Policy Statement: Teaching Delivery, Tests and Examinations in
Semester 2 2020 (from 8 October)
Version: 8 October 2020

This information, and any updates, will be available on the Policy Hub and Remote Learning
websites.  Staff should ensure that they are viewing the most recent version.
1.  Purpose
To provide information for staff on the rules at different Covid-19  Alert  Levels  for teaching
delivery, tests and examinations in Semester 2 and Quarter 4 2020.

This policy statement takes effect from Thursday 8 October 2020 and applies to all staff and
students of the University of Auckland.
2.  Summary: teaching delivery and assessment requirements at Alert
Levels 1-4
Alert Level 1

•  All classes ordinarily taught on-site will be delivered on campus.
•  From 5 November all tests and examinations will be conducted on campus as scheduled with
in-person invigilation.
•  Enrolled off-shore students will continue to be taught remotely and will have  scheduled,
timed, non-invigilated tests and examinations.

Alert Level 2

•
At Alert Level 2 most teaching activity will be online, with some exceptions.
•
Tests will be conducted online, with some exceptions.

•
Examinations will be delivered on campus as scheduled with appropriate physical distancing
and health and safety measures in place.
•
Enrolled off-shore students will continue to be taught remotely and will have scheduled,
timed, non-invigilated tests and examinations.

Alert Level 2.5, 3 and 4

•  All classes will be taught online (with limited exceptions at Level 2.5 and 3).
•  All test and examinations will be conducted online in a timed format with no invigilation.
•  Enrolled off-shore students will continue to be taught remotely and will have scheduled,
timed, non-invigilated tests and examinations.

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link to page 9

3.  Health and safety in learning and teaching environments
•
When on campus all staff and students are recommended to wear masks, practice hand
hygiene and ensure physical distancing measures are observed where possible.
•
Staff and students are required to use the University’s Check-IN app if on campus at Alert
Levels 2, 2.5 and 3.  The University will also display the official NZ COVID Tracer QR code
posters outside teaching rooms and other student spaces at any Alert Level to ensure contact
tracing information can be collected.
•
Teaching rooms and test/examination locations are included in the University’s enhanced
cleaning regime and hand sanitiser and sanitisation materials will made available in these
spaces.

Covid-19 higher-risk students

•
See the Appendix for details on learning and teaching arrangements for students designated
as higher-risk under Covid-19 Alert conditions.
4.  Course delivery and coursework assessment
Alert Level 1

•
At Alert Level 1 where courses have compulsory requirements (e.g. laboratories, placements)
students will be expected to attend (except for those studying off-shore or approved to be
studying remotely).
Alert Level 2

•
At Alert Level 2 most teaching, coursework assessment, and the majority of tests will be
conducted online unless an exemption is approved by an Associate Dean (Academic) through
faculty committees.
Notes:
o
See (5) for information on exemptions for tests at Level 2.
o
University teaching activities in locations or on campuses outside of Auckland may be taking
place under different Alert Level conditions.

•
A number of criteria need to be met for an exemption for onsite teaching activities to be

approved including ‘agreement and approval that the acquisition and practice of practical
skills cannot be achieved by remote learning or that a physical event or the use of physical
resources from a University site is necessary for the continuation of student progress.’  The
full criteria are available here.
•
At Alert Level 2 where students based in New Zealand need to remain at home to observe
Government Covid-19 guidelines regarding respiratory illnesses, or are approved to be
studying remotely,  alternative arrangements must be in place for compulsory attendance
events that have an exemption to take place on campus.  These could include, for example,
a brief written activity or attending a laboratory in another stream where possible.
Lecture recording

•
For the remainder of Semester 2 lecture recordings will have a system default release time
of 24 hours.
Note:
Lecture recordings are available for most lectures that take place in lecture-recording enabled rooms.

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Staff may opt to provide recordings (where available) for small-group teaching (e.g. tutorials,
workshops, seminars etc). Some courses have approved exemptions from the lecture recording release
requirement. Staff may reset the default lecture recording release time for their courses to a shorter
or longer timeframe (up to a maximum of 72 hours). Staff electing to release at the maximum 72
hours must have a compelling reason for delaying release for this long and must have considered the
impact on students, including equity student groups.

