A CHAPTER IN BOOK

ACCEPTED FOR PUBLICATION IN THE BOOK TITLED:

FUNDAMENTALS OF UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION

EDITED BY:

BOLA ADEKOLA PH.D

(A FORMER REGISTRAR)

---------------------------------

EXAMINATION AND RECORD ADMINISTRATION IN UNIVERSITIES:

AN OVERVIEW OF NIGERIAN AND WESTERN CULTURE

By

J.E.T. Babatola B.A. (Hons) Ado-Ekiti, M.Sc (Ibadan), FCIA, MNIM, MAUA (UK), MANUPA, MANIE, ACIPM, HRLP, JP

Deputy Registrar, Ekiti State University, PMB 5363, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria.

Email: jadesola.babatola@eksu.edu.ng

Keywords: Academic Administration, Examination and Records Management, Registrar and the Registry, Western and

Nigerian University systems.

Abstract This paper discusses similarities and dissimilarities in the environment of University administration and

management within the context of Nigerian and selected Universities of western nations of the world (mainly

Universities in English speaking countries of Great Britain and United States of America). It is written to expose

younger generation of University Professional Administrators and other University managers and stakeholders in the

English speaking countries to the processes of developing administrative culture in the University system with focus

on examination and records management. This involves explaining the structures of management and administrative

system towards developing quality assurance and work standards in the organization and management of the

University system.

This paper examined key output of examination administration which rest squarely on proper management

and procedures for maintaining academic and student records. The demand on records management also brings to

fore, the need to sustain the process-challenges in tackling issues of proper documentation and record keeping,

retrieval and issuance of students record through transcript processing. The environment of Nigerian University

system is limited to state owned universities while the Universities in the western clime are state sponsored or

subsidized, even where they operate in fairly independent and autonomous environment.

The paper invariably highlights a broad spectrum of issues of academic and managerial interest for capacity

building and training of specialists towards effective management of those issues of importance. It will invariably

serve as a guide to the management of various Universities in creating proper institutional arms and process to

ensure a broad based examination administration and records management in terms of professionalism, economy of

resources and reengineering of managerial control and structures despite the desire to sustain academic supremacy

and involvement in the institutional management.

Another aspect of the focus of the paper is to promote a viable and generally acceptable standard by

producing a compendium or guide for University managers and Registry staff towards addressing the challenges of

eroding culture and standards in the management of educational institutions while stimulating University

Professional Administrators towards appreciating their job responsibilities and latitude as custodians of records and

guardians of the University laws and traditions.

The research methods adopted is simple descriptive approach taking cognizance of the need to make the

paper a scholarly work, easily readable and useful for objective assessment and rational evaluation. The authenticity

of data and their accuracy in the findings to knowledge application is based on the resources available and used from

relevant sources to aid the authorship and originality in the presentation of facts and figures.

Introduction

Practice of modern management originates from a 16th century study of low-efficiency and failures of

certain enterprises conducted by English statesman Sir Thomas More (1478-1535). Management has since been

defined severally as an organization and coordination of activities of a business to achieve defined objectives

through the use of factors of of production such as men, machines, materials and money.1

The basic task of management includes marketing and innovation while its interlocking functions are set to

create policy, organize, plan, control and direct the organization’s resources to achieve its policy objectives. The

interlocking functions of Management exist as the codified principles and practice of administration referred to as

POSDCORB that is, planning, organizing, staffing, directing, coordinating, reporting and budgeting.2 Hence,

Management takes into account the structure, actors and functions and goals of every organization in a process of

delimiting an organization into structural levels, arranging workers and activities into performance units and

coordinating resources and production procedures through appropriate leader behaviours to achieve organizational

goals.3

Since it had been well established and clearly defined that the responsibility and role of a Chief Executive

differs from those of the functions and duties of a Chief Administrator, the functions of management and principles

of administration are largely synonymous and guided by the extent and limitations of its activities. For instance,

the board of directors or governing council of an organization or institution to which the Chief Executive is a full

member helps to define and or determine the policy framework of the organization which the Chief Executive

carries out and superintend over. However, the management team that handles and oversees the implementation of

organization policies through the fostering of organization culture and proper management of the available resources

always rely on the use of managerial skills, work knowledge, professional conduct, best work approaches and

initiatives to perform the work under the chief executive.4

Indeed, the management team is the very eyes and mind of the management and the hand of the

organization that is necessary and put in place to either formulate draft policies, generate rules and regulations

extracted from the policy approaches and tone for approval and also implement and reports on decisions of the

organization or the institution with the aim of ensuring that they both achieve the goals of the organization, stabilize

the environment and activities of the organization and an ensuring development of operations (traditions and work

ethics).

The survival and sustenance of every organization is therefore a joint responsibility of the directors and the

managers employed or appointed to use the organization’s power and responsibility to make decisions and oversee

the enterprise. The size range of each organization may range from one person to hundreds or thousands of

managers, supervisors and workers in the enterprises, companies and large organizations, but a clear line of

authority, hierarchy, span of control and chain of command is put in place to make the organization function

properly without clash of functions, demoralization and loss of vision or failure to act as required. Every officer and

department has a responsibility for specific work and activity done. In order to evaluate a company's current and

future worth, the key factors to be assessed include the quality and experience of the managers.

In the University system, the Chief Executive is often an academic or an appointed public figure depending

on the ownership, clime and managerial styles. However, most Universities like other human organizations have a

Chief Administrator, Chief Operating Officer or a Chief Administrative Officer apart from the Chief Executive. The

purpose of having such officer wherever they exist is to separate the work of the Chief Executive from those of the

1 http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/management.html#ixzz3vWRqO2ax.

2 Gulick, L and Urwick, L, (eds.), Papers on the Science of Administration, New York, Institute of Public

Administration, 1937 3 W.O. Ibukun, Educational Management: Theory and Practice, Bamgboye Press, Ado-Ekiti, ISBN 9783176250,

1997:3 4 J. Babatola, Public Administration: A Companion for Nigerian Students, Obafemi Awolowo University UNIFECS

Diploma and Advance Diploma Programme Handout, Excel Professional Centre, Ibadan, 2001. p. 20-30

Administrative Corps, expected to be a crops of experts employed to aid the Chief Executive and the Management

and to take custody and implement policies and regulations of the organization.

In the United Kingdom, the Registrar is usually referred to as the head of the university's administration.

The role is usually combined with that of Secretary of the university's governing bodies and in these cases, the full

title will often be "Registrar and Secretary" to reflect these dual roles. The University of Cambridge in England uses

the archaic spelling of "Registrary" for this office. Various grades of professional academic-related staff perform

senior administrative and managerial roles in such universities on behalf of the registrar or head of department and

head subsections of the administration. Titles afforded to such staff include academic registrar, assistant registrar,

senior assistant registrar and principal assistant registrar.

The Registrar wherever they are appointed, reports to and relates with the University chief executive,

academic and educational head depending on the tradition, location and title of the incumbent. Hence, the Registrar

provide leadership to plan, organize and manage all of the activities related to the Records and Registration

Department, including serving as the official authorized keeper of the university's student records.5

A good pointer arose through reviews of contributions from BYU Registrar’s Office duties with reference

to defining a Registrar as an official in an academic institution (consisting of a college, university, or secondary

school) who handles student records. Typically, a Registrar processes registration requests, schedules classes and

maintains class lists, enforces the rules for entering or leaving classes, and keeps a permanent record of grades and

marks. In institutions with selective admission requirements, a student only begins to be in connection with the

Registrar's official actions after admission.6

Other essential and additional responsibilities of the Registrar with reference to most Universities in western

culture include:

1. Organizing and administering the records, registration and graduation functions, including transcript

evaluations, Health Professions admissions and the IAI certification process in order to provide maximum

service to students while ensuring efficient and effective workflow.

2. Collaborating with administrators, deans, faculty, IT and counsellors to facilitate and improve services to

students.

3. Performing reasonably related duties as assigned by the Vice-Chancellor, Registrar or Dean as may be

empowered and applicable.

4. Participating in professional development activities

5. Serving on Committees that support the goals and objectives of the division of the college or the University

6. Participating and serving as part of the Student Services Team and leading initiatives as determined by the

University and its Faculties as may be approved from time to time.

7. Reception of visitors and stakeholders and protocols management including phones answering and working

on special events.

8. Providing back-up for records and registration services, students’ registration, issuing of transcripts,

scanning and reporting of grades.

9. Cataloguing and handling of registration/records policy questions.

10. Collecting, recording, maintaining and reporting of student records (within FERPA guidelines) e.g., grades,

registration data, transcripts, mid-term verification, athletic eligibility and ICCB audits and other associated

audits

11. Providing leadership and developing appropriate recommendations for the implementation of related

technology application in support of enhanced services offered through Registration and Records

12. Hiring, supervision and evaluation of the Records and Registration staff

13. Supervising the coordination, evaluation and certification of all graduation applications

14. Overseeing complete graduation process to include elements of rehearsal and ceremony.

15. Developing and administering the departmental budget

16. Problem solving the research, analysis and resolution of student disputes as they relate to records and

registration

17. Administering the collective bargaining agreement for the support staff contract.

18. Serving as ex-officio member of Curriculum Committee

In light of the foregoing, the Registrar of a University is a designated Chief Administrative Officer of the

University, and a crucial member of Management Team after the Vice-Chancellor or President who is the Chief

5 Training Conference Manuals of Association of University Administrators (UK) and American Association of

Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), 2008-2012. 6 Wikipedia - Description of BYU's Registrar's offices duties.

Executive; despite the appointment of other deputies and principal (management) staff into the management team.

The Registrar is an all important ex-officio member (secretary) of the Governing Council or Board of Trustees (that

is, the policy making platform) of the University as the head and overseer of the University Secretariat or civil

service (responsible for policy implementation and record custody).

