Consideration of your claim

Following each Semester and the Special Assessment Period, Schools will convene a Mitigating Circumstances (MC) Panel to review all MC claims for students in the School and decide on the appropriate courses of action.

The MC Panel will decide whether to approve your claim with reference to the guidance on Reasons to Claim. This decision will be based on the content of your claim and any supporting evidence provided. Where an MC Panel approves your claim, it will also decide on the appropriate course of action for each assessment contained in the claim.

MC Panels will meet prior to the Undergraduate Programme Boards and Postgraduate Review Boards. MC Panels liaise with MC Panels in other Schools in relation to claims concerning modules delivered by other Schools to ensure consistency of decision-making. However, this does not mean that the same action will be taken in relation to all affected students.

Mitigating Circumstances Panels consist of:

• At least three internal examiners – one of which will act as chair, and
• A secretary – who will also be secretary to the associated Programme and/or Review Boards where possible.

The membership of Mitigating Circumstances Panels will be the same for all claims from students in each Part of each Programme.

We recognise that the information provided as part of your Mitigating Circumstances (MC) claim can be highly sensitive. MC Panels will treat your claim confidentially. However, this takes into account the need for appropriate University staff to consider the circumstances described in your claim.

Concerns relating to confidentiality will not normally be considered as a good reason for not submitting your Mitigating Circumstances claim by the disclosed deadline.

If you are worried about confidentiality, please talk to the student support team in your School or Student Wellbeing and Inclusivity (SWAI).