FITNESS TO STUDY POLICY
1. The University is committed to supporting student wellbeing, takes a positive attitude to students’ physical and mental health, and recognises that the wellbeing of students is critical to their learning, academic achievement and their wider student experience.
2. The Fitness to Study Policy is designed to recognise and support students who are not able to participate fully and successfully in their academic studies and life generally at the University by providing a consistent and coordinated approach to the management of their individual situation.
3. The Fitness to Study Policy is to be used when:
a. students are not able to progress as a student at the level and intensity of study required in a normal course load or;
b. students are not able to continue as a student at the level and intensity despite adjustments and support mechanisms having been put in place or;
c. when a student is returning to study following a break enforced by the Fitness to Study Policy.
4. The University has a duty of care to respond appropriately to situations where there are concerns relating to visible signs of physical or mental illness or personal difficulties that have a detrimental impact on the functioning of the individual student and/or other members of the University community. This may arise where, for example, the University is concerned that:
a. a student has a sudden decrease in academic attainment;
b. a student’s attendance and/or engagement is not at the expected level (see Attendance Policy);
c. a student’s ability to study is neither manageable nor achievable in relation to
specific tasks and/or activities;
d. a student is repeatedly missing deadlines, not submitting assessments, and/or not taking assessments and final exams in the scheduled timetable;
e. an academic advisor, faculty, or other member of staff becomes increasingly concerned about a student’s attainment and/or behaviour;
f. a student poses a risk to his/her own health, safety and/or wellbeing and/or that of other persons;
g. the student’s behaviour is, or is at risk of, negatively affecting the teaching, learning
and/or experience of other students;
h. the student’s behaviour is or is at risk of negatively affecting the day-to-day activities of the University and/or a placement provider.
5. There are three levels to a Fitness to Study procedure:
· Level 1: Initial concerns, developing a Fitness to Study Progress Plan
· Level 2: Serious concerns
· Level 3: Critical concerns
6. Normally, students will enter Fitness to Study at Level 1, but they may be entered at any level, without any requirement for an earlier level to have been commenced or
exhausted. At which level the Fitness to Study is implemented will depend on factors such as the nature of the concern, the seriousness of the academic risk, the student’s perception of their behaviour, and the response of the student to any steps taken by the University to manage the situation.
Level 1 – Initial Concerns, Developing a Progress Plan
7. If a student is showing cause for concern and is not engaging with the University support services already in place, the Counsellor will notify the student to arrange a meeting to explain that there is a concern about their Fitness to Study, the nature of that concern, and that the matter is to be managed under this policy.
8. The aim of the meeting will be to discuss the concern, any support needs the student may have, and will seek to identify the student’s perception of the concern. The student will be informed who will be present at the meeting and will be reminded that they may bring someone with them for support.
9. The Student Case Manger will determine whether the student’s fitness to study is impaired, or may become impaired, and any actions to be taken. The meeting will typically cover:
a. new or additional support arrangements and/or reasonable adjustments to be put in place for the student within the University’s provision;
b. additional support arrangements that the student may need to engage external to the University;
c. documentation of physical or mental illness or personal difficulties;
d. referring the student to Student Affairs, or other relevant members of staff, for additional support;
e. a Progress Plan to be drawn up with the agreement of the student, setting out how the matter will be managed by the student and the University;
f. referral to another Level of this policy.
10. The student should be encouraged to provide suggestions which may lead to improvement and to identify a support network.
11. The student will be informed that if he or she does not engage with the Progress Plan, the case may be referred to be dealt with at Level 2 or 3 of this Procedure.
12. A date will be arranged at which the student’s Progress Plan will be reviewed and a decision taken on whether the Progress Plan should continue and, if so, whether it should be amended, and whether any requirements have been complied with and, if not, whether the matter should be referred to Level 2 or 3.
13. If a student does not attend a Fitness to Study meeting or is repeatedly cancelling, it will be treated as a lack of engagement with the Progress Plan. Whilst the University will accommodate phone calls where necessary, the University recognises the benefit of an in-person meeting with a student in order to assess signs of general wellbeing.
Level 2 – Serious Concerns
14. If a student is struggling without signs of improvement and is not engaging with the Progress Plan, the Counsellor will notify the student that there is a concern about the Fitness to Study, the nature of that concern, and that the matter is to be managed under this policy. The member of staff will arrange a meeting with the student. The student will be informed who will be present at the meeting and will be reminded that they can bring someone with them for support.