How and well, the Registrar organizes, do and account for his work is very important to the fortunes and future

of a University system as an academic institution, citadel of knowledge and centre of excellence where teaching,

research and community service takes premium over politics of administration. Moreover, a well organized,

knowledgeable, consciously responsible, well staffed and well defined Registry is the key to the Registrar’s efficient

work pattern and successful attainments.

Cross-cultural indices on the specialization and departmentalization of University Registry

This paper is extensively detailed overview and comparative studies of existing bureaucratic culture,

structures and procedures of administration and management in the University system of Nigeria and other

dominating and influencing western cultures of England and North America with focuses mainly on examination

administration and records management. Examination administration and records management in this specific

locale, higher education institutions are interwoven and specialized owing to the role and functions of the

professional career experts and the vocation of certain specialists’ manager employed or deployed to perform the job

of managing the environment and work process of examination and records in those academic institutions.

Examination and Records Administration in western culture and the Nigerian University environment have

been largely discussed as management activities. Hence issues of examination and record management in those

climes often come under reference of academic administration. An understanding and appreciation of the function,

role, prospect and challenges of examination administration and record management in academic institutions in

United Kingdom, United States of America and Nigeria is dependent on the structure and tradition of each

university system. This managerial structure also helps to understand the variation, limitations and opportunities

attachment to University management and administration in each clime.

In the Nigerian University system, academic administrations was generally are modeled at inception to

reflect a general structure of administrative management which subsists till date in most higher education

institutions. The specific description of these general structure is a general statement of structures may guides most

universities in appointment of a Registrar, though other Officers of the University include the Bursar and other

senior posts such as Directors who report to the Registrar or directly to the Vice-Chancellor. The role of these

Officers is to also accomplish student-facing administrative processes such as admissions, student records and

graduation. The overarching body for registry administrative staff working in Nigeria Universities is the Association

of Nigeria University Professional Administrators.

The Nigerian University environment is often managed by a Management (Principal Officers) headed by a

Vice-Chancellor as the Chief Executive and they reports regularly to a Governing Council or Board of

Trustees (made up of individuals elected and or appointed from within and outside the institution including Alumni

and NUC Representative, Congregation and Senate Members). Most universities have tiers of Provost, Deans and

Heads of Academic Departments who serves as academic officers supervising specific schools or campuses while

reporting to the Vice-Chancellor. The division of responsibility among Deans varies widely among institutions with

some chiefly responsible for clusters of academic fields such as the humanities or sciences while others head whole

academic units such as graduate school or college or non-academic such as Students Affairs with campus-wide

concerns. In some cases, a Provost supervises institution's entire academic staff or College, occupying a position

generally superior to a Dean and may be the equivalent to a Deputy Vice Chancellor. Heads of administrative

hierarchy commonly styled "directors" are heads of works and services etc. Principal Officers are Vice-Chancellor,

Deputy Vice-Chancellors, Registrar and Secretary to Council, Bursar and University Librarian and they supervises

their department and staff.

It is obvious that the population, expanse and funding profile of the University managerial structure, the

technological resources and application for occupational space and utilization vis a vis the number of Faculty, the

largeness of academic departments and programmes, the students and alumni population in relation to the non-

teaching staff population ratio helps to determine the number of vacancies and experts employable in the Registry

and other administrative support positions in order to develop and sustain the capacity building requirements of the

University administrative structure and the departmentalization of its Registry.

Academic administrations are structured in different ways by different institutions and in different

countries. The University Head is referred to as a Vice-Chancellor (in most Commonwealth countries including

England), a Principal (in Scotland and Canada), a Rector (in Europe, Russia, Asia and Middle East) or a University

President, Provost or Chancellor (in the United States). However, most Universities have other administrative

executive appointed to take charge of the headship of the university departments and schools and are often referred

to as the Dean, Dean Emeritus or Provost. In some Universities, chief executives are referred to as the Headmaster

or Head Teacher (in schools) or Director (in institutes, departments and programmes).

In United Kingdom, the structures of administrative management of higher education institutions vary

among the institutions. There is no specific description for a general structure and a general statement of structures

may mislead since it is not all universities that have the post of a Registrar. At the same time, the Director of

Finance (Bursar) and other senior posts such as The Academic Registrar (where available and separate from the

Office of Registrar), Directors of Human Resources, Estates, and Corporate Affairs, may or may not report to the

Registrar or directly to the Vice-Chancellor. The role of these Officers is mostly established to accomplish student-

facing administrative processes such as admissions, student records and graduation.7 The overarching body for all

staff working in administration and management in the United Kingdom is the Association of University

Administrators.

In United States of America, a college or university is often supervised by a President or Chancellor as the

Chief Executive and who reports regularly to a Board of Trustees (made up of individuals from outside the

institution). Most large colleges and universities use administrative structures with tiers of vice presidents,

Provost (or Vice President for Academic Affairs) or Academic Dean) who serves as the chief academic officer.

Deans are to supervise various specific aspects of the institution and sometimes serves as CEOs of entire campuses

reporting directly to the President or Chancellor. The division of responsibility among Deans varies widely among

institutions with some chiefly responsible for clusters of academic fields such as the humanities or sciences; whole

academic units such as graduate school or college or non-academic but campus-wide concerns such

as minority affairs.8 In some cases, a Provost supervises institution's entire academic staff, occupying a position

generally superior to a dean. In other instances the Dean of a College may be the equivalent to a Provost or Vice

Chancellor or Vice President for Academic Affairs. Deans in the administrative hierarchy commonly styled "chairs"

or "directors" are heads of individual academic departments, grounds-keeping, libraries and registrars of records

who supervise the faculty and staff of their individual departments.

Structure of the Registry, Academic Registry and Student Office in Western Universities

Academic administration of the institutions on a large scale covers the functions and activities of the

organs, arms or branches of the University whose personnel are deployed or employed with the duty and

responsibility of ensuring that the maintenance and supervision of academic activities are specialized and separate

from the Faculty and the academics9. The measure of specialization and activity of the academic administrative

group is to ensure a sanctity and integrity of academic administration, prevent abuse of academic authorities and

records as well as to ensure specialization of work so that the academic and faculty can concentrate fully on their

duty of teaching, research and community service, while the specialists and administrators keep the records intact

and make it user friendly and available when required in line with laid down rules and regulations governing such

processes.

It is observable that most of the academic administrative personnel are strictly in the non-academic

Department and they are expected to create, service, warehouse and process academic matters and records approved

by their institution’s academic bodies. The roles of academic staff in academic administration where they are

involved and required due to their joint responsibilities of administering, supervising and concluding examination

and submitting the results ends when it collate, compute and submit examination results and academic records10

to

appropriate bodies for scrutiny, approval and warehousing. These are jobs of Deans and Heads of Academic

Department who hold both managerial and academic leadership positions unlike the Registry or Administrative

support staff whose work is explicit with record custody, processing, issuance and management.

7 Graham, C. (2013). "Changing technologies, changing identities: A case study of professional staff and their

contributions to learning and teaching". Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher Education 17 (2): 62–

70. doi:10.1080/13603108.2012.716376. 8 Wallace, Michelle; Marchant, Teresa (2011). "Female administrative managers in Australian universities: not male

and not academic". Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management33 (6): 567-581. doi: 10.1080/1360080X.

2011.621184. 9 Conway, Maree. 'Defining administrators and new professionals.' PERSPECTIVES, VOL. 4, NO. 1, 2000: pp. 4-5.

10 Gornall, L. (1988) `New professionals’: changes and occupational roles in higher education. perspectives, 3(2),

pp. 44-49.

Nonetheless, it has been stated further while looking at the type of separate administrative structure that

exists in almost all academic institutions particularly in Europe and America that since fewer and fewer schools are

governed by staff who are involved in academic or scholarly work, many senior administrators are academics who

have advanced degrees and no longer teach or conduct research actively.11

In most western universities where the Academic Registry exist as a separate entity from the Secretary to

the Board or the Registrar’s Office due to its specialization and structural reengineering for effective performance

and managerial efficiency, it is observed that it is the responsibility of the academic registry amongst others to

handle all matters relating to student administration from enrolment to graduation. The academic registry therefore

exist as the academic administrative support services arms of those institutions involved in the maintenance of

student records and the organization of central examinations. In addition, the department is responsible for the

management of all issues relating to research student and supervisors support.

The Academic Registry as a specialized arm of the University or through the Student Office is typically

involved in the management of student records and enquiry are summarized below:

a. General maintenance of Student Records (programme transfers/leave of absence/withdrawal, register

students for reassessment modules, log Impaired Performance claims etc) which includes the creation of

temporary/visiting student records.

b. New students’ Registration Event including sending out information in advance, updating student personal

details (note: moving to online system for new students), arranging for students to retrieve IT Credentials,

creating files for ID cards, distributing ID cards.

c. Coordination of annual re-registration (online service)

d. Provision of advice and guidance to Departments/Schools on Academic Regulations.

e. General advice/counter service for letter production/general enquiries.

The Student Office (Student Information System or Network) either as an autonomous unit, a reporting unit of

the Academic Registry or under the Office of the Registrar in many Universities across United States and England,

facilitates many of the activities relating to examination administration or record management in the various layers

of the University system from undergraduate to doctoral classes. Documents relating to central student records are

mostly held in electronic document management system (File Director) with a key member of department

empowered to initiate the transfer, maintenance and enhancement of web-based resources including websites, web

applications and contributions to the design of corporate systems in the University. Another senior member of the

Student Office serves as the Student Information Manager responsible for coordinating student information value for

money development projects. Yet still, there are Transcript Evaluators and Managers working along with these set

of officials to enable a user focused content and approach in the whole Registry.

