School of Arts and Social Sciences
STUDENT ATTENDANCE PROCEDURES
September 2011.
Northumbria University
School of Arts and Social Sciences
Student Attendance Procedures
INTRODUCTION
Since 2005/6 it has been a University requirement that we monitor the attendance of all students whether home or international. In the case of international students, this is also a Home Office requirement and from September 2009 the Home Office proposed to make the rigorous attendance monitoring of international students compulsory, as a condition of any institution being granted Home Office Registration status, without which students applying to Northumbria will not be entitled to a student visa. Non attendance is also a welfare issue and it is part of our guidance process to identify cases where student support is required. In addition, non attendance is linked to increased risk of withdrawal, underperformance and academic failure and there are clear financial reasons for monitoring and following up non-attendance.
Operational Processes
The procedures outlined will require the following operational processes/tools to be used to ensure that the process operates successfully:
· Use of the Tokairo electronic attendance monitoring system by all staff for seminar/workshop sessions, to include Unilang and ASK provision.
· Accurate registers generated by Tokairo and the ability to update erroneous information quickly and accurately
· A set of reports on student attendance that are generated by School Registry (SASC) on a regular basis using the Tokairo data sets
· Accessible guidance tutor lists
· A confirmed database (paper or electronic) of student enrolled statuses (including withdrawals and interruptions)
· Confirmed process for reporting of long term sickness
· Determining acceptable reasons for non attendance and ensuring consistent school wide practice.
· A confirmed schedule of School Attendance Boards with approved terms of reference and membership
Student Induction
The importance of regular attendance is emphasised during induction and students are made fully aware of these procedures and of the potentially serious consequences of non-attendance.
Tracking Non-Attendance
Attendance is monitored at seminars and workshops or equivalent through the use of the on-line Tokairo system, but not necessarily at lectures.
International Students -Focus to meet UKBA Requirements
A registration system, administered via SASC, whereby all international students registered on taught programmes (other than ELC programmes) are required to sign in with SASC on a fortnightly basis. Students are therefore identified immediately via this process and flagging to UKBA can occur in a timely fashion. The student sign in will confirm the following:
· Students are able to show themselves to be physically present
· Students are signing to say that they are attending classes
· Visa queries/renewals etc can be easily monitored via this process
· The sessions can also be used to ensure that proper ID is available for international students
· Any pastoral issues can be identified quickly and easily for international students
Students studying Joints Based outside of the School
Where Module Tutors have flagged a problem with attendance of students whose Programme Leader is based in another School, they should contact the School Attendance Monitoring Co-ordinator who will ensure that the Programme Leader is notified
SUMMARY OF KEY EVENTS
1 / Tokairo system and System for Attendance Monitoring (SAM) is made active / Data Management Team
2 / Electronic Registers are checked / School Registry working with Programme Leaders
3 / Academic staff are registered as Tokairo users / Data Management Team
4 / Staff are trained where required / Data Management Team
5 / Module Tutors commence attendance monitoring within seminars/workshops / Module Tutors
6 / Data inaccuracies within registers are flagged and corrected / SAM Co-ordinator
7 / Module Tutors flag 2 weeks non attendance ce * / Module Tutors
8 / Module Tutor copies correspondence to student file, via SAM Co-ordinator / Module Tutor
9 / Module Tutors contact non-attending students either by phone or by email / Module Tutors
10 / Students are flagged as not resuming attendance / Module Tutor/School SAM Co-ordinator
11 / Module Tutor and SAM Co-ordinator refer to Programme Leader / Module Tutor/SAM Co-ordinator
12 / Student requested to attend meeting with Programme Leader / SAM Co-ordinator/Programme Leader
13 / Student flagged as at risk / SAM Co-ordinator/Programme Leader
14 / Non-attending international students flagged to UKBA / SAM Co-ordinator
15 / Letter confirming outcome is sent to student / SAM Co-ordinator/Programme Leader
16 / Monthly attendance reports are generated for Programme Directors / SAM Co-ordinator
17 / Students flagged for Attendance Board are contacted in writing / SAM Co-ordinator
18 / Students confirms their status prior to School Attendance Board / Students
19 / School Attendance Board meets and confirms unconfirmed withdrawals/ students on report and long term sickness / School Attendance Board
20 / Students receive written advice of recommendations / Secretary to School Attendance Board
Panel recommendations are communicated to USO and external bodies
* Non attendance flagged for two absent sessions for an individual student – this might mean 4 weeks where seminars are scheduled fortnightly
School of Arts and Social Sciences
School Attendance Board
2011/12
Frequency of meetings: Minimum of three meetings per annum, normally in November, January and March, to be reviewed after one year’s operation
Secretary: School Registrar or nominee, supported by SAM Co-ordinator
Reporting relationships: A sub-committee of the School Progression and Awards Board, also acting in an advisory capacity to the School Executive
Quorum: 50% +1 but with the expectation that all members will normally attend.