15. The Counsellor will determine the student’s ability to manage their Progress Plan, whether the student’s Fitness to Study is impaired, or may become impaired, and any actions to be taken. The meeting will typically cover:
a. assessment of the Progress Plan and any necessary revisions;
b. documentation of physical or mental illness or personal difficulties;
c. the student’s extra-curricular or other similar activities that may be negatively impacting their wellbeing and how these could be reduced;
d. discuss implications of academic probation if relevant;
e. make further support arrangements and/or reasonable adjustments to be put in place for the student within the University’s provision;
f. additional support arrangements that the student may need to engage external to the University;
g. referring the student to Student Affairs, or other relevant members of staff, for additional support;
h. arrange the next meeting;
i. referral to another Level of this policy.
16. At this stage, the student may need to recognise that in order to support their wellbeing, the student may strongly be encouraged to reduce their course load if not already on probation. This limit is designed to allow more time to concentrate on each course and improve academic performance. They will be informed how this will impact their time to completion and any financial and/or visa implications.
17. The student should be encouraged to provide suggestions which may lead to improvement and to identify a support network.
18. If the student is progressing well, they may be placed on Level 1 or taken off the Fitness to Study policy.
19. The student will be informed that if he or she does not engage with the Progress Plan, the case may be referred to be dealt with at Level 3.
20. A date will be arranged at which the student’s Progress Plan will be reviewed.
21. If a student does not attend a Fitness to Study meeting or is repeatedly cancelling, it will be treated as a lack of engagement with the Progress Plan. Whilst the University will accommodate phone calls where necessary, the University recognises the benefit of an in-person meeting with a student in order to assess signs of general wellbeing.
Level 3 – Critical Concerns
22. In some cases, the student’s ability to succeed as a student may not improve despite the mechanisms in place. Critical concerns about a student’s Fitness to Study will be dealt with under Level 3.
23. At Level 3, the Academic Progress Committee will review the circumstances of the matter (for example, the seriousness of the concern, the risk posed, and whether the student is able to engage with the process) and rule on the student’s progression.
24. Students will have an opportunity to provide a written explanation and evidence any change in their circumstances that has led to their inability to cope as a student, despite the mechanisms in place.
25. The committee actions may include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following outcomes:
a. as in levels 1 and 2;
b. the matter referred to an earlier level;
c. recommendation to the student that they take a leave of absence for up to one year;
d. a hold on registration may be imposed with a set of conditions for return;
e. a recommendation to the University Exam Board for academic dismissal.
26. A registration hold is when the student is not permitted to register for a set period of time.
27. The student will be notified in writing of the decision in a Fitness to Study decision letter and outcome of the meeting with reasons, normally within five working days. The decision letter will set-out the deadlines by which any conditions need to be met.
Leave of Absence
28. When a student requests a Leave of Absence (LoA) associated with physical or mental illness or personal difficulties, they may be allowed to resume their studies once the University is satisfied that they are medically fit to do so, as certified by an appropriate,
qualified medical practitioner or mental health practitioner, and that there is appropriate medical, educational, and pastoral provision to support them.
29. The University will inform the student of any visa and financial implications of the LoA.
Registration Holds
30. The University may place a student on a registration hold due to academic insufficiency or behavioural issues associated with physical or mental illness or personal difficulties. The student may be allowed to resume their studies once the University is satisfied that they are medically fit to do so, as certified by an appropriate, qualified medical practitioner or mental health practitioner, and that there is appropriate medical,
educational, and pastoral provision to support them.
31. The University will inform the student of any visa and financial implications of the registration hold.
Suspension and Restoration
32. Students who apply for suspension or whom the University considers should suspense studying, the may have suspension with the approval of the University, and the suspension period starts counting from when the student is unable to attend normal classes consistently.
33. Students shall suspend for one year (approved by illness for two consecutive years), and may not exceed two years.
Students must suspend under one of the following circumstances:
(1) The suspension for treatment and recuperation shall account for one-third of the total class period of one semester;
(2) Those who leave for more than one third of the total class hours of one semester;
(3) Student apply for suspension themselves or the University considers it is necessary for them to suspense study due to some special reasons.