The Student Office directly handles student finance through the administration of undergraduate student

Bursaries and Scholarships including National Scholarship Programme and contributions to Access Agreement

monitoring, Student Loans Company Processes (ACR and release of tuition fees to University); assistance with

setting Tuition Fees and preparing Student Tuition Fee Billing, Federal Loans Administration (US), administration

of Hardship Fund and taking of card and cash payments for Tuition and Accommodation fees, plus miscellaneous

student charges. The Student Office also participate in visas and immigration compliance for international students

in the areas of issuance of CAS (continuing students visa extensions), Visa Expiry Date monitoring and visa

scanning, Reporting Students (to UKVI in England and Homeland Security in US) and policy oversight functions.

They also participate in coordinating and reporting on statutory returns such as: Student HESA, ITT, KIS, ILR

(through its foundation programme which attracts FE funding) and other activities as it relates to what the

institutions gets involved in and those responsible through HESES (Planning); HESA Finance (Finance); HESA

Staff (HR) etc.

In the areas of transcript management and evaluation, Transcript Manager exist both in physical and

computerized form in many institution depending on the structure laid down for the programming of student records

and evaluation of student information. Some of the institutions also employ Transcript Evaluator reports either to the

Registrar or the Admission Office on a fulltime basis with the responsibilities for administering a comprehensive

system of transcript evaluation for domestic and international students and interfacing with on-and off-campus

stakeholders to help the institution reach transfer enrollment goals.

Part of the functions of a Transcript Evaluator is to conduct the following:

1. Domestic and international transcript evaluation:

Determine if institutions are accredited; evaluate transfer transcript coursework for equivalencies.

11

Conway, Maree and Ian Dobson. 'Fear and Loathing in University Staffing: The Case of Australian Academic and

General Staff.' Journal of Higher Education Management and Policy, Volume 15, No. 3,: pp. 123.133.

Be familiar with country equivalencies differences and accreditation of institutions.

Develop a library of materials & training manuals.

Keep the International Programs Office current on international transcript evaluations.

Provide preliminary transcript evaluations for students and agents when requested.

Develop specialized program plans for dual degrees with international colleges.

Acquire in-depth training in international transcript evaluation—visit other institutions.

2. Contact with Division Chairs, Advisors, Peers:

Maintain regular contact with Division Chairs concerning equivalencies, articulation agreements, student

questions, preliminary transcript equivalencies.

Broaden procedures and safeguards for capturing more equivalencies in Datatel and publishing them to the

web.

Work with the academic community to design efficient and effective transfer tools and products.

Respond to our advisors and inquiries from other colleges concerning equivalencies.

3. Answering Transfer/Transcript Questions:

Meets with transfer prospects, applicants and students to answer questions regarding their transfer

transcripts.

Be able to discuss degree completion options and interpret core requirements for each major with transfer

prospects and applicants.

4. Supervision & Training:

Train and supervise student workers in transcript equivalency data entry and transfer processing.

Train Divisions and campus community in transcript equivalency data entry.

Ensure that all departments conform to established policies and timelines.

Develop a detailed Training and Procedures manual for transcript data entry.

5. Communication Management:

Integrate transcript evaluation into communication management e-mail tracks.

Establish new transfer admission tracks for domestic and international students while working with New

Student Recruitment and International Programs.

6. Transfer Recruitment:

Visit other colleges and develop a comprehensive set of procedures that complement/enhances recruitment

efforts for transfer students (e.g. increase equivalencies from colleges, expand web usage as a transfer tool,

incorporate program evaluation into transfer process.)

Attend on- and off-campus transfer days in conjunction with campus recruiters

7. College Representative:

Represent the institution on state-wide transcript equivalency issues.

Works with other college officials to develop and refine a state system of transcript evaluations and

equivalencies.

An overview of the key responsibilities of the administrative units in various academic institutions12

(including

the units or departments handling issues of examination and record) suggest that the Registry handles academic

administration through its various administrative units (typical units exist in form of Academic Affairs Division,

Students Affairs Division, Admissions Office, Examinations and Records Office, Transcript Office, Verification &

Certificates Unit, Advancement & Alumni Relations Office etc depending on the structure adopted by each

University) and serves as the University Secretariat in the following areas:

Maintenance of official records (typically supervised by a Registrar in the US - In the UK not all

institutions have a Registrar, who would have varying responsibilities for non academic matters depending

on the organization. In Nigeria, the Bursary was separated from the Registry. The Registry handles all

administrative management matters except financial matters which have been devolved in Bursary as a

separate department).

Supervision and support of campus computers and network (information technology).

Supervision of Academic (Establishment) Affairs such as hiring, promotion, tenure, and evaluation (with

faculty input where appropriate);

Maintenance and audit of financial flows and records;

12

Szekeres, Judy (2011). "Professional staff carve out a new space". Journal of Higher Education Policy and

Management 33 (6): 679–691. doi:10.1080/1360080X.2011.621193.

Maintenance and construction of campus buildings (the physical plant);

Maintenance of the campus grounds;

Safety and security of people and property on the campus (often organized as an office of public

safety or campus police or Security Department);

Maintenance and construction

Fundraising from private individuals and foundations ("development" or "advancement")

Research administration (including grants and contract administration, and institutional compliance with

federal and state regulations)

Public affairs (including relations with the media, the community, and local, state, and federal

governments)

Student services such as disability services, career counselling and library staff.

Other specialized activities of the Registry, the Academic Registry or the Student Office in areas of examination

administration, graduation and institutional governance are summarized below:

1. Examinations/Timetabling

Production of the examinations Timetable (Semester 1/Semester 2/SAP).

Arrangement of examination student exam seats in each academic year.

Management of the central examinations venues (Main venue, Extra-Time venue and Central Computer

Venue) including recruiting/training/paying invigilators.

Coordinating, checking and printing of all Examination Scripts (actual printing done by Design and Print

Unit).

Appointment and Payment of Taught External Examiners

2. Graduation

Ceremony preparation and management of student and staff

Coordination and facilitation of needs for Honorary Degrees holders and University Medallists

Liaising with external companies (e.g. robe makers/photographers)

3. Formal Committee Responsibilities:

Assistant Secretary to the Governing Council

Secretary to Health, Safety and Environmental Committee

Secretary to Academic Misconduct Committee

Secretary to Prizes Committee

Secretary to Tuition Fees Sub-Committee

Secretary to Student Disciplinary Appeals Committee

Secretary to Honorary Degrees and University Medal Committee

4. Information Governance

Responsibility for central University advice and compliance relating to Data Protection and Freedom of

Information

5. Student Administration Simplicity Projects

Student Information Manager works closely with colleagues in IT Services in ensuring the on-going

management of student administration ‘value for money’ (VfM) IT projects aimed to ensure a cost effective and

reduced Academic Registry budgets by simplifying and streamlining large-scale student related administrative

processes and systems to improve the student experience and operational efficiency. Consultation with colleagues

in central services and Academic Schools, communication and coordination are required towards initiating Online

student self-service, Online re-registration, Online registration, Electronic admissions (PGT/UG), International agent

monitoring database, Student finance changes, Industrial placements system and Research student enhancements.

Overview of organization and management of University Examination in Western Culture

It has been stated earlier that the Academic Registry (in UK Universities) or the Student Office (in several US

Universities) are often charged with the responsibility of overseeing the University examination process vis a vis:

Issuance of the examination schedule, periods and dates

Designation and use of general University Examination Hall Procedures and

Distribution of personal examination timetable.

Conduct of examination include clarification on the type of tools, laboratory equipments and items permitted

and designated for use by Students in examinations including models of calculator permitted to prevent cheating.

The Office is also responsible for the updating and issuance of the Conduct of Examinations and other Assessments

within the University Regulations. It is observable that the requirements in the examination regulations governing

the conduct of assessments for all students on taught programmes may be waived by the Academic Registrar in the

case of individual students with a caveat that such waiver are reported to the next meeting of Senate, provided that

the Dean of School shall agree with the Academic Registrar on such waivers.

Every School/Department may have an explicit Coursework Code of Practice. Hence, they must ensure that the

general requirements of its Code, as well as the specific requirements for its individual modules (including project

and dissertation modules), are made available in forms which are easily accessible both to its own students and to

students from other schools/departments who are registered on its modules.

Requests for coursework deadline extensions must be made in writing to the Responsible Examiner before the

original deadline date. Extensions may be granted only in exceptional circumstances where the student shows good

cause with a maximum extension timeline for undergraduate and postgraduate modules. In the case of project or

dissertation modules or where sickness, bereavement or other valid reasons exist for longer delays, the impaired

performance procedure is employed. Any coursework not submitted by the due date (plus any agreed period of

extension) is marked at zero and can only be amended where the impaired performance procedure has been

followed. Any module contributing to the award of a degree assessed by coursework alone as a sample of the work

must be seen by the External Examiner.

The administration of Written Examinations also stipulates in most clime that written examination paper where

used should be jointly approved by the Dean of the appropriate School and the responsible Examiner and certified

by the two with a signature on the cover sheet of the answers paper. The examination timetable is also published at

least two weeks before the date of an examination and is expected to show for each examination, the following

information: the date, the start time, the finish time, the venue and any special circumstances, e.g. that notes may be

taken into an examination.

A list of candidates is often published at least 30 minutes before the start of each examination to show the seat

number for each candidate in the examinations held in any room of the University or in any designated areas as an

Examination Hall by the Academic Registrar.

Invigilation of Written Examinations is limited to all members of the Academic Staff, research staff and

research students of the University eligible for appointment as Invigilators. The Academic Registrar may designate

other appropriately experienced individuals and members of the staff of other institutions as invigilators during

University Examinations. Nonetheless, the School/Department whose examiners have set an examination paper, or

any question in an examination paper must ensure that expert advice is available during the course of the

examination to assist Invigilators in dealing with queries arising from that examination paper.

The Academic Registrar also appoints the Chief Invigilator for each Examination Hall, whose duties are to

consist of announcing the start of the examination, arranging periods of relief for Invigilators, the overall conduct of

the examination and accounting for all written work at the end of the examination. Until formally instructed to do so

by the Chief Invigilator, candidates will not be permitted to start their examination or to write anything.

