that the impact will be minimal. I am not so sure. There will be some students who may be significantly disadvantaged by this rule and I hope that the University can arrange adequate transitional arrangements for them.

These regulations will come into force at the beginning of 2012. Calculation of eight years starts from the beginning of 2012.

I have been vocal in my opposition of these changes. Not only do they represent a significant departure from the traditional Massey principles of accessibility and flexibility, they carry the potential for serious disruption of studies. It should also be noted that it is the Government’s Tertiary Education Strategy that is driving these changes. Please be aware that without the voice of a student representative these rules would be significantly more challenging, particularly for part-time students. If you have any concerns about your situation, now or in the future, then give me a call and we will work together to broker as solution.

Changing Academic Regulations

ralph — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 02:37:39 +0000

There has been further discussion regarding the manner in which the ‘eight year rule’ and ‘complete on that years regulations’ will be implemented. As you know academic regulations have been passed that introduce an eight year limit and also require students to complete their qualification under that year’s regulations, not the enrolling year as has been in the past).

Check with your school to see if changes apply to you

After loosing the battle to have the eight year rule changed to a twelve year rule and to be able to complete under regulations up to three years old, I have been asking for clarification on how these rules will be applied. We still do not know. A further document, seeking to clarify the transition must be approved at academic board at the end of October.

If, as the original paper obliquely suggested, these changes apply from 2012, then we are out of time to properly inform students. The way things are rolling changes will occur when students are on break over summer. Not only that, as enrolment opens on the 1st October, (and the new enrolment software may make decisions about regulations), students may have enrolled before the decision about when these changes apply is made.

If you are concerned about the regulations you will be completing under, particularly if there have been changes to your programme since you first enrolled then you should see your school before you finish up for the year.

Tertiary Reporting Misguided

ralph — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 04:20:08 +0000

Ranking Universities by measuring completion statistics is yet another attack on part-time students. The concequence of lumping all student completions into a single statistic is that part-time students bring the ‘score’ down. This then acts as an agent of change; where Universities reduce their options in part-time study and look to enrol more full time students. The Tertiary Education Commission has recognised the model if flawed, yet they persist. It is Tertiary Minister Joyce’s ’efficiency’ model that is the driver for this behaviour with the logic being that young students provide a better return on investment for the taxpayer. What rot! Part-time students are likely to cost less; they have a lower loan uptake and are often already contributing to society by working as they study.

The effect of this policy is to drive school leavers to make decisions about thier education, and an average $28,000 debt, that they may not be prepared for. Concurrently, for second chance learners, the opportunity to better one’s situation is lost.

It is not okay to focus on youth, there needs to be a blance, both to take the pressure off our school leavers and to offer our second-chance learners education opportunities.

Can you complete a Bachelors in eight years?

ralph — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 00:07:35 +0000

A new regulation is proposed by Massey: “there will be an eight year maximum time for completion of any one Massey University qualification.”

Driving Change - Tertiary Education Minister Stephen Joyce

For students, this means you must complete three papers per year – with no failed papers and no breaks, in order to gain a Bachelors degree under the regulations existing when you enrolled.

If you have not completed by eight years, Massey will seek to award you the highest qualification achieved: a certificate or diploma. You may continue to study but graduation will be under current regulations. You would then surrender your certificate or diploma in order to graduate with a Bachelors degree once you have the required papers.

Driving this proposed regulation is the Government’s performance based funding. Massey feels it cannot risk carrying long-term students, who do not deliver under the TEC’s funding formula.

Does Massey have a vision for its Distance programme?

What do you think of this? Massey appears to have little idea how many students this will affect. Nor do they fully understand the groups or types of students it will affect most. Will mothers, students with disabilities, or those without school qualifications be hardest hit?

Furthermore, I feel this fundamentally changes the position on access that Massey University built its distance education reputation on. Is this an issue?

I have created an opportunity for the student voice to be heard. Rather than July as planned, in mid August the regulation will go to Massey’s Academic Board for approval. Massey has agreed to report back on the number and types of students this would affect.

In order to make changes to this regulation, students will have to speak up. Send your opinion to me and I will ensure it is passed on to Steve Maharey and is tabled at the decision making body, Academic Board.

Failure to Engage

ralph — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 04:42:56 +0000

A trial of new regulations is underway. It is called the Failure to Engage Pilot.

Each year a number of students do not engage with their study. They may have believed that they have unenrolled or they may be enrolled as a full time student in order to receive an allowance and decide that one of the papers can wait until next semester. Whatever the reason may be, failure to engage is a problem for the University and students; they are prevented from offering or gaining that place at Massey.