34. When a student leaves university to start a business, he shall submit relevant certification materials to the school, and after the approval of the school, it shall be submitted to the Academic Affairs Office for handling. Students who suspend university and start a business can appropriately extend their length of study, but the maximum length of study shall not exceed 8 years (including suspension and retain university status).
35. Freshmen or students eligible for the Chinese People's Liberation Army (including the Chinese People's Armed Police Force) may undergo suspension of university and retain their university status until two years after retirement. During the retention of the university status, the university and the army establish a management relationship with the student organizations.
36. Students suspended shall retain their university status after handling the suspension procedures. Students do not enjoy university students during the suspension.
37. Relevant problems concerning suspended students shall be handled in accordance with the following provisions:
(1) Where a scholar is suspended due to illness or other reasons, the student shall bring relevant certificates and go through the suspension procedures according to the provisions of the University;
(2) Students who have suspended university due to illness should leave university to recuperate and pay their own expenses except for the medical expenses according to the provisions of state documents;
(3) The Registered Permanent Residence of the suspended students shall not be moved out of the University.
38. Students who resume university shall be handled in accordance with the following provisions:
(1) Upon the expiration of the period of suspension, students shall hold a written report and relevant documents before the start of the semester;
(2) Students who have suspended university due to illness must be diagnosed to the hospital and can normally participate in various teaching activities carried out by the University;
(3) After resuming university, the studies must be completed according to the professional personnel training program for the new grade. If the required courses that pass the original preuniversity examination, the enrollment and basic requirements are equivalent to or higher than the corresponding course of the newly transferred grade, the scores and credits of the course are recognized, and the other unadmitted credits can be credited to the public elective course. For the courses required in the transferred grade major training program and are not studied, students must obtain credits through the assessment course within one year of the transferred major.
Withdrawal from JXUT
39. student will be expelled from university under one of the following circumstances:
(1) The accumulative credits of unqualified courses reach 70% of the minimum total graduation credits stipulated in the talent training program;
(2) Those who fail to complete their studies within the prescribed period of study (including suspension of university or reserve of university status);
(3) Those who suspend the suspension of university or retain the expiration of the university status, fail to apply for resuming study within the time limit prescribed by the University or fail the application after examination;
(4) Those who are suffering from illness or are accidentally disabled and cannot continue to study in university after being diagnosed by the designated hospital of the University (Designated hospitals specifically refer to Grade III, Grade A hospitals, which are classified as medical institutions in accordance with China's current "Hospital Grading Management Measures" and other regulations, and are the highest level of hospital grading in mainland China);
(5) Those who have not participated in teaching activities stipulated by the University for two consecutive weeks without approval;
(6) Those who fail to register beyond the prescribed time limit of the University and fail to go through the procedures for suspending the registration;
(7) A student applies for withdrawal of university and obtains the approval of the University and completes the withdrawal of the University.
40.tudents who drop out of university for the above reasons shall submit the report to the president of the president of the school and approval, submit it to the vice principal in charge of the principal for examination and approval, and submit the withdrawal.
According to the University withdrawal management regulations, the University will report the list of drop out students to the Student Affairs Office, and the relevant teachers will contact the students and their parents by phone to check whether the student has withdrawn from university and whether the parents agree. During this period, the information will not be disclosed. After the students' withdrawal is confirmed, the responsible teacher will ask for instructions from the department leaders and the principal in charge of the University in time and go through the offline withdrawal approval procedures. After the completion of the procedures, the Student Affairs Office will send back the withdrawal documents to the colleges, the Academic Affairs Office and the Financial Office for record.
41.The aftermath of the students shall be handled in accordance with the following provisions:
(1) Students who drop out must complete the formalities of leaving school within two weeks after the notice of quitting school is served or the announcement comes into effect, and their files and household registration shall be returned to their original place of residence;
(2) Students who drop out, the school of the student shall issue a certificate of quitting after completing the formalities of leaving university;
(3) Students who drop out of the course will be recognized by their grades and credits, which will be truthfully recorded in the grade system and issued by the school of the student.
42.If a student has any objection to the handling of withdrawal, student may, within 10 working days from the date of receiving the notice of withdrawal, appeal to the Student Administrative Regulations of Jiangxi University of Technology.
