Assessment Campaign

This year VUWSA's assessment campaign is concentrating on attacking the problems of ITA at a departmental level such as the Committee of Eight in the English Department. Apart from the standing targets of the abolition of terms and the 40% of any finals exam ruling, the main emphasis of this campaign is on the the "double chance" form of assessment and greater student participation in the formulating of course workloads and methods of assessment. At a recent Arts, Languages and Literature Faculty meeting considering its Permanent Committee on assessment, worloads and Credit Ratings, a student rep moved (seconded by Prof. Nomsh of Romance Languages) a motion which included students 'right to decide (in conjunction with staff) on a reasonable course workload and a fiar method of assessment'. Because of some staff disapproval of such student 'rights' the resolution has since been watered down to "opportunity" while still asking faculties to "encourage students to collaborate with lecturers in decisions affecting workloads, teaching practices and methods of assessment for their courses".