Type of minutes: Action Notes
Constitution/Membership
The membership of this group will consist of Programme Directors representing each Department and with delegated responsibility for Student Experience. The Board will be chaired by the Associate Dean for Learning and Teaching
Terms of Reference
1. To act as a Sub-Committee of the School Progression and Awards Board and to provide advice and information as appropriate
2. To consider student attendance data as provided, and to confirm student status on the basis of criteria confirmed within the School’s attendance policy and in accordance with Section 8 of the University handbook of Student Regulations (Taught Programmes)
3. To consider and latterly advise School Executive on any relevant issues that arise from matters arising at the Board
Appendix 1 - DRAFT ATTENDANCE PROCEDURES FOR ELC
All academic staff to obtain registers and record attendance via the University’s Tokairo system.
Any changes to classes or late enrolments to be communicated to the Registry office to ensure timetabling are informed and therefore Tokairo is up to date. Any unauthorised absences which are later approved must have back records updated (for example if a sick note is produced).
Reports will be obtained from Tokairo by Registry staff each Friday afternoon and circulated to all staff and the Director of the Languages Centre
Registry staff will assess the report summary and contact the Programme Leader where a student has 3 absences in one week (but not where they all occur in one day) or when the student has reached 8 non-attendances in total. If the Programme Leader agrees the student will commence the following procedure:
STAGE / REASON / PROCEDURE/WHO / FOLLOW-UP1 / Student has three unauthorised absences within a week (not all on same day) / (Monday)Registry to text message and e-mail to check if all is well with the student. / Prog. Leader to be informed and a note put on students file & database
If no response from the student within 2 days (Wednesday) the student moves to stage 2
2 / No response to e-mail or text / A formal warning letter and e-mail sent to student with appointment to see Prog. Leader. Student to be asked to telephone/e-mail to confirm attendance / Prog. Leader/HOD to be informed and a note put on student file and database.
If no response by a week following first contact (Monday) then student moves to stage 3
3 / Student fails to confirm attendance at pre-arranged appointment with Prog Leader or fails to attend appointment. / A formal letter sent asking student to attend appointment with Director of LC Student asked to confirm attendance. / Prog. Leader and HOD informed and a note put on student file/database.
If no response or student fails to attend the student moves to stage 4
4 / Student fails to attend meeting with Director of LC and does not make any contact. / Appointment made for a Panel hearing with AD L&T, Director of LC and Guidance Tutor. Student allowed to be accompanied by a representative if required. / Depending on the outcome of the Panel hearing the student is either withdrawn or a final warning is issued. Academic Registry informed. The UKBA will be advised by Ac Registry
Constant offenders:
A student who hits stage 1 twice within three weeks will miss out stage 2 and go to stage 3 A student who re-offends (as above) twice will go straight to the Panel hearing stage.
Example of e-mail/text/letters sent to student:
STAGE 1
Dear…..
I notice that you have missed a few classes. Is everything ok? If not, is there anything we can do to help?
Please contact guidance tutor name and tel number/e-mail address
STAGE 2
Dear…….
We have been trying to contact you via e-mail and text, without success, in relation to your continued absence from class. We are concerned that you may have problems which are stopping you from attending but as you have failed to respond we cannot do anything to help you.
Therefore we now have to formally warn you that if you do not attend the appointment made for you as detailed below, we will have no choice but to advise the Head of Department of your absence.
Please confirm your attendance at this meeting
Please report to…..Guidance Tutor name, time of appointment etc.
STAGE 3
Dear……
As you have still failed to attend class and also the appointment made for you on………….. with your Guidance Tutor I have no choice but to issue this formal warning.
Please note that if you do not attend the appointment detailed below, the University is obliged to inform the UKBA of your failure to attend and this may affect your visa conditions.
Could you please confirm your attendance by……………
Director of Languages Centre – date- time etc
STAGE 4
Formal Panel – School Attendance Board
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