Alert Levels 2.5 and 3

•
Teaching delivery and assessment will be online with some limited and managed exceptions.

Alert Level 4

•
All teaching delivery and assessment will be online.
5.  Tests
Alert Level 1

•
From 5 November invigilated tests will be on campus (if the University is at Alert Level 1).
Note: An exemption may be sought for tests scheduled up to and including 4 November that require
an on-campus, invigilated test to be undertaken.

•
All students are expected to sit tests on campus unless they are studying off-shore, approved
to be studying remotely, or observing Government Covid-19 guidelines to remain at home
temporarily.    At Alert Level 1 online versions of tests ordinarily sat under examination
conditions may only be taken by students studying off-shore or approved to be studying
remotely.
•
Online versions of tests may not be taken by students studying in New Zealand who miss an
invigilated  on-campus  test because they are temporarily ill and at home observing
Government Covid-19 guidelines.  These students must be advised to apply for an aegrotat.
Note: Students approved for an aegrotat or compassionate consideration for an invigilated test may
be permitted (at the discretion of an Academic Head) to:
o
sit another written test; or
o
receive a mark for the test based on the average of marks awarded for other
coursework; or
o
take a viva voce examination; or
o
have the percentage of marks allocated to the test reallocated to the examination.

It is recommended where possible that students sit an alternative, on-site deferred test to ensure
that a component of secure assessment is available should the student require an aegrotat for the
final examination. Alternative test questions must be of comparable difficulty and format.

•
Revised procedures for aegrotat and compassionate consideration applications will allow for
virtual  consultation with University Health and Counselling  Services  to obtain evidence of
impairment.  Alert Level permitting, in-person consultations can also be arranged with
appropriate physical distancing and Personal Protective Equipment in place.
•
Administration fees will be waived for Covid-19 related applications for aegrotat and
compassionate consideration.
Alert Levels 2, 2.5, 3 and 4

•
At Levels 2, 2.5, 3 and 4 tests ordinarily sat under invigilated conditions will be online, non-
invigilated, time-limited tests designed to test higher-order thinking.  24-hour test windows
must not be used.

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Note: If the University is at Level 2 or 2.5 an exemption may be granted for some tests in
programmes where accreditation or registration requirements require an on-campus, invigilated test
to be undertaken. Tests scheduled on campuses outside of Auckland at different Alert Levels may
take place on campus.

•
Test design should ensure that students will be able to complete the set tasks in the time
available. Feedback suggests that online tests often take longer than written tests, so
consideration must be given to extending the time allowed for the test, where appropriate.
•
For all online tests a  post-deadline window of 15 minutes  must be available to allow for
technical difficulties. Tests submitted after the deadline are late submissions and these are to
be managed by the  Course Director or (Faculty  in  the  case  of Law)  on the basis of faculty
guidelines.
•
Tests in Canvas quiz format must not be set up to ‘lock’ answers.  Students must be able to
review previous answers.
•
Tests that require the student to draw diagrams or write equations can have  answers
submitted via scanned image or photograph.  Students must have an opportunity to complete
a practice exercise prior to the test to ensure they are familiar with the technological
requirements for uploading images.
•
All students sitting online tests must be advised about the importance of academic integrity,
the University’s approach to academic misconduct, its determination to use all possible means
to identify students who dishonestly use external or online resources during tests, and the
penalties that are available where academic misconduct is confirmed.
•
Bookable spaces may be available at some Alert Levels for  students who need a suitable
study space to complete an online test. This process will be managed centrally and in
accordance with Government guidelines.

Special conditions for tests

•
Students with temporary or permanent disabilities or conditions that affect their ability to sit
tests  under the prescribed conditions may apply for special conditions through Student
Disability Services.   Approved students are entitled to special conditions  for  timed (on-
campus or online) tests of 30 minutes or longer, including where appropriate support from a
reader or writer.

