Student Rights
What are the rights of students at Murdoch University?
The Guild has Bill of Student Rights, put together some years ago, outlining what the Guilds believes are essential student rights. The University has outlined various academic rights (as well as responsibilities) numerous policies. On some points the Guild Bill and University policies match up on other points the Bill is clearly outdated and there are many newer rights which are missing.
This semester the Guild will be working on a new campaign to set a standard of rights which are clearly outlined and applied across the University. Across different school different rules are applied and many students remain unaware of remarks, supplementary assessments and the limit on compulsory assessment components . Some rules are not formally recorded for example it is merely accepted in most schools that lecturers should not turn off ilecture when talking about exams.
The first step is to create a list of possible rights including ones already outlined in University policy. We should not shy way from including rights which are currently not accepted at Murdoch. In fact it is extremely important to include new rights and campaign to have them enforced at Murdoch. The new Bill of Rights will then be printed on a handy card and distributed to new students at Murdoch.
So what do you think should be a right of all students at Murdoch? Email your thoughts to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Current Guild Bill of Rights
The Guild believes that all students should have the right:
• To receive from the University - prior to the commencement of teaching - documentation clearly explaining course structure and requirements; unit options; and general unit objectives in their programme of enrolment as well as options available outside their programme;
• To undergo consistent, objective and anonymous forms of assessment, established only after agreement has been reached between students and staff;
• To be informed how each part of the unit, and each activity or assessment, relates to the objectives of the course;
• To have a choice of assessment options in every unit;
• To receive a reasonable extension of time to submit work where misadventure has occurred;
• To be notified in advance if at risk of failing a unit;
• To receive a full, prompt and constructive explanation of any grade or result from the assessor;
• To appeal a grade or result, without financial charge or automatic penalty, to an independent body which includes student representation;
• To have reasonable access to members of staff to discuss course related matters outside teaching hours;
• To have complete and automatic access to their own personal files and to expect these files to be confidential;
• To be free from discrimination on the basis of gender, race, ethnicity, age, socio-economic background, (dis)ability, sexuality, marital status, political or religious belief, or geographical location; and to be able bring any suspected discrimination to the attention of the University without fear of retribution;
• To receive appropriate remuneration for work performed as part of an assessment that benefits another agent outside the University;
• To have free and open access to student support services including financial, educational, medical, commercial, childcare and accommodation services, necessary for the successful completion of a course of study;
• To have child friendly study areas provided at no cost;
• To have independent, proportional student representation on all administrative and decision-making bodies within the University. To have these representatives adequately resourced and be given full access to information;
• To travel to, from, and around campus free from any form of harassment or other violence;
• To have an accessible, transparent and unified appeals structure across the University;
• To expect that education, being a public good, shall be freely and readily accessible to all.
Murdoch University Assessment Policy
Students have a right to;
8.1.1 Be provided with advice on the following:
• The University policy on the use of non-discriminatory language.
• Formal procedures to be followed when a variation is sought from the assessment requirements for the unit on the basis of conscientious objection.
• How to request explanations of grades allocated for work completed during the standard teaching period, and of final grades and appeal procedures.
Units available in the flexible format will have this information automatically generated on the Unit page.
8.1.2 Clearly written unit learning objectives which are written as outcomes statements. 8.1.3 Assessment that measures achievement of the learning objectives specified for each unit.
8.1.4 Reasonable access to resources (e.g. library databases), which will support them in achieving the assessment.
8.1.5 Assessment methods that allow them to demonstrate the level of achievement in unit objectives.
8.1.6 Information regarding assessment (type, teacher expectations, marking criteria, assessment component percentage, other special features) at the beginning of each unit. 8.1.7 Be informed well in advance (specify) regarding assessment dates, or venue and any changes to assessment dates, or venue.
8.1.8 Fair assessment.
8.1.9 View and discuss assessment results with a member of teaching staff at previously advised specified times.
8.1.10 Receive results for assessment tasks conducted within a standard teaching period prior to final assessment tasks and within sufficient time to modify learning approaches if needed.
8.1.11 Appeal grades awarded through the specified, publicly available processes.
8.1.12 A range of assessment strategies capable of suiting a range of differing learning styles throughout their enrolled course.
8.1.13 Confidentiality of assessment grades.
8.1.14 Request a re-mark subject to the appropriate conditions and procedures.