‘Inhumane’ Special Considerations no substitute for COVID WAM

Fabian Robertson writes.

The University of Sydney Executive's Education Committee has rejected the SRC and SUPRA’s request to reinstate a COVID-adjusted WAM, waive attendance requirements and extend the deadline to discontinue a unit (DC) by 1 week this semester. A petition demanding the three changes was circulated by the SRC and SUPRA , gaining 1411 signatories at the time of writing.

Under the proposed COVID WAM system, if a student’s WAM was higher without the marks from COVID-affected semesters, that higher WAM would be included on their final academic transcript. The proposal mimics the system implemented at the University of Melbourne.

In their notice of rejection, Vice Chancellor Mark Scott and Depute Vice Chancellor Education Pip Patterson acknowledged the many difficulties associated with study during the pandemic but recommended that affected students apply for Special Considerations.

Apparently, the University remains “committed to supporting educational success for students who are experiencing distress and other adverse circumstances, through the Special Consideration process.”

Yet the current Special Considerations system is simply inadequate to cater to the needs of struggling students. In one of my introductory lectures, the Unit Coordinator advised us to avoid Special Considerations at all costs: “it’s simply inhumane,” they said. Indeed, the deficiency of Special Considerations is such that the University has promised to update the system.

SRC President Swapnik Sanagavarapu describes the current Special Considerations system as “hopelessly inflexible… needlessly bureaucratic” and unable to account for the “subtle difficulties” facing students.

The inhumanity of Special Considerations has been well documented in Honi Soit and USyd Rants. A fundamental flaw in the current system is its highly bureaucratic, impersonal and officious treatment of student issues. In the faceless and computerised application process, there is no room for the assessment of individual students’ circumstances or the exercising of empathy.

Jamie*, a former member of the Academic Board, told Pulp that they were privy to more than one instance where students who had experienced the death of a family member had been denied Special Considerations because they did not supply an original death certificate. 

Alex*, in their first year of an Arts degree, was denied Special Considerations despite providing medical evidence of mental illness. Alex finished a unit of study with a Distinction grade but did not fulfill attendance requirements. Alex received an Absent Fail for the unit as the long-term nature of their illness was not covered by Special Considerations, despite experiencing exacerbated symptoms in the short-term.

Jordan’s* application was initially rejected because their supporting documentation was in the form of a regular medical certificate, rather than in the required Professional Practitioner Certificate (PPC). Consequently, Jordan had to pay $100 to see a specialist again so they could copy the information from the medical certificate into the PPC. Their application was eventually rejected. 

Charlie* applied to Special Considerations for an extension on their assignment, which they were given one week to complete. Charlie’s illness impaired their vision and made it painful to look at a computer screen. Despite indicating the urgency of their application, Special Considerations did not get back to Charlie until five days after the assessment was due, at which point, they granted the extension. Not wanting to fail the assignment in the event that the extension was not granted, Charlie was forced to complete assignment while hampered by illness.

Pat*, a student at the Conservatorium, says that although Special Considerations is meant to cater to their campus, they are not provided with sufficient information to make use of the system. According to Pat, many of their fellow Conservatorium students were unaware that they may be eligible for Special Considerations, and when informed, most did not know how to apply. Pat attributes this lack of awareness to USyd’s consolidation of the Conservatorium-specific student services staff into the centralised system. Furthermore, Special Considerations staff reportedly lacked the understanding to cater to circumstances that specifically affect musicians.

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Mark Scott and Pip Patterson justified their rejection of the SRC and SUPRA’s aforementioned proposals by pointing to Special Considerations. Experiences like these provide a mere snapshot of the inadequacy and inhumanity that underpins Special Considerations and indicate just how much of a farcical copout this is. Just like the bureaucratic nature of Special Considerations itself, USyd management, in rejecting the SRC and SUPRA’s appeal, have demonstrated a complete lack of empathy for the students it purportedly serves. 

All the students that spoke to Pulp emphasised how stressful and mentally draining the mere process of applying for Special Considerations was. At a time when many students are struggling in lockdown, subjecting them to this arduous process may only exacerbate their hardship.

The Special Considerations system is currently undergoing reform following advocacy by the SRC. To rectify its inadequacies, an approach prioritising empathy and student support over officious bureaucracy must be adopted. To be involved in reforming Special Considerations and have your say about how the system should operate, sign up here.

*Names have been changed.

Note: many academic issues can be resolved outside of the Special Considerations process by simply contacting your unit coordinator. If you do apply for Special Considerations, the SRC has dedicated caseworkers who can advise you. Visit https://srcusyd.net.au/src-help/ or contact help@src.usyd.edu.au. For info on how to apply for Special Considerations, visit https://www.sydney.edu.au/students/special-consideration.html.