gr@du@te		Postgraduate Review Panel
On this page … Terms of reference Grounds to be considered Procedures Options open to the Panel Go to … Homepage Academic Admissions Housing Welfare & Support		Terms of reference It is the responsibility of the Postgraduate Review Panel to review the following classes of cases. Each case where examiners recommend that the degree for which a student is registered shall not be awarded and that the student shall not be given the opportunity to resubmit for that degree. Each case where the examiners recommend that a lesser degree be awarded or that the student be allowed to resubmit a thesis for a lesser degree. The Postgraduate Review Panel may delegate this responsibility to a group of not less than three of its members, namely the Director of the University Graduate School (provided that the Director has not previously been involved in the case) and at least one member from a department cognate with that in which the student has been working. The Panel shall have power to determine the cases referred to it on behalf of the Committee of the Senate. Grounds to be considered In considering individual cases, the Postgraduate Review Panel may take account of either of the following grounds. That there exist circumstances affecting the student's performance of which the examiners had not been made aware when their decision was taken. That there were serious irregularities in the conduct of the examination or in the process whereby the examiners reached their decision, of such a nature as to cause reasonable doubt as to whether the examiners would have reached the same conclusion had they not occurred. The Panel shall also have a general duty to satisfy itself that the student has been fairly treated. Procedures Any student whose case falls within the terms of reference of the Postgraduate Review Panel shall be invited to make an initial written submission within one calendar month of being notified of the examiners' recommendation. If the student accepts the recommendation of the examiners, no written submission shall be required but the Postgraduate Review Panel shall review the case as a normal part of its procedures. Adequate notice shall be given to the student of the date for the review. The student shall have the right to appear before the Panel and may be accompanied by a member (normally a senior member) of the University; alternatively the student may be represented before the Panel by a member (normally a senior member) of the University. Examiners' reports are confidential to the Postgraduate Review Panel, appropriate officers, heads of departments, and the student's supervisor(s). The report is a reserved document which shall not be shown to the student. The examiners shall be informed if the student gives notice of an intention to appear before the Postgraduate Review Panel, and shall be invited to submit a report on the thesis in a form that may be made available to the student; they may give permission for their original report to be so used if they wish. Where examiners do not respond to this invitation, they shall be informed that the student will be given an unattributable summary, prepared by the internal examiner, of the main points of their reports. A copy of this summary shall be made available to the head of department concerned. If a student makes a written submission, it shall be sent to the examiners for their comments before the review meeting. The Postgraduate Review Panel shall normally consult the student's supervisor and head of department. Options open to the Panel The Postgraduate Review Panel may take either of the following decisions - To approve the recommendation of the examiners, in which case the decision is final, save that if the recommendation is that no degree be awarded and no opportunity of re-submission given, the student shall retain the right of appeal to the Vice-Chancellor, or to a Pro-Vice-Chancellor nominated by him (under Statute 21). If the decision is to uphold the examiners' recommendation, the student shall be informed in general terms of the reason. Otherwise to determine the proper action which may include: to recommend to the examiners that, for reasons stated, they should reconsider their action; to give the student permission to revise the thesis and resubmit for re-examination, for the same or a lesser degree, within a specified time limit; to declare the examination null and void and to direct that a fresh examination be conducted. All decisions made by the Postgraduate Review Panel under this regulation shall be reported to the Committee of the Senate. Where re-examination under "null and void" (above) is determined, the following provisions shall apply: new examiners shall be appointed, in number not fewer than on the original board; the examiners shall be given no information about the previous examination except the single fact that they are conducting a re-examination on review; the examiners shall submit independent reports on the thesis before they examine the candidate orally, and a joint report after the oral examination; the Postgraduate Review Panel shall consider the reports of the new board of examiners and determine the outcome: it may at its discretion take account of the reports of the original board of examiners but any agreed recommendation of the new board shall normally prevail and the Panel shall normally accept a majority decision of the new board provided that at least one external examiner concurs.
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