Senate

Subject: Admissions Policies – Applicants with Disabilities and Criminal Convictions

Origin: Learning and Teaching Committee, 12 February 2009

The Committee considered the attached admissions policies on the recommendation of the Student Recruitment Team. This was part of the move for greater transparency in the whole HE admissions process, and further policies would be coming forward in relation to other areas in due course. The SR Team had looked at the policies in detail.

With regard to the policy on criminal convictions, it was queried on what criteria it would be decided whether a case should be referred to the Criminal Convictions Panel. In response, the Committee was informed that for the time being the SR Manager would be looking at applications and taking decisions on a case by case basis. When a body of precedents had accumulated, it might be possible to formulate a statement of criteria for inclusion in the policy document.

The policy on applicants with disabilities was essentially a revision of previous policy in this area. It included a section dealing with situations in which the University judged that it could not provide the support or adjustments being requested. Members of the Committee emphasised the importance of liaison with DANS but also expressed the view that DANS appeared to be under-resourced for the support it was called upon to provide.

The Committee endorsed the policies and recommended them to Senate for approval.

Author – Robert Bowyer

Date – February 2009