•
At Alert Levels 2, 2.5, 3 or 4 students should be advised to contact Student Disability Services
to discuss additional options for assistance in online tests.
•
Advice for staff on assistance for students with approved special conditions sitting online tests
may be found on the Canvas Resources website.
6.  Examinations
Note: contingency plans and communications have been prepared for the situation where a Covid-19
Alert level change necessitates lockdown and transition to online examinations immediately before,
or during, the examination period.

Alert Levels 1 and 2

•
At Alert Levels 1 and 2 examinations will be on campus, scheduled as per the examination
timetable,  and  will  be invigilated.  All students not studying off-shore  or  approved to be
studying  remotely must sit examinations  on  campus.  At Level 2 appropriate physical
distancing and health and safety measures will be put in place in examination rooms.

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•
Normal policies and processes for out-of-time and out-of-centre examination arrangements
will apply.  Normal policies and processes for examination academic misconduct incidents will
apply to students sitting invigilated examinations on campus.
Alert Levels 2.5, 3 and 4

•
At Alert Levels 2.5, 3 and 4 examinations will be online, time-limited, and non-invigilated.
Examinations will be scheduled as  per the examination timetable.  24-hr examination
windows will not be used.
Students studying remotely or off-shore

•
All students studying remotely or off-shore  will complete non-invigilated, online, timed
examinations regardless of Alert Level.
•
Examinations for students studying remotely may be different to those completed by on-
campus students but will be of equivalent difficulty  and will address the same learning
outcomes.
•
Off-shore students will sit timed examinations scheduled to start between 7.45 am and 8.00
pm in their local time zone.
Notes:
o
Students whose examinations are scheduled outside of this window must notify the
University to ensure their examination is rescheduled to another appropriate session.
o
Students studying in Europe and Africa are not able to be accommodated within this window.
Approval for an out-of-time examination for students in European and African time zones
may be requested through the Examinations Services Office.

•
The majority of students in Asian time zones whose examinations are scheduled in afternoon
or evening sessions will sit examinations at the same time as on-shore students.  Off-shore
students in Asian time zones whose examinations are scheduled in morning sessions will have
their examination scheduled to the evening session of the previous day.
•
The revised academic misconduct process adopted in Semester 1 will be used for academic
misconduct identified in online examinations. Further guidance will be provided to staff on
how to report online examination academic misconduct incidents to the Examinations
Services Office.

Examination design and approval

General
•
Where courses have off-shore  or remote students enrolled,  two  different  formats  of the
examination must be prepared; one suitable for online delivery and one suitable for delivery
on campus.  Variation between the on-campus and the online version is permitted.
•
Where courses do not have off-shore students, examinations should be designed for delivery
on campus.
Note: in the event Alert Levels change to 2.5, 3 or 4 on-campus examinations will need to be
converted to be suitable for online delivery.

•
Examinations  may  not now be re-designated as ‘Open Book’.  Examinations may be re-
designated as ‘Restricted Book’.
Notes:
o
For the purposes of on-campus examinations held in Semester 2 or Quarter 4 that are
changed from Closed Book to Restricted Book designation, ‘Restricted Book’ means that

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candidates are permitted to take into on-campus examinations one sheet of A4 paper which
may contain information on both sides.  Examiners will not be required to attend
examinations to check this material as compliance with the requirement will be checked by
Examination Supervisors.
o
All requests for new Restricted Book designation must be made through the Associate Dean
(Academic) by Wed 14 October.  Students in affected courses must be advised through
Canvas of any change to Restricted Book designation, and what this entails, as soon as
possible.
o
For examinations previously (and usually) designated as ‘Restricted Book’ the usual, non-
Covid requirements and regulations apply.

•
Careful consideration must be given to the scope of the examination as within any of the
scenarios described above examinations will be conducted as time-limited assessments (i.e.
they will not be 24-hour assessments).
•
All students sitting online examinations must be advised about the importance of academic
integrity, the University’s approach to academic misconduct, its determination to use all
possible means to identify students who dishonestly use external or online resources during
tests, and the penalties that are available where academic misconduct is confirmed.
•
The revised academic misconduct process adopted in Semester 1 will be used for academic
misconduct identified in online examinations. Further guidance will be provided to staff on
how to report academic misconduct incidents in online examinations to the Examinations
Services Office.