It is likely that following the trial a University-wide policy will be implemented allowing for termination of enrolment in that paper of students who do not hand in compulsory assessments and fail explain themselves. What has not been determined it the downstream effect of being unenrolled from a paper. How the paper outcome is recorded on a student transcript and how this will affect future access has yet to be finalised.

I have no issue with the policy so long as there is a well understood process backed by excellent communication and record keeping. I will be suggesting that the impact on students should not be disproportionate with the often innocent offence of not coping with the workload. If you have a view on this, please reply to this strand and I will ensure your opinion is heard by Massey.

Dire Times for Extramural Students

ralph — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 01:27:20 +0000

LET ME STUDY!

Distance Education has fallen out of favour with our Government. For Massey students this may translate to missing out on a place if you are not enrolled with a qualification pre-specified. It may also mean that you cannot get a place if you are new student and it will mean strict enforcement of regulations; if you fail you are out.

In a sensible reaction to New Zealand’s Tertiary Education Strategy, places for distance students at Massey will be reducing. By the time this column goes to press the Massey University Investment Plan for 2011-13 will have been released. This investment plan will likely outline how Massey’s distance student numbers will reduce over the next few years by around 15%, equating to approximately 2,500 students. I expect that Massey’s plan will also address the Government’s focus on youth and Maori students by signaling an intention to increase the number of Maori students and the number of young students (those under 25). And with a $1.8 million boost in student services levies for 2011, Massey will also focus on further developing the academic and pastoral support for students with the aim of improving completion rates.

At the same time, Massey, internally and through its 2020 Strategy, has said it is committed to distance education and the student profile that accompanies that mode. This is not necessarily at odds with Massey’s current Academic Reform Project: rationalizing offerings, which can only be described as prolific and unsustainable, in order to better reflect the current needs of students. But it is at odds with the message that the Investment Plan carries. Clearly there will be a focus of cuts in distance offerings if academic reform is to fit the investment plan vision. So how can Massey’s internal rhetoric be reconciled with Government direction?

Can Massey create an oportunity from the Govt direction?

I believe that within this period of change there exists an opportunity to strengthen Massey’s position as New Zealand’s preeminent distance education provider. If existing resources are focused on developing the best quality delivery for the distance offerings that remain, and we can be reassured that other providers are being discouraged from expanding their distance programmes, then when the wind changes Massey will be in possession of the most advanced (both technologically and pedagogically) distance education delivery in the country.

Summer School Enrolment Close

ralph — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 01:18:18 +0000

It came as a shock even though the signs were there. I feel more could have been done to prevent this from happening and more could have been done to advise students in a more timely way. That said it is clearly the Government’s Tertiary Education Strategy (TES) that has closed Massey’s doors this summer. (There is a fantastic Off Campus article School of Hard Knocks discussing the end of open entry.) So what do we do about it? I am continuing to lobby the Government about the issue, basing my discussion around the submission to the TES I wrote last year and using the voice of the students to support my statements. I need you to reply to this blog so I can include your voice (anonymously).

Why don't they get it?

Massey is a big organisation and had begun the process of moving to a capped number. This was being done in a manner that was designed to reduce the impact on students. Good on you Massey. The Government then decided that that was not fast enough change and forced the capping of student numbers. The Tertiary Education Strategy is a Dog - especially for mature and part time learners. So let us now focus on the source of this misery and present a united voice in opposition. Tell us your story, your grief and we will get some public debate around this issue.

EXMSS feels it is unacceptable for New Zealand to have a Tertiary Education System that is unable to deliver the courses offered at the beginning of the year. What does that say about our Government’s vision and planning? Massey is not the only institution that has had to suddenly close its doors. For students this poorly organised, frantic dash to capped numbers, driven by a flawed strategy is completely unacceptable.

Over 25s become ‘Special Admissions’

ralph — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 02:46:03 +0000

University study? Think again.

Massey and other universities around New Zealand are being forced to introduce regulations that deliver on the Governments Tertiary Education Strategy. Forced because some institutions would prefer to maintain a student body that reflects New Zealand’s education needs, not some reactive strategy that fails to understand educations role in society and economic recovery.

The govenment, not satisfied with the impact of the TES are now looking to restrict access further for mature students. Imagine enquiring about a course and being told that your University Entrance qualification is not good enough. Sorry UE is not what is says. UE means you only have the right to enter university as a Special Admission.

That means you will have to meet a set of criteria that could be cuturally based, academically based or luck based. You will not know if you are successfull until the last minute and your place will gone if you fail or take a break for more than two years.

There is a window of opportunity to have your say. NZQA, who are reviewing entrance criteria, are calling for submissions. I will be submitting on your behalf. Please send me your views and I will make sure thay are included in the EXMSS submission.