Ordinance 14: University examiners and examinations

Each Board of Examiners shall appoint a Chair. The members of the Board shall be jointly responsible for the setting and marking of papers.

14.2 Every Board of Examiners shall consist of at least three members, at least one of whom shall not be a member of the academic and related staff of the University of York or of an institution offering programmes of study validated by the University of York. In the cases of programmes of study validated by the University but offered wholly by other institutions, the Board of Examiners may in addition include members of the academic staff of the institution concerned.

14.3 The quorum for a Board of Examiners is a minimum of three for undergraduate and taught postgraduate qualifications, at least one of whom must be an external and one an internal examiner. For joint programmes, the quorum must also include at least one representative of each department involved in offering the joint programme.

14.4 The Internal Examiners of the University shall be appointed annually from the academic staff of the University on Senate's behalf by the Standing Committee on Assessment on the recommendation of the Boards of Studies.

14.5 The External Examiners of the University shall be appointed on Senate's behalf by the Standing Committee on Assessment on the recommendation of the Boards of Studies. In the case of first degrees, taught higher degrees and postgraduate diplomas or certificates, appointments shall be made for a period of up to four years which may be extended for a further year in exceptional circumstances. An examiner may not normally be appointed for a further period until an intervening period of at least five years has elapsed. Former members of the University may not normally be nominated for appointment unless a period of five or more years has elapsed since they left the University.

14.6 No candidate shall be admitted to any examination unless he/she has satisfied the requirements laid down in Statutes, Ordinances and Regulations or has been exempted from any special requirements by the Senate on the recommendation of the Board of Studies concerned and has paid the fees prescribed.

14.7 At the end of each stage of study, lists of progression and award outcomes shall be prepared for each programme of study, and shall be approved by the Chair of the Board of Examiners and the External Examiner. The list shall then be forwarded to Student and Academic Services for ratification by the Standing Committee on Assessment on behalf of the Senate.

14.8 For special contingency purposes, as set out in policy and regulation approved by the Senate, a University Board of Examiners may be established and convened to assume all the functions of other Boards of Examiners and shall be empowered to authorise changes or amendments to the requirements for examination, assessment, moderation, progression, awards of the University and other distinctions, as detailed in this and related Ordinances, Regulations and the Guide to Assessment, Standards, Marking and Feedback.