Format and set-up of online examinations
•
Online examinations may be conducted as a Canvas Quiz, or a Canvas Assignment with a
fixed start and end time.  Turnitin may be utilised with Canvas Assignments.
•
For online examinations 30 minutes will be added to the notified length of the examination
to account for the additional complexity of the online mode and technical aspects, i.e. 2-hour
examinations will be 2.5-hours long; 3-hour examinations will be 3.5-hours long.
•
Online examinations will include a post-deadline window to allow for technical difficulties with
submission.  Examinations submitted during this time  are late submissions  and will be
handled on a case-by-case basis according to faculty guidelines.  Submissions made after the
post-deadline window will not be accepted.
•
Where examinations are conducted online in Canvas quiz format they must not be set up to

‘lock’ answers.  Students must be able to review previous answers.
•
Online examinations that require the student to draw diagrams or write equations can have
answers submitted via scanned image or photograph.  Students must have an opportunity to
complete a practice exercise prior to the examination to ensure they are familiar with the
technological requirements for uploading images.

Review and approval
•
Online and on-campus  (paper)  formats  of examination scripts must be submitted to the
Examinations Services Office for approval and checking.  Further information on this process,
and on Course Shells for online examinations, is available here.

Special conditions

•
At level 1 and 2 students with temporary or permanent disabilities or conditions that affect

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their ability to sit examinations under the prescribed onsite conditions may apply for special
conditions through the Examinations Services Office.
•
At Level 3 and 4 students with impairments or special requirements should be advised to
contact the Examinations Services Office to discuss additional options for assistance in an
online examination.
•
Advice for staff on assistance for students with approved special conditions sitting online
examinations may be found on the Canvas Resources website.

Aegrotat and compassionate consideration for examinations

•
Where a student is unable to attend a scheduled examination revised procedures allow for
virtual  consultation with University Health and Counselling Services  to obtain evidence  of
impairment.  In-person consultations can also be arranged  (Alert Level permitting)  with
appropriate social distancing and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in place.
•
The requirement that in order to make a recommendation for an aegrotat or compassionate
grade a student’s coursework must be ‘well above minimum pass standard’ has been waived
under the Vice-Chancellor’s Special Powers.  Senate’s representatives will consider and
approve as appropriate academic recommendations for student applications in Quarter 3,
Quarter 4, or Semester 2 where the student is certified by the Academic Head to be ‘worthy
of a pass’.
•
Administration fees will be waived for Covid-19 related applications for aegrotat and
compassionate consideration.

Assistance during examinations

•
For on-campus examinations the usual processes  regarding  questions or requests for
assistance in the examination room will apply.
•
For online examinations in-exam  support and contact arrangements will be put in place.
Detailed instructions will be provided to students.

General examination advice and support for candidates

•
A communications plan is being developed to ensure all  students are aware of important

examination information and rules at each Alert Level, and the support available.
•
For online examinations the University will make devices and internet connectivity assistance
available to students in need.  Further information will be provided.
•
At  some Alert Levels the  University  may be able  to  provide  limited  bookable space for
students who need a suitable study space to complete an online examination. This process
will be managed centrally and in accordance with Government guidelines for the appropriate
Alert Level.

Academic integrity

•
An academic honesty declaration for use with coursework assignments, online tests and
examinations is available for use and adaptation on the University’s Remote Learning website.
•
All students sitting online examinations must be advised about the importance of academic
integrity,  the University’s approach to academic misconduct, its determination to use all

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possible means to identify students who dishonestly use external or online resources during
tests, and the penalties that are available where academic misconduct is confirmed.
7.  Grading
•
Final marks for students in Semester 2, Quarter 3 and Quarter 4 taught courses  will be
rounded up to 50 (i.e. a pass mark) if students achieve a result of 47, 48 or 49.   This
adjustment will be done centrally in the Final Grades Tool.
Notes:
Students completing the B section of A/B courses may receive the aegrotat provision of a one grade-
step increase on a pro-rata basis for work completed in Semester 1, which contributes to the final
result of a full year A/B course.