The Chief Invigilator reports to Academic Registrar (Examination and Record Officer) on the conduct of every

examination. The Academic Registrar on the other hand informs the appropriate School Operations Manager

(School Officer or Faculty Officer) or their nominee no later than the next day of candidates absent from

examinations.

The Invigilators on their part are expected to satisfy themselves before the commencement of each examination

that proper provision has been made for its conduct and are responsible for ensuring that all Rules for Examinations

Candidates are observed, and that any infringement of these rules is reported immediately to the Academic

Registrar. The Invigilators are empowered to curtail activities in the immediate vicinity of the Examination Hall

which they consider detrimental to the performance of candidates. They also distribute question papers face down on

desks before candidates enter the Examination Hall and collect all written work from each candidate before the

candidate leaves the Examination Hall.

If the Invigilators suspend any candidate for misconduct or dismiss him/her from the Examination Hall, the

circumstances must be reported immediately to the Academic Registrar. The Invigilators will seek expert advice

from the appropriate Internal Examiner(s) if any candidate queries the wording of an examination paper. If it is

decided that a correction or clarification is required then the Invigilators will ensure that all candidates (including

any candidates sitting the examination under special conditions) are informed of the amendment.

On the Rules for Written Examination Candidates, Candidates may not be admitted to an Examination Hall

after the examination has been in progress for thirty minutes and Candidates may not be permitted to leave during

the first thirty minutes and the last fifteen minutes of their examination. Any candidate permitted to leave an

Examination Hall temporarily must be accompanied by an Invigilator or a person deputed by an Invigilator. Any

candidate who leaves the Examination Hall unaccompanied would not be permitted to return to the Examination

Hall.

Candidates may only take printed materials or manuscripts into an Examination Hall when it has previously

been advertised in the Examination Timetable and when it is stated in the rubric to the question paper that such

material may be used. All personal possessions not indicated in the rubric to the question paper must be deposited

where the Invigilators direct. For instance, Calculators may only be permitted where this is stated in the rubric to the

question paper and shall be of a type included on the list of calculators approved by the University and published by

the Academic Registrar for this purpose. Calculators or other devices not appearing on that list will only be allowed

when explicitly stated in the rubric to the question paper. No calculator instruction manual will be allowed in an

Examination Hall in any circumstance. Candidates are responsible for the provision and performance of their own

calculators.

Candidates must sit at the desks where their examination numbers are placed. Candidates must sign the

Examination Register when it is presented to them by the Invigilators at the commencement of each examination.

Candidates who are guilty of any misconduct including copying from or communicating with any other candidate

during an examination or the introduction of prohibited materials into the Examination Hall may be suspended or

dismissed from the examination by the Invigilators.

Candidates must not leave the Examination Hall until their written work has been handed to an Invigilator. At

the end of each examination, the Invigilators will request all candidates then present to remain in their places until

all written work has been collected. Mathematical tables and other data provided for use in examinations must not be

removed from the Examination Hall.

All questions in a written examination must be answered in English unless instructions on the question paper

indicate otherwise. Candidates may refer to English/native tongue dictionaries only when they have received written

authorization from their School/Department. Such written authorization and dictionaries must be presented to an

Invigilator for inspection prior to the candidate commencing the examination. Candidates may query the wording of

an examination paper by asking an Invigilator to check the wording with the relevant examiner(s). Candidates may

not seek advice or help from an Invigilator concerning any other aspect of a paper.

On Written Examinations taken Overseas or outside the University, the Schools/Departments offering modules

by distance learning must assess students by written examination by making suitable arrangements for the

invigilation of the examination and the secure transmission of papers and scripts. In the case of overseas

examinations, issues of security consequent upon different time zones shall be taken into account.

Schools/Departments may pass on the costs of organizing examinations overseas or elsewhere to the students

concerned. When the entire programme content is examined overseas or elsewhere in the country, the charge is

included in the total tuition fee for the programme. In other cases, students shall be notified by the

School/Department that an additional fee will be charged while notifying the Academic Registrar in advance of

plans to conduct a written examination overseas or elsewhere including details of the proposed arrangements for

invigilation and security, in time for any concerns to be raised and addressed. If the Academic Registrar is content

with the arrangement outlined, the location shall be formally designated an examination hall. The relative

weightings of component assessments for a given module is the same for students taking examinations overseas or

elsewhere in the country as for those taking examinations on University premises.

In the cases of Viva-Voce Examinations, the chairman instigates the designated Chair of the Programme Board

(normally following consultation with the External Programme Assessor where the decision of the Programme

Board would contribute to the award of a degree or diploma), any candidate who is to be considered by a

Programme Board may first be examined viva-voce by a panel of the Programme Board.

The viva-voce panel is also appointed by either the Chair or the designated Deputy Chair of the Programme

Board. The findings of the viva-voce panel and its recommendations are reported to the Programme Board which

takes them into account in reaching its decision. The viva-voce panel is composed of at least three members of the

Programme Board including the Chair or Deputy Chair of the Programme Board, the External Programme Assessor

if the Programme Board is held to make an award, except where prior permission of the Academic Registrar is

obtained to replace the External Programme Assessor with any External Examiner of the University. Any viva-voce

panel may co-opt to its membership any External Examiner of the University. The viva-voce panel shall make one

of the following recommendations only to the Programme Board: (i) Take no action, (ii) Permit the student to repeat

any or all module assessments only when an impaired performance claim has been received, (iii) Increase the

student’s marks in any circumstances or (iv) Determine an outcome for the student other than that which would have

been awarded based on Programme Mark alone in accordance with the provisions of the Regulation

Students do not have an automatic right to viva-voce examination. Viva-voce examinations shall be used

sparingly to ensure that candidates are fairly treated and shall be instigated where the Chair/Deputy Chair of the

Programme Board wishes to obtain further information about a particular candidate in regard to such matters as

unexpected results, some borderline candidates and claims for impaired performance. No candidate is disadvantaged

by virtue of undergoing a viva-voce examination. The reasons for any action taken shall be recorded in the

Programme Board report. If a candidate fails to attend a viva-voce examination, no recommendation shall be made

to the Programme Board. The candidate shall not be disadvantaged by failure to attend. Viva-voce examinations

shall not be used as a disciplinary procedure. Schools/Departments shall publish, as soon as the date of the

Programme Board is determined, the date on which any viva-voce examinations will take place.

Schools/Departments shall contact any candidate invited to attend for a viva-voce examination as soon as possible

and not less than one working day before the date of the viva-voce examination. Schools/Departments shall seek to

avoid setting dates for viva-voce examinations which would require candidates, particularly those from overseas, to

travel considerable distances to attend.

Academic misconduct is part of examination regulations and administration of student’s conduct in the

Universities. They are defined in the University's General Regulations as unexpected, inadmissible, unwarranted or

unbecoming attitude or behaviour of any candidate in the course of any assessment through his/her engagement in

one or more of the following activities:

Failing to comply with the Rules for the Conduct of Written Examinations, for example by taking

prohibited materials into an examination hall.

Assisting another candidate to gain an advantage by unfair means, or receiving such assistance, for example

by impersonation or the passing off of one individual's work as another's. This includes undeclared failure

to contribute to group coursework assignments.

Misleading the examiners by the fabrication or falsification of data.

Plagiarism; namely submitting work as the candidate's own of which the candidate is not the author. This

includes failure to acknowledge clearly and explicitly the ideas, words or work of another person whether

these are published or unpublished

Engaging in any other activity likely to give an unfair advantage to any candidate.

Wherever academic misconduct is sighted, it is the duty of the Academic Registrar (Examinations and Records

Officer) to collate and present such cases to the Academic Misconduct Committee of the University for

Investigation and sanction as appropriate. Candidates are to be notified in writing of alleged major offences by the

Secretary of the Academic Misconduct Committee and may submit written defence and any other written evidence

in response to the notice. Candidates are also expected to attend the Committee meeting in person accompanied by

an individual of their own choosing and call witnesses.

Having taken into account the evidence and the defence, if any, the Committee will decide whether the

candidate is guilty of the offence, and if so, what penalty should be imposed. The candidate will be notified in

writing of the Committee's decision. Candidates found guilty of major offences will have the right to appeal against

the decision of the Head of Department on specified grounds.

Academic appeals are treated strictly on the basis that a candidate believe that there has been an administrative

error in the recording or calculation of marks. This requires a discussion of the matter with the department in the

first instance prior to making a formal appeal. This does not prejudice a student’s right to submit an appeal later if

not satisfied with the response and a further right to appeal as against the decision of a Programme Board or Review

Board as governed by the Regulation. The grounds for appeal to be considered are in one or more of the following

circumstances:

There were serious circumstances affecting student which the Programme or Review Board was not made

aware when it took its decision.

There were procedural irregularities in the conduct of the assessment or of the Programme or Review

Board.

There is evidence of prejudice or bias against candidate on the part of one or more of the Examiners which

was not available at the Programme Board or Review Board.

The publication and release of Examination Results which (includes other forms of assessment such as

coursework marks, module marks, interim tests) are personal data and therefore should not be disclosed to third

parties without consent. This includes the common practice of publishing results via posting on public notice-boards,

as well as the announcement or publication of results at graduation. Under the Data Protection Act, the University

has an obligation to explain to students where their results may be published and to provide a mechanism through

which they can object to their results being displayed in all or any particular form (includes email notification for

class lists). The Registry will undertake to email students to explain where, and how, students might expect to see

their results published.

