This is serious. The university wants you to explain why you should not be excluded from your course. An email notification will be sent to your Swinburne student email address advising that you have failed to meet satisfactory academic progress for the second consecutive Progress Review Period.

Why would I receive a Show Cause notice?

• You fail 50% or more of your enrolled units, credit points or scheduled hours for two consecutive Progress Review Periods (this includes WF Withdraw after Census date); and/or
• You fail a unit of study for a third time (or equivalent).

What do I have to do if required to Show Cause?

You must prepare a written submission stating why you should not be excluded from your course. You must submit within five (5) working days of the date on your Show Cause notification email.

Note: If you do not do this, you will be automatically excluded from your course.

Your submission should:

1. Describe any issues that you believe contributed to your poor academic performance.
2. Explain how these circumstances affected your studies and discuss how you can improve the situation so that it won’t happen again
3. Attach original or certified copies of any documentation that supports the circumstances that impacted on you. e.g. doctor’s certificate, counsellor’s statement, etc. (documentation in a language other than English will need to be accompanied by a certified translation).

Your completed submission should be addressed to the Chair of the Student Progress Review Panel in your respective faculty.

What if I can’t meet the submission deadline?

If you have experienced circumstances beyond your control, and have documentation to prove it, then you must contact your Faculty Student Progress Officer within five (5) working days of the date of the Show Cause notification.

What if I have to attend a Progress Review hearing?

You will be contacted by email (sent to your Swinburne student email address) to advise if you are requried to attend a hearing.

Note: If you fail to attend the hearing, you may be excluded without a hearing.

Who is on a Student Progress Review Panel?

Every faculty has academic staff who are designated as Student Progress Review Panel Chairs. Other panel members will include at least two academic staff from the faculty/Awarding Academic Unit, and a student member.

The Progress Review secretary takes the notes but does not have voting rights. The panel is quorate when three (3) members are present.

The Chair may also invite a student counsellor to be present.

What are the possible outcomes?

1. You can continue with your course
2. You can continue in your course but must abide by certain academic conditions e.g. you must meet with your Unit Convenor every fortnight.
3. You are allowed to continue but on an amended enrolment e.g. you may be required to enrol into a different discipline/major.
4. You may be required to take leave of absence for a specified period to get your affairs sorted so that you can concentrate on your studies. International students who are required to take leave of absence will be reported to the Malaysian immigration authorities.
5. You may be excluded from your course for up to two (2) years, after which time you would need to apply to be accepted into the course through the normal selection process.

How can I appeal a decision?

Under the Review and Appeals Regulations 2012 you can apply for a review of a progress review decision.

To do this you must download, complete (electronically) and lodge the Application for Review form within 21 working days. Further information is available at the Reviews and Appeals website.

Please also refer to the Complaints, Review, Appeals and Feedback Policy.

What can I do if I am not happy with the review of the decision?

If a review officer has made a decision in relation to an application for review which you are not happy with, you can apply for an appeal from that decision.

You must identify one (1) or more of the following grounds of appeal:

• Relevant evidence which could not have been known by the applicant prior to the hearing of the review was not taken into consideration.
• The decision was manifestly wrong.
• A procedural irregularity occurred which may have affected the review officer’s decision.
• The penalty imposed on the applicant was manifestly excessive.
• The review officer failed to make a decision within 21 working days.