Extension Policy

1. In accordance with the policy of the Sydney College of Divinity, it is a requirement of a student’s course unit that all assessment tasks be completed by the due dates set by the lecturer and published in the Course Unit Booklets.

2. Late assessment tasks without an approved extension will attract an automatic penalty deduction of 5% of the marks available for the item of assessment for every day (including weekends and holidays), or part thereof, beyond the date and time of submission (or any extension granted).

Example:

A student submits an assignment worth 50 marks four days late. Total mark available = 50. Penalty for being four days late = (5% of 50) x4 = 10-mark penalty. The student’s original mark for the quality of their work is 40. The student’s final mark will be reduced to 30 (40 – 10 = 30).

3. Assessment tasks submitted without an approved extension beyond 10 days after the due date will receive a zero mark and will NOT be annotated by the lecturer.

Types of Extensions

     4.1  Lecturer’s Extension

The lecturer may grant an extension of 1 to 7 days beyond the due date. An extension must be applied for in advance of the original due date. In cases of sudden serious illness or misadventure, the student may apply as soon as would be reasonably practical. Extensions of more than 7 days may only be granted by the Registrar.

     4.2  Registrar’s Extension

A Registrar’s Extension must be applied for in advance of the original due date, or of the extended due date where a Lecturer’s Extension has already been granted. A Registrar’s Extension may provide up to 21 days of additional time beyond the original due date.

     4.3  Faculty Board Extension

In exceptional circumstances, where the student’s grade remains unresolved by the time of the end-of-semester Faculty Board meeting, the Board will determine whether to ascribe a unit grade of ‘E’ (Extension - with the possibility of any grade thereafter), or ‘I’ (Incomplete – with the final grade limited to a Pass only), or ‘N’ (Fail). The student will be invited by the Registrar to write an explanatory letter to the Board describing the exceptional circumstances. In making its determination, the Board will consider such things as supporting documentation, Faculty comments, the student’s study load, and the student’s level of engagement with the unit and overall academic track record. The student will be notified of the outcome within three (3) workings days of the meeting.

5. Acceptable Grounds for an Extension

An extension of an assessment task due date may be granted on the following grounds, generally understood to be beyond the student’s control:

1. illness or temporary disability (medical certificate);
2. bereavement (funeral notice)
3. unavoidable work commitments (letter from employer)
4. accident (detailed account of incident)
5. technical difficulties (screenshot or photo with detailed account of problem)
6. family or personal circumstances or genuinely unavoidable commitments (detailed description).

6. Unacceptable Grounds for an Extension

The following are not ordinarily considered acceptable grounds for seeking an extension:

1. Where the student could reasonably be expected to avoid the circumstances that prevented timely submission.
2. Holiday arrangements including local, national and international travel.
3. Misreading the exam timetable.
4. Employment commitments unless the student is experiencing financial hardship, has been refused leave, or has been directed to undertake unusual or extraordinary duties beyond their control.
5. Liturgical services or church-related activities. All Faculty members have such responsibilities too, both during and outside ordinary office hours including weekends.
6. Where it is a re-attempted assessment task.

7. At the end of a semester, no grade other than a 'Fail' will be ascribed by the Faculty Board to any unit where non of the assessment tasks have been completed.

8. How to Apply for an Extension

8.1  With the Moodle home page for your unit, scroll down to the section labelled Requesting an Extension. It will typically be located below the Assessment Package and above the Week 1 topic / lecture.

8.2  Read the ‘Extension Policy’.

8.3  Select the type of extension you wish to apply for: Lecturer’s Extension or Registrar’s Extension.

8.4  Complete the online Google form and upload supporting documents (e.g., medical certificate) if you have a Gmail account, or else complete the online form and send your supporting documents in a separate email to your Lecturer or to the Registrar, depending on the type of Extension.

8.5  Wait for a reply. Follow-up with an email if you have not received a response within 72hrs.

9. May I Apply for an Extension after the Due Date?

Yes, but only if you were genuinely unable to apply before the due date due to serious illness or misadventure. In such cases, you should aim to do so within three (3) days of the due date and provide sufficient explanation and supporting documents.

10. Additional Regulation(s)

1. a. A unit which is ascribed an Extension (E) grade, or an Incomplete (I) grade is considered to be an 'open' unit, with its final mark as yet unresolved. Any remaining assessment task(s) must be completed prior to the commencement of the subsequent semester.
   b. If the remaining assessment task(s) are not completed prior to the subsequent semester, then the student's study load for the new semester will be reduced by one (1) unit for each 'open' unit from their previous semester. This reduction in a student's study load may effect eligibility for scholarship assistance provisions offered by St Andrew's and for government student allowance schemes (e.g. Austudy), both of which typically mandate a particular study load.
   c. If the student was enrolled in the final semester of their course, then any remaining assessment task(s) must be completed in order for the student to become eligible for graduation.