The student registration form provides all students with the opportunity to opt out of having their results

displayed. Students are advised to read their registration forms carefully. If students do not opt out of the publication

of their results, they are understood to have consented. University systems are in place to ensure that these students’

results are not displayed on routine pass lists generated from the student record but if you are producing manual or

email lists of results, please check whether or not individual students have opted out of the publication of

examination (includes coursework) marks. This information is recorded on the student record and is available to

departmental administrators through the student database and to registered academic staff through the Student

Details for Personal Tutors WebPages. If a student asks to see a copy of their results, the University must provide

access to all examination/assessment marks either within 5 months of the request or 40 days after the official release

of results (whichever is sooner). This extends to all students, regardless of whether or not they owe the University

any money. Therefore, the practice of withholding examination marks from students in debt must end. Please note

that the University does not routinely release results to students that owe the University money but must do so if a

specific request is received (above time-scales apply).Students can request a hard copy of information held, in which

case a written statement or printout of results will have to be provided. However, formal University transcripts are

not released until student debts are cleared. If a student owes the University money, the document on which results

are released must read “This is not an official University transcript”.

As there is no sure way of confirming the identity of a caller, the risk of unauthorized disclosure of examination

results over the telephone is high. Therefore examination results should never be released over the telephone. All

students receive confirmation of their results within 48 hours by post and some departments have adopted the

practice of emailing students’ results to them. Whatever method of disclosure is chosen, it is important to manage

student expectations carefully. Publication of results on the Internet represents a transfer outside of the EEA and

could potentially be in breach of Principle 8 of the Act. Explicit consent should be sought from students where it is

intended to publish results on the Internet (opt-out is inadequate in this case). One way in which the University

publishes results on the Internet is via the degree ceremony Webcast. However, students give their explicit consent

to this when they accept their invitation to degree ceremony.

In broad terms, the General Board formally appoints Examiners and Assessors for all undergraduate

examinations leading to an award of the University. Examiners and Assessors for the University's postgraduate

research awards are appointed by the relevant Degree Committee. The list of examinations for which the General

Board makes appointments includes:

all Preliminary, Qualifying and Honours (Tripos) examinations;

examinations leading to the award of the following Masters awards: Business Administration, Engineering,

Law, Corporate Law, Education, and Finance;

examinations leading to the award of the following Bachelors awards: Medicine and Surgery, Theology for

Ministry, and Veterinary Medicine;

examinations for all Diplomas except those in International Law and Legal Studies; and those offered under

the regulations for awards for non-members of the University;

Examinations for all Certificates except for the Certificate of Post Graduate Study (CPGS).

Although Examiners and Assessors are formally appointed by the General Board, they are nominated by the

body specified in the regulations for each examination, found in Statutes and Ordinances. Typically, this is the

Faculty Board or Syndicate. For each examination, a Chair of Examiners and one or more Examiners and Assessors

should be nominated. All Examiners and Assessors, including External Examiners, are appointed annually. External

Examiners may be re-appointed for up to two additional consecutive years: other Examiners and Assessors may be

re-appointed at the discretion of the nominating body. Individual Degree Committees make appointments for

examinations leading to the award of either the MPhil or MSt degrees. Degree Committees also appoint Examiners

on an individual basis for the award of a number of research degrees, Diplomas and Certificates (although others are

awarded by the Degree Committee themselves or a specially-appointed committee).

Nominating bodies should make every effort to ensure that all nominations are reasonably certain before

presenting them to the General Board. They should consider leaves of absence, including sabbaticals, well in

advance and seek confirmation from nominees before submitting names to the General Board. The Chair of

Examiners should also be informed of the nominations and appointments. Between them, the Faculty Board and the

Chair of Examiners are responsible for ensuring that Examiners, External Examiners and Assessors are sent

appropriate local information and guidelines, including any approved classing criteria or marking schemes, the

relevant examinations data retention policies and any other pertinent information.

Appropriate induction and/or training should be provided for new Examiners and Assessors. The Centre for

Personal and Professional Development offers some courses in this area which may help faculties and departments.

Examiners have more responsibilities than Assessors. For example, Examiners set the papers for the examinations,

they attend Examination Board meetings and they sign off the class lists. Examiners also share responsibility for the

decisions of the Examination Board. Assessors, on the other hand, are usually only appointed to contribute to the

marking of papers. They can be appointed later in the academical year (up to four weeks before the Examination)

and they do not have to attend the Examination Board's meetings (but can be called to meetings by Examiners to

account for their marks). It might be appropriate to appoint an assessor to mark a dissertation as well as specific

papers.

Examiners are appointed by the General Board for one year at a time. There is no restriction on the number of

consecutive years that an individual may be appointed for a particular examination. Wherever possible, Boards of

Examiners should include at least one Examiner who does not contribute to the teaching programmes associated

with the examination. The following people can be nominated as Examiners: established University teaching

officers; unestablished University teaching officers; College teaching officers; research assistants; research

associates and senior research associates. Persons registered as undergraduate or graduate students at this or any

other institution may not be nominated as Examiners.

Assessors are also appointed by the General Board for one year at a time. There is no restriction on the number

of consecutive years that an individual may be appointed for a particular examination. All categories of persons

eligible for appointment as an Examiner are also eligible for appointment as an Assessor. Under special

circumstances, graduate students of the University, or non-University experts who are appropriately trained, may act

as Assessors: a written application by the nominating body must be made to the General Board in these cases. If an

examination makes use of a borrowed paper from another examination, the Examiners for the borrowed paper are

appointed as Assessors on the 'home' examination.

There may be some variability in the roles of External Examiners between different disciplines; however the

General Board's expectations are set out in its guidance on the arrangements for External Examiners. External

Examiners are appointed by the General Board for one year at a time, but may be nominated for re-appointment for

up to two additional years. If you wish to nominate an External for a fourth consecutive year, please include a case

with the nomination form. Once they have completed their tenure, they may not be appointed until a period of five

years has elapsed. Exceptions to this rule may be allowed by the General Board if the nominating body can

demonstrate that there are special circumstances.

Nominating bodies should pay close attention to the General Board's guidance on the arrangements for External

Examiners when considering the appointment or re-appointment of External Examiners. The guidance provides

advice on the number of nominations to make and the criteria for appointment and re-appointment. The most

important factors to consider include:

That those appointed should normally be persons of seniority and must certainly have appropriate

experience and/or knowledge and the ability to command respect in the subject. In certain circumstances, it

is appropriate that persons from outside the higher education system, e.g. from industry or the professions,

be invited to act;

that, when considering re-appointment, the External Examiner has acted appropriately in the past and has

submitted the required report(s) to the Vice-Chancellor in good time;

that the External Examiner can provide an independent and critical view of the examinations, by

avoiding potential conflicts of interest(either professional or personal), through ensuring that the proposed

External Examiner:

does not hold an office in the University, or a Fellowship or some office or post in a College;

does not teach any course of instruction which forms part of the teaching programme for the examination

concerned;

is not a former member of staff of the University, unless more than five years have passed since their

departure;

is not employed at an institution where members of institutions in the same discipline are acting in similar

capacities, (wherever possible);

Is not employed at the same institution as his or her immediate predecessors (where possible).

Due care should be taken by the Faculty or Department concerned that adequate induction for the External

Examiner has been undertaken by each person nominated. The QAA’s Quality Code for Higher Education requires

that Institutions ensure independent and external participation in the management of Threshold Academic Standards.

External Examiners are appointed as members of the Board of Examiners and play an essential part in ensuring that

formal procedures are adhered to, that the standards of awards comparable to those elsewhere, and in suggesting

improvements to the examination process. They are employed principally to ensure that the standards set for an

award are appropriate for the qualification; the standards of student performance are comparable with similar

programmes or subjects in other institutions with which they are familiar and the processes for assessment,

examination and the determination of awards were sound and fairly conducted.

The General Board issues guidance on the role of External Examiners both to the External Examiners

themselves, and to faculties and departments. Importantly, External Examiners are not normally expected to carry

out marking of assessed work. Assessors should be appointed to mark components of the examination. External

Examiners are involved in reviewing a sample of scripts and assessing whether internal marking has been

appropriately and consistently applied. Faculties or departments or Degree Committees may wish to produce their

own guidelines for External Examiners to supplement the information provided by the General Board.

A summary of the above was reference in the works of E.F. Oyebade (1994:9) when she noted that University

of Birmingham, University of Liverpool and Aston University produce examinations time-table for individual

candidates and sent to them while Loughborough University of Technology and University of Manchester make

copies of the timetable and normally displays it on the notice boards and sent copies to each department for the

information of the students. She noted further that Academic Departments are requested at least one month to the

commencement of a semester examination to submit question papers to the Academic Affairs Office and at least two

weeks before the commencement of such examinations. The Academic Registrar thereon makes arrangements for

physical conduct of all the examinations.

Student Records and Academic Transcript management in Universities of Western Culture

The University produces academic transcripts which show all the programme modules studied with the

marks achieved for those modules and the final award. Candidates are provided with academic transcript along with

certificate as part of the graduation process. Additional copies can be ordered for a charge from the

University's online store. For instance, the Data Protection Act 1998 gives individuals (data subjects) a number of

rights including the right to access personal data that an organization holds about them. This right of access extends

to all information held on an individual and includes personnel files, student record files, data-bases, interview notes

and emails referring to the individual. If an individual makes a request to view their information, it is known as a

“Subject Access Request”. It is permissible for the University to charge a fee for responding to Subject Access

Requests. The Act stipulates that the data subject must make the request in writing, supply information to prove who

they are (to eliminate risk of unauthorized disclosure) and supply appropriate information to help the University to

locate the information they require.

Upon receipt of a request, the University must provide: information on whether or not the personal data are

processed, a description of the data, purposes and recipients, a copy of the data and an explanation of any

codes/jargon contained within the data. The University must respond to Subject Access Requests within 40 days.

Whilst data subjects are entitled to request ALL the information that an organization holds on them, experience

shows that they are usually looking for something specific. Hence, University policy is to be open and transparent

and wherever possible to let the individual have a copy of the information with minimum fuss. Such requests should

be handled directly by the relevant department or section and there should be no need to involve the University Data

Protection Officer. When responding to such specific data requests, take care to ensure that you do not inadvertently

release third party information without their consent and no fees are charged.

