(1) Western Sydney University issues several types of official statements that provide the academic records of individual students. This Policy defines the different documents and sets out the ways in which their content may be used in order to ensure that the information provided by the University regarding individual student records is fit for purpose and is consistent. (2) For purposes of this policy, the following definitions covering the range of student academic records shall apply: (3) The University is committed to ensuring the accuracy and authenticity of all University issued documents that record details of students' academic information, in the interests of the University, its students and graduates. That objective is reinforced by legislation and agencies that empower, review and support public institutions and their reputations. (4) Falsification of the University testamur, academic transcript, the AHEGS or any other issued academic record damages the reputation of the University, its students and graduates at national and international levels. Students who falsify documents covered by this policy will be dealt with under the Student Misconduct Rule and persons who falsify documents covered by this policy may be prosecuted under the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW). (5) Academic records are produced under the authority of the Academic Registrar, who has responsibility for the style and format of such records. (6) Academic transcripts are provided to students upon conferral of an award as a component of the AHEGS, and at other times at the request of individual students on a fee for service basis. (7) The AHEGS is provided free of charge to students upon conferral of an award on the basis of one copy per conferred award. After initial provision, individual students may request further AHEGS copies on a fee for service basis. The AHEGS will not be provided for non-award courses or for courses where the award has not been conferred or has been otherwise withheld. (8) Appropriate academic records may also be provided to external organisations (for example, to professional accreditation bodies, the Universities Admission Centre (UAC), other educational institutions and for employment purposes), where the student has provided appropriate written authority for the University to do so or where such disclosure falls within the Disclosure and Use of Student Personal Information Guidelines. (9) Academic records may also be required to be provided under specific legislation including the Higher Education Support Act 2003 and the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000, and to police services or other law enforcement agencies under subpoena, police search warrant or other similar written official request. The Disclosure and Use of Student Personal Information Guidelines directs the University's response in such situations. (10) In accordance with the Enrolment Policy, academic records will not be supplied to students who are financially indebted to the University, until the debt has been resolved. (11) The University will maintain in the student management system: (12) These registers will contain sufficient information to correctly identify the: (13) The AQF guidelines, endorsed by the Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments, govern the format and content of documents issued by accrediting authorities to ensure authenticity and consistency. In addition, the Department of Education has provided a document, Guidelines for the Presentation of the Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement, which informs the relevant provisions in this policy. (14) It is expected that updates to the AQF and Department of Education guidelines will occur over time and may require changes to academic records issued by the University. (15) A list of approved protocols and standards for the University course titles, abbreviations and post-nominal letters is available as Associated Information. (16) Academic records will be printed on official University stationery, appropriate to the document type. (17) Registers of formats and stationery used for academic records, including copies of the actual paper used, will be maintained by the Academic Registrar's Office for each official document. Each register will document the dates when specific formats are in operation and when changeovers occur. (18) Copies of academic records should not be accepted as official University documents. (19) Academic records are to be printed using the English (Roman) character set with standard English punctuation marks. (20) A testamur is provided to a student upon conferral of each award for which they have qualified that is presented at a graduation ceremony or supplied to graduates who choose to graduate in absentia. (21) A testamur: (22) The following information is not to be included on the testamur: (23) Two types of academic transcripts are provided to students: (24) Award-specific academic transcripts provided to graduates as a component of the AHEGS will contain the following information: (25) The following information is not to be included on award-specific transcripts: (26) Full academic transcripts provided to students during their studies will contain the following information: (27) The following information is not to be included on full academic transcripts: (28) The AHEGS provided upon conferral of an award will be for the course for which the student is currently graduating. (29) The AHEGS will be provided to students graduating from 2011 onwards and will not be available for awards where admission of commencing students ceased prior to 2001. (30) The AHEGS may contain the following information: (31) The following information is not to be included on the AHEGS: (32) A certificate is issued to students who have successfully completed the Western Sydney University The College Foundation Studies program. (33) The certificate is not an award of the University but confirms that the student has completed the required components at the specified level(s). (34) The certificate will include: (35) The following information is not to be included on certificates: (36) A completion letter is a document stating that the student is entitled to be awarded a specified qualification (subject to authorisation by the relevant School Academic Committee and upon successful application to graduate by the student). It may be issued by the University, upon request, on a fee for service basis by the Academic Registrar's Office. (37) A completion letter is intended only as interim confirmation that a qualification is completed, and so may only be issued to a student during the period after completion of their qualification requirements and before the award is conferred by the University. It is not an official conferral of the award by the University. (38) Under special circumstances a student who has graduated may request a completion letter as further evidence that they have completed and been awarded their degree. (39) Completion letters must contain details as described in the Associated Information to this Policy. (40) A statement of attainment may be issued to students who do not complete an award but have completed a unit or units of competence or study from a Western Sydney University The College award or program. (41) The Statement of Attainment will include: (42) The Statement of Attainment must be in a form that ensures it cannot be mistaken for a testamur or a full AQF qualification. It must include the statement 'A Statement of Attainment is issued when an individual has completed one or more accredited units.' (43) Such statements may be issued by the relevant School following the completion of specified learning activities that are not offered as part of a University or Western Sydney University The College award or program. This includes statements issued after completion of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programs. (44) A statement of learning activities will include: (45) It is in the University's interest and that of its students and graduates that the academic achievements and qualifications claimed by applicants for educational, professional, business and other service roles are genuine. (46) Employers, professional bodies, licensing and regulatory bodies and others may wish to verify that information on academic records is accurate. Awards may be verified through the Award Verification Service or upon application to the Graduation Unit. The Disclosure and Use of Student Personal Information Guidelines directs the University's response in such situations. (47) Where an original testamur, transcript, AHEGS or certificate has been lost, damaged or destroyed, or where the recipient's name has changed, a replacement may be issued by the University, upon request, on a fee for service basis by the Academic Registrar's Office. (48) A new testamur will be identified as a replacement by inclusion of the following: "Replacement ..... issued ... (dated)" and signed by the Academic Registrar. (49) A graduate issued with a new document as a result of a change of name will have all key administrative records held by the University amended to reflect the new name.Academic Records Issuance Policy
Section 1 - Purpose and Context
Section 2 - Definitions
Top of PageSection 3 - Policy Statement
Commitment to Accuracy and Authenticity
Section 4 - Procedures
Part A - Supply of Academic Records
Part B - Content and Format of Academic Records
General Information
Testamur
Academic Transcript
AHEGS
Certificate
Completion Letter
Statement of Attainment
Statement of Learning Activities
Part C - Verification of Information on Academic Records Requested by Third Parties
Part D - Replacement Academic Records
Section 5 - Guidelines
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