•
Where practicum placements are deferred the ‘Not Available’ grade may be used.
8.  Resources and additional information
For staff:
Covid-19 Staff Information Hub [staff only]
Remote Learning Website
Exams Process (Remote Learning Website)
Canvas Guidance and Resources
Special conditions for test and examinations
Academic Honesty Declaration
Revised Academic Misconduct Process for Semester 2 and Q4 online examinations

For students:
Remote Learning Support
Covid-19 Semester Two 2020 Form
About Academic Integrity
Aegrotat or Compassionate Consideration for Exams

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APPENDIX
Teaching Delivery and Assessment Arrangements for Higher Risk Students in
Semester 2 and Quarter 4 2020

Higher risk students

•
For the purposes of this policy statement the University defines ‘higher risk students’ under
Covid-19 Alert conditions as learners who face increased risk in attending on-campus events
because they:
o
are at higher risk of severe illness from Covid-19 as defined by the Ministry of Health;
or
o
live with people who are at a higher risk of severe illness from Covid-19; or
o
have significant mental health issues that may be exacerbated by Covid-19 or Covid-
19 Alert Level requirements.

•
Written evidence from a medical practitioner or mental health professional is required to
establish a status of higher risk.

Identification of higher risk students

•
Under Covid-19 Alert Level conditions students who believe they may be at higher risk
attending activities on campus may complete the Covid-19 Semester Two Form available on
the University website.
•
The form requires students to provide written evidence from a medical practitioner or mental
health professional about why the student should not come to campus.
Note: Government guidelines state that risk of exposure and transmission in the community at Level
1 is very low. Applications to study remotely for health reasons made under Level 1 conditions will
be considered in accordance with this advice.

•
The online form is received by the Student Contact Centre; health/medical forms are
forwarded to the Manager (Student Conduct and Care) in Campus Life.  Campus Life staff

work with students to obtain additional evidence or clarification of circumstances as
necessary, liaising with Student Disability Services (SDS) in cases where the student is
registered with SDS.
•
Campus Life verify that the evidence is provided and, as appropriate, recommend a plan be
made for the student to study remotely.
Note: Medical or health information provided to Campus Life will be treated as confidential and in
accordance with the University’s Personal Privacy Statements. That a student has been assessed as
at ‘higher risk’ will be disclosed only to those University staff members who need this information to
address the student’s needs with respect to teaching and learning situations.

Advice to faculties

•
The names, IDs and contact details of higher-risk students will be provided to the appropriate
faculty Student Academic Services and Engagement Managers / Student and Academic
Services Managers, who will inform the academic staff member(s) in the faculty responsible
for addressing the student’s learning and teaching needs.

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Tests and examinations

•
Students supported to be studying off campus should sit a timed, online version of course
tests and examinations. Where that is not possible alternative assessment arrangements
should be made.
•
Students sitting an online version of a test or examination must have access to a suitable
computer and reliable internet connection.
Note: Students may request devices through the Student IT Equity Initiative.

•
A student who has provided the appropriate medical evidence under Alert Level 2 or 2.5
conditions may remain off-campus and sit timed, online versions of tests and examinations
for the remainder of Semester 2/Quarter 4 2020; including in the situation that the Alert
Level is changed before the end of the academic year.
•
Where a student is approved to study remotely and needs to sit an online examination faculty
Student Academic Services and Engagement Managers / Student and Academic Services
Managers  are asked to provide the relevant student and course information to the
Examinations Services Office ([email address]).
Note: Faculties are asked not to move higher-risk students into a different Canvas section.

•
Requests received up to three weeks before the start of examinations (15 October) will allow
preparations to be made for students to complete online examinations. Requests received
after this point will be considered on a case-by-case basis.  Where students are not able to
sit an online examination alternative provisions will be made and the student will be advised.

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Document Outline