In the case of Third Party Data while responding to a Subject Access Request that could lead to incidental

disclosure of details relating to some other third party (for example, a referee or another student), such third party

information should not be disclosed without first seeking the consent of the third party. If consent cannot be

obtained (e.g. the third party cannot be contacted) or is refused, then the institution needs to consider whether or not

disclosure is reasonable, taking into account: any duty of confidentiality owed to the third party, the steps taken to

seek consent, whether the third party is capable of giving consent and any express refusal of consent. If you are

unable to obtain consent, you are advised to contact the University Data Protection Officer who will have to

consider/balance the impact on the third party of the disclosure, and the impact on the data subject of the disclosure

being withheld.

The maintenance of appropriate records is extremely important in the event of a Subject Access Request.

Knowing who keeps what and where is central to the effective and efficient retrieval of information. The guidance

notes on records management are produced in Universities to help departments and sections on Student Records

Management in Academic Departments and Student Records Management in Support Services. The other important

aspect of records management is ensuring that only appropriate information is retained. This will reduce the amount

of information which must be disclosed (thereby saving time and administrative costs associating with locating and

supplying the information) but will also avoid embarrassment and potential damage to the University’s reputation by

ensuring that inappropriate information is not being retained on individuals.

The Data Protection Act 1998 gives individuals the right to access the information that an organization

holds on them. In order to comply with this part of the Act, organizations need to have in place effective means of

extracting and retrieving information from a variety of sources. Academic departments hold a great deal of

information on their students, usually in a variety of forms and locations. In order to comply with a subject access

request, departments will need to be able to locate and collate the information quickly. It is therefore vital that key

personnel (typically Head of Department and/or Data Protection Adviser) know what information is held and by

whom. Ideally, all information relating to individual students in academic departments should be kept in central

departmental student record files (paper or electronic) so that, in the event of a subject access request, the

department can be confident that all the information is easily accessible from a limited number of central sources.

However, the University recognizes that this may not always be the case in practice. Departments should ensure that

departmental student record files are as complete as possible but it is acknowledged that there may be some

instances where designated individuals* (e.g. Disability Coordinators, Personal Tutors) need to retain information

on students which would not be appropriate for more general access.

There are many long-term aims of rationalizing the information held by the University. It will certainly help us

to respond effectively to Subject Access Requests. The fewer data sources the University has, the easier it will be to

search these on receipt of a Subject Access Request. Wherever possible, we should be aiming to manage data on a

single central database. All staff are encouraged not to hold files on individual students or staff members, but to

lodge any such information with “designated individuals”. Personal data of departed staff and students should be

reclaimed from any remote sources and stored in a single location or on a single database, with appropriate security

and back-up. All staff are therefore advised on regular basis:

to be careful about what personal information they keep (including emails)

to try to only record factual information

where it is necessary to record an opinion about an individual, to make sure it is justified and wherever

possible backed up with factual evidence

NOT to record anything that they would not wish the data subject to see.

There are certain situations where the University may not be obliged to release information in response to a

Subject Access Request such as:

Data containing information relating to a third party for which consent to release the information cannot be

obtained

Examination scripts (although examiner comments MUST be released)

Management forecasts such as plans for redeployment, restructuring, promotions (if they would prejudice

conduct of business/activity)

Information relating to legal proceedings being taken by the University against an individual.

Since departmental practice varies across the University, Data Protection Advisers are responsible for agreeing

lists of designated individuals who are likely to hold information on individual, or cohorts of, students. A database

of designated individuals might be a useful tool to develop and the Data Protection Officer is happy to offer advice

and assistance. Information held on students can be categorized in one of two ways:

i) “Classified information” is information which a student has requested be kept confidential between the student

and the designated individual to whom they disclose the information. Designated individuals should give students

the opportunity to define information as classified (when, for instance, unauthorized access/disclosure of the

information concerned to other staff in the department poses a risk of damage/distress to the student).

ii) “Unclassified information” is all other information held on students which will be available for general access

within the department.

Examination scripts are specifically exempt from Subject Access Request provisions. This means that the

University is NOT obliged to provide students with copies of exam scripts upon request.

Whilst exam scripts are specifically exempt from Subject Access Requests, comments made by examiners are not.

This means that students are entitled to a copy of all comments made by both internal and external examiners. It is

therefore recommended that comments should be made on attached sheets, rather than directly onto examination

scripts. In all cases, examiners' comments must be provided to students in "intelligible form" - this may mean

providing a "word processed" version if hand-written comments are potentially illegible. All examiners should be

reminded that their comments will be provided to students if requested and should therefore ensure that all

comments can be justified and that no careless remarks are made on exam scripts, in emails/memos to colleagues, or

on mark sheets. Any informal notes passed between examiners in the course of marking an examination script or

piece of coursework should be disposed of securely once the final mark has been agreed and there is genuinely no

need for the notes.

In respect of Pre-Programme Board/Programme Board and Module Board reports, Students have the right

to request copies of the relevant sections (i.e. relating to them) of Pre-Programme Boards/Programme Board/Module

Board reports at which their results are discussed; (this includes recorded discussion of impaired performance

claims). The University must provide a copy of the report (or relevant sections) either within 5 months of the request

or 40 days after the official release of results (whichever is sooner). Where the third party is a member of staff or an

external examiner who has given their opinion of a student in a professional capacity, the Information Commissioner

is likely to consider refusal of consent as unreasonable.

The University must be able to provide a formal statement that explains the logic behind any assessment

based entirely on automated means. This includes single tests (e.g. multiple choices) that form only a part of some

larger assessment and any classification or grading system that operates using automated means. Wherever possible

such information should be supplied to candidates before assessment, especially if the marking scheme involves

non-apparent rules (such as the subtraction of marks for incorrect answers). Students have the right to demand (in

writing) that no decision that significantly affects them is taken solely on the basis of automatic processing. Students

are entitled to ask the University to manually review any marks generated solely by automatic means. Information

should only be retained in accordance with the suggested retention periods in the University’s Records Retention

Schedule.

When a designated individual leaves the University, they should pass all information to the member of staff

responsible for staff files, to be either destroyed (in accordance with the University’s records retention schedule), or

filed on the departmental staff record file, or passed to a replacement designated individual. Staff should be

informed of what information is being held about them, what it will be used for, to whom it might be disclosed and

whether or not it will stored in the departmental staff record file. If these guidelines are followed, personal

information held on staff can be easily located from a limited number of sources and departments will be much

better prepared to respond to subject access requests efficiently.

Extract of the template for keeping Student Records in selected British Universities

Type of Record Minimum Retention

Period

Location Reason for Length of Period

APPLICATIONS, ADMISSIONS & INDUCTION

Records documenting the handling of

enquiries from prospective students

Current Academic

Year + 1 year

Admissions Office

and/or Admissions

contact in dept.

Good practice

Records documenting the handling of

applications for admission: unsuccessful

applications

Current Academic

Year + 1 year

Admissions Office

and/or Admissions

contact in dept.

Good practice

Records documenting the handling of

the clearing process

Current Academic

Year + 1 year

Admissions Office

and/or Admissions

contact in dept.

Good practice

Records documenting the administration

of induction programme and events for

new students

Current Academic

Year + 1 year

Admissions Office

and/or Admissions

contact in dept.

Good practice

GENERAL STUDENT FILES COLLATED DURING ACADEMIC CAREER

Facts of registration and academic

performance (dates of study,

progression, programme of study,

marks, final award etc)

Perpetuity [Post 1995] Registry

(but accessed by

dept)

[Pre 1995]

Departmental Office,

Registry

Provision of references and

confirmation of

registration/final award etc.

Full student records, including

documents relating to

application/admission; academic

achievements and conduct; transfer,

withdrawal or termination of studies;

10 years for personal

and academic

references.

Departmental Office,

Registry

Permits university to provide

references for a reasonable

length of time. Also,

limitation period for

negligence.

Records documenting the handling of

individual students’ requests for

statements of results/transcripts and

third party requests for confirmation of

student status etc.

Last action on

request + 1 year

Departmental Office,

Registry

Good practice.

PROGRAMME & EXAMINATION ADMINISTRATION (inc Work/Study Placements)

Class/Tutorial lists & Schedules for

submitting/marking work.

Current Academic

Year

Programme Tutor,

Personal Tutor

Good practice.

Records documenting individual

students’ attendance, and submission of

coursework.

Current Academic

Year + 1 year

Programme Tutor,

Personal Tutor

Good practice.

Documents referring to coursework

marks/grades and assessment.

Completion of

studies + 1 year

Programme Tutor,

Personal Tutor,

Departmental File

Good practice.

Records documenting organization of

students’ work/study placements

Completion of

studies + 1 year

Registry, Programme

Tutor, Personal

Tutor, Industrial

Tutor, Socrates Co-

coordinator

Good practice.

Records documenting organization of

examination facilities (inc. special

arrangements); attendance at

examinations; handling of impaired

performance claims; collation and

notification of results.

Current Academic

Year + 1 year

Registry, Exams

Officers in depts.,

HoDs.

Good practice.

Pass Lists/Award Lists Perpetuity Registry Formal record, forms part of

archive.

STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC WORK

Undergraduate Coursework (including

projects & reports, all years)

Nil - handed back to

student after marking

(unless Note 1 or 2

applies).

N/A (NB. In the event of an

appeal, or a request from an

examiner, it will be student’s

responsibility to provide the

coursework for

consideration.)

Postgraduate Taught Coursework

(including projects & reports,

dissertations, all years)

Nil - handed back to

student after marking

(unless Note 1 or 2

applies).

N/A (NB. In the event of an

appeal, or a request from an

examiner, it will be student’s

responsibility to provide the

coursework for

consideration.)

Research Theses Maximum of 2

copies retained

indefinitely (unless

Note 1 or 2 applies).

One copy to be

retained in Library

and one copy to be

retained with

Departmental

collection.

University Regulations for

Higher Degrees by Research

NOTES: 1. Samples of coursework, dissertations, theses etc should be retained in department for external audit

requirements. Retention for this purpose is, therefore, determined by the date of any forthcoming audit. 2. Samples

of coursework, dissertations, theses etc may be retained indefinitely in department as exemplars only with

the consent of the author. Supervisors wishing to retain copies of Research Theses must also seek the consent of the

author.

Examination Scripts from Year One Can be disposed of in

Year Two

Departmental Office Assuming it doesn’t count

towards final mark.

Examination Scripts from Year Two

onwards.

Duration of studies

and 6 months after

awards are

promulgated.

Departmental Office Relevant time to let students

exercise right of appeal or in

case of any other dispute.

Examination Scripts for students who

have withdrawn or had their studies

terminated.

6 months from the

withdrawal/

termination date

Departmental Office Relevant time to let students

exercise right of appeal or in

case of any other dispute.

DISCIPLINE, APPEALS AND COMPLAINTS (held separately from main student file)

Records documenting the conduct and

results of disciplinary proceedings

against individual students.

Last action on case +

6 years.

Registry (and

relevant HoD)

Limitation period for

negligence.

Records documenting the handling and

results of academic appeals by

individual students.

Last action on case +

6 years.

Registry (and

relevant HoD)

Limitation period for

negligence.

Records documenting the handling of

formal complaints made by individual

students.

Last action on case +

6 years.

Registry (and

relevant HoD)

Limitation period for

negligence.

Records documenting the handling of

complaints made by individual students

where formal complaints procedure is

not initiated.

Last action on case +

3 years.

Registry (and

relevant HoD)

Good practice.

GRADUATION CEREMONIES

Records documenting the organization

of award ceremonies

Completion of

ceremony + 1 year

Registry Good practice.

Records documenting the production,

collection and mailing of award

certificates.

Completion of

ceremony + 1 year

Registry Good practice.

MISCELLANEOUS

First Destination Surveys: Individual

responses.

Completion of

analysis of responses

(unless used for

historical statistical

or research

purposes).

Careers Service Good practice.

Extract of the template for keeping External Examiner and Invigilator Records in selected British

Universities

Type of Record Minimum Retention

Period

Location Reason for Length of Period

Records documenting the selection and

appointment of external examiners.

Termination of appt.

+ 1 year

Registry, HoD,

Faculty Board

Good practice

Records documenting liaison with

external examiners on administrative

matters.

Current academic

year + 1 year

Registry, HoD,

Dean, VC.

Good practice

Records documenting the selection and

appointment of examination

invigilators.

Current academic

year + 1 year

Registry Good practice

External Examiner reports and

departmental responses.

5 years

HoD

Institutional Audit, Internal

Programme Review and

Indefinite

(electronically

scanned)

Registry Accreditation purposes.

Ordering of Academic Transcripts by students and alumni can be made online through student account

while current or former students can order transcripts from the Office of the Registrar. In picking pp Transcripts, an

Official University paper transcript can be picked up in the Office of the University Registrar. In order to pick up

your transcript you must provide a valid photo ID. If someone other than the student will be picking up the

transcript, the student must indicate the name of the person picking up the transcript in the comment line when

ordering his or her transcript. Alternately, the student may provide a signed authorization to be presented at the time

of pickup. The person picking up the transcript must have a valid photo ID. If express mail service is requested, an

official University paper transcript can be sent by courier to guarantees delivery service.

Authenticity of Paper Transcripts of the University often requires a number of safeguards to ensure the

authenticity of their transcripts including transcript face with security signs "VOIDABLE" by alterations. Any

alteration or modification of a transcript or any copy thereof may constitute a felony and/or lead to student

disciplinary sanctions. Authenticity of Electronic (pdf) Transcripts is often done with digital signature to the PDF

transcript can be used to automatically validate it through implementing Certified Document Services from

VeriSign® to mark the document as authentic, proving that it was created and published by the University. The

digital signature can provide a tamper-evident wrapper on the document. The blue ribbon seal must be present to

both authenticate and demonstrate the integrity of the document.

Overview and critique of Examination Administration in Nigerian Universities

In reviewing challenges of Nigeria’s tertiary institutions and school education vis a vis discussions on the

fallen standards of education in the broad spectrum. it was consistently argued by an erudite scholar that ‘‘The

standard of education has not fallen. What has actually fallen is the level of achievement among the individuals. The

struggle for academic excellence is no more there, due to socio-economic and political pressures within the

society.’’13

Alonge noted further that factors responsible for students’ mass failure in examinations are

multidimensional and it is important to investigate and find solutions to it. While he bemoans cheating and

examination malpractices as a social problem around the world, he would resort to ask that ‘what is it in our schools

that make students fail or cheat?’14

It is obvious that a University as the citadel of knowledge must do all within its powers and ability to

ensure the integrity and sanctity of its examinations and result processing including proper marking, prompt

collation and computation and issuance of results. A major assumption which Alonge identified as the disturbing

phenomenon in tertiary education in Nigeria revolve round the systemic failure and emerging behavioural patterns

of University Lecturers who prefers to jettison their primary academic responsibility of teaching and substituting

same with the sale of handouts or glorified textbooks as a bargaining power for passing examinations. He felt that to

sanitize the University system, such practices should be stamped out completely. Similar to it, is trade union

activities which regularly truncate academic activities and undermined scholarship apart from gross indiscipline and

anti social activities such as ‘cultism, academic terrorism, harassment of examiners or invigilators by students.’’15

It has been widely recognized that a ‘major distinguishing activity that can affect the reputation of a

University is its commitment to the examination of its students. Examination is a tool for measuring or assessing the

extent or degree of knowledge acquired by a student in an academic discipline. Examination therefore presupposes

that a student must have passed through the process of teaching, learning and in fact some research in specific

subject areas; it is a way by which an institution confirms or certifies the level of understanding or knowledge

attained by its students. It is necessary, therefore, to ensure that the conduct of examination and its processes are of

13

Alonge, M.F "Assessment and Examination – The pathways to educational development’’9th

Inaugural lecture of

University of Ado-Ekiti (now Ekiti State University) delivered by Prof. M.F. Alonge (Professor of Tests and

Measurement) on21st August, 2003, Ado-Ekiti : p. 11-42. 14

Alonge, M.F: p. 11-42. 15

Alonge, M.F: p. 36-38.

high quality and integrity so that the students and general public will have confidence in the final decisions taken by

the university with regards to their examinations’.16

From the inception and through a great length of time, academic administration in Nigerian Universities

had exist and subsisted as a working and professional activity of the Registry committed to the responsibility of

‘students admission and all that goes with it:- examination, academic records, preparation of certificates and

transcripts and prizes’17

in an emerging culture and pattern of institutional management. The history of Nigerian

University System indicated that the changing roles of the Registrar at University College, Ibadan were a reference

point for most Nigerian Universities till date. The Registrar’s responsibilities had covered duties of the today’s

Registry and those of the Bursary Department. However, owing to the workload of the Registry, a separation of the

Bursary from Registry was envisaged and put to effect in order for the Registrar to continue to effectively and

efficiently ‘carry on the duties of Council, Senate and Student affairs and their committees.’18

Whereas the Universities in western culture often devolved examination administration and records

management in either the Registrar’s Office, an autonomous and separate Academic Registry or an independently

managed Student Offices in partnership or collaboration with the various academic departments and University

Boards/Committees responsible for academic matters; the reverse seems to occur in Nigeria University System

where the organization, management and administration of academic matters with respect to examinations and

records are the functions and responsibilities of the Senate of the University.

In Nigerian Universities, examinations include semester and other Examinations involving the

participation of both the Department or Faculty and the Examinations Offices. Senate have control over all

University examination and exercise such powers as may be necessary to discharge such functions. All

courses are examined in the semester in which they are taught. The date of all semester Examinations are

also fixed by Senate and published in the University Calendar. University examinations are held at the

places and times specified in the Examinations Time-Table published by each Faculty on any day of the

week except usually Sundays while the final examination Time-Table are pasted on University Notice

Boards at least 2 weeks before the examination in the room where it is to be held.

The framework and functions of academic administration coordinated by the Office of the Registry and the

Registry through its various Departments in Nigerian Universities includes:

i. Academic Regulations, privileges and misconduct

ii. Auditing of University Courses and accreditation exercises

iii. Custody, codification and use of University’s admission requirements

iv. Registration Procedure for both intakes and returning undergraduates

v. Admission by Transfer from other Universities and deferment of admission

vi. Withdrawal from the University, Leave of absence and Suspension/Expulsion

vii. Matriculation and registration of courses

viii. Regulation of Duration of Undergraduate Programme

ix. Change of Academic Programme within the University

x. Examination Management and issuance of Student Results

xi. Academic Grading System, method of assessment and classification of degree

xii. Regulations governing probation and withdrawal from the University

xiii. Procedure for dropping course(s) and seeking a Revision of Marked Script at the end of the Semester

xiv. Absence from Examinations and regulation of carry over courses

xv. Conduct of final examinations, computation and release of final results as approved by the Senate

xvi. The conferment of degrees, diplomas and certificates

xvii. Issuance of Certificate

xviii. Students Industrial Training, University bursaries and Scholarship, etc.

The arms of Registry handling the above stated responsibilities and functions are often grouped into the

following Departments:

1. Academic Office: Senate and Academic Matters

Business Committee of Senate

16

Oyebade, E.F "Chapter 5: Management of Academic Matters in the Nigerian University System’’ in

Administration of University Education, A Professional Perspective ed. E.F. Oyebade et. Al, Flocel Publishers,

Akure, 2007: p. 85, 71-102. 17

Ibid. 18

G.T. Korgba, Duties, Functions and Responsibilities of a Registrar, Manual of University Management, National

Universities Commission, Abuja, Espee Printing, 1997:26-38. ISBN 9782916102

Committee of Deans

Boards of Studies

Board of Examiners

2. Admissions Office: Admission Processes

Admission policy and agency

JAMB (UTME and Post UTME) liaison

Matriculation and Matriculation Register

3. Examination and Records Unit: Pre-Examination Requisition/Disbursement

Central Timetable and Halls Arrangement Conduct of

Examinations

Post Examination and feedback reports

Examination misconduct and reports

Student Records and Statistics

Certificate verification of freshmen

Record Verification Services

Transcript Management

Certificate Issuance

In most instances, the culture of each University and the role of the Office of the Registrar at coordinating

and servicing administrative functions, helps to determine how the Registry and its specialized units are involved in

examination administration and records management. Creation of Management Information System Units,

Computer Based Test Centres, Alumni and Advancement Centres and Directorate of Information Communication

Technology usually reporting to the Office of the Vice-Chancellor or as independent units have even affected or

limited the statutory and traditional roles of the Registry in some Universities.

Since the registration of courses are crucial aspects of planning and provision for examination and reporting

on examination activities, the Registry cannot effectively perform its role in the University in the areas of students

records, generation of statistics, confirmation of studentship, personal, medical and academic status of candidates for

proper identification, segmentation and classification, planning and coordination for various courses, use of

examination halls, generation of examination materials (questions and answer sheets), appointment of invigilators

and examiners without integrating the Examinations and Records Office in its work activity.

Pre-examination activities and arrangement helps to prevent hitches and conflicts in designation of

examinations venues and examination dates. It therefore precedes examination supervision and reporting. It enables

the University to prepare the central examination time-table which is released at least a month to an examination in

order to sensitize students to plan and prepare for their examinations. The draft timetable is often used as a

provisional arrangement to enable faculties and departments to raise complaints associated with clashes, omissions

and duplications in the Time Table and to resolve it with representatives of the University Time Table Committee of

each Faculty in order to ensure a hitch free examination.

The Academic Affairs Office or Examinations and Records Unit is charged with the responsibility of

preparing the provisional central Time Table with designated University committee together with the scheme of

examinations and list of examiners which the Registrar transmits to Senate or the Vice Chancellor for approval.

Whereas the Examination and Record or the Academic Affairs Officer are expected to request for schemes of

examinations from various departments towards preparing the time table in consideration of the allocation of spaces

for test courses, few Universities have deviated from this acceptable and original practice due to academic incursion

in examination matters or lack of competence or efficiency on the part of the Registry.

In such instances, it has been found out that the current trend of deviation allowed some Faculties and

Schools to appoint junior and middle level academic staff as Examination Officers. Some use their Sub-Deans as

Examination Officers and direct them to receive and use the schemes of examinations to prepare for examinations,

arrange venue and notify students and examiners. What the academics are yet to totally take over is the

responsibility of School/Faculty Officers to collate, requisite and distribute the examination materials collected from

University Stores through the Examinations and Records Office. The degree of academic incursion in administrative

support services has eroded the importance of the Registry as a frontier burner for examination administration while

making the academics continues to overburden itself with hyper concentrated and unnecessary involvement in

preparing students and planning for the examination of students without control and caution.

In Nigerian University System, the appointment of internal and external examiners is the responsibility of

Senate owing to the laws of most Nigerian Universities (i.e. Decree 13 of 1986) which stipulates that the function of

Senate is to ‘‘make provisions for the organization and control of courses including the appointment of examiners.’’

Hence, the University must inform examiners early enough to prepare for examinations so as to prevent their

unavailability and avoid clashes with other activities. Examination rules as part of other Academic Regulations are

included in the Students Handbook and the main University Handbook issued to students and discussed as part of

orientation exercises. They are also often displayed on notice board for both staff and students to note before the

commencement of semester examinations.

The arrangement and process of conducting successful examinations in the Nigerian University system

include the use of a system of Continuous Assessment Test (CAT) and Terminal End of Semester examinations

(formerly a yearly examination) to determine the overall assessment of student’s academic performance. CAT

usually consist of a combination of assessment methods from class attendance, impromptu test, term papers, mid-

semester test, clinical experiments, field work and laboratory experiments which constitutes a minimum of 20% of

the overall mark in a course of study. This is why the acceptability, credibility and fairness of every examination

hinge on its reliability and validity.

It is part of the duty of the Examinations and Records Office to determine the quantity of examination

materials required for examinations and to make requisitions through the University Store to the procurement and

delivery of the items in preparation for examinations. Below is a sample of a requisition forwarded made by me as a

Faculty Officer at Ekiti State University to through the Examinations and Records Unit for collation and processing

by the University Central Stores in preparation for an examination viz.

In average Nigerian Universities, examinations are held in halls, lecture rooms/theatres, or

laboratories approved by the University and students are arranged and seated apart to prevent cheating

and make it possible for invigilators to reach them with ease in case of need or inquiry. Answer Booklets

are treated as security materials which make it a gross misconduct for both staff and students to use it for

different purposes other than what it is meant for.

Furthermore, duly registered students for each course in a given semester are eligible to sit for

examinations in those courses except if such students either fail to pay tuition fees and other levies

without exception or waiver or if they fails to attend up to 70% of practical lecture hours or are on

disciplinary censure like suspension. Hence, the absence of students from examination for which they

are registered without notifying the University except due to illness or accident are normally treated as

failure in the examination which may attract zero scores. Clash in timetable must be reported earlier

while misleading information arising from Time-Table cannot be used as a satisfactory explanation for

absence from examination hall.

Furthermore, any student who, on account of ill-health, is absent from University examination

may be permitted by the Senate after considering a report from the appropriate Faculty Board, to present

himself for such examination without penalty, at a future date provided that the illness is reported to the

Registrar and the student is examined by the University Medical Officer with a certified Medical Report

submitted to the Registrar within a reasonable period to validate the incidence.

There are penalties for flouting examination regulations and cheating. Any student

established to have cheated or aided and abetted in any examination and found guilty of being in

possession of incriminating materials at the examination, or involved in any other serious examination

misconduct before, during or after an examination, including impersonation, would be either rusticated

for a specified period of time or expelled from the University depending on the gravity of the offence.

Whenever a student is caught for any examination offence, the case shall be reported to the

Invigilator/supervisor in the hall immediately and such invigilator is required to fill necessary form to

report the case of examination misconduct while the student is made to write a statement on his

involvement before continuing with the examination. The report is then formally reported to the Dean of

the affected student(s) before a Committee of lecturers chaired by at least a Senior Lecturer is

empowered to carry out preliminary investigation of the alleged examination misconduct at the Faculty

level. The report of the Faculty preliminary investigation must be forwarded within specified timeframe

to the Vice Chancellor by the Dean of the Faculty before it us sent to the Examination Misconduct or

Academic Misconduct Committee or the Students' Disciplinary Committee for determination and

recommendations.

Most Nigerian Universities, involve the Academic Affairs Officer or the Students' Affairs

Officer in professing charges against the concerned student after receiving the preliminary investigation

reports instead of empowering the Examination and Records Unit solely responsible for examination

matters. After a student is asked to submit a defence against the charges preferred against him in

writing, the student would be asked to appear before the Disciplinary Committee to defend himself

verbally. The Committee is to read the charges preferred against the offender to him and allow him to

defend himself in light of his earlier submitted statements. Reports and recommendations of the

Committee is then forwarded to the Vice-Chancellor for consideration and approval, though, students

may appeal against the decision to Council within stipulated timeframe.

The Senate of each university normally approves guidelines on the conduct of examinations. In view of the

above, the Senate has control over all University examinations and exercise such powers as may be necessary to

discharge these functions. The Committee of Deans on the other hand is responsible to Senate for the organization

and the administrative arrangements for the University Examinations with the Registrar or the Academic Affairs

Officer serving as the Secretary to the Committee. Furthermore, subject to the overall control of Senate as exercised

through the Committee of Deans, University examinations are conducted by Boards of Examiners appointed by

Senate on the recommendations of the appropriate Faculty Boards.

Invigilation for examinations is often the responsibility of the Committee of Deans in some Universities as

they appoint invigilators for each session of an examination from among the academic staff. Invigilators are

allocated for an average number of students provided that a minimum of two invigilators is allocated to each

examination room with one of them designated as a Senior Invigilator for an examination room and assisted by one

attendant in the examination room. A Chief Invigilator is also assigned to each examination room to coordinate the

internal arrangement in each examination room and be the responsibility of the Registrar for the supply of answer

booklets, attendances sheets, threads and other examination materials, while the chief examiner supplies the question

papers which shall be in sealed packets to be held up and shown to the candidates and opened in their presence at the

time appointed for the commencement of the examination.

The duty of the Chief Examiner is to arrange for one of the examiners to be present for the first thirty

minutes of the examination to clarify any doubts in connection with the question papers. Thereafter, the senior

invigilator shall check and sign the attendance sheets in duplicate keeping the original copy and presenting the

duplicate to the Examination and Record Officer or any other designated representative of the Registrar. When

examination is in progress, no persons other than the invigilators, the attendants, the Registrar or his representative

and Medical Officers are allowed to enter the examination room except that the examiner in each paper. At the same

time, invigilators maintain constant vigilance throughout the examination session at which they are in attendance

with intent to report all cases of examination misconduct to the Vice Chancellor and sending a copy to the Registrar

who should send it to either the Academic Affairs Officer or preferably the Examinations and Records Officer for

necessary action.

At the close of an examination, candidates hand over their answer scripts to the invigilators as they move

from row to row collecting the scripts. No candidates may be allowed to leave the room while their scripts are lying

on their desks while invigilators would check the candidates answer booklets against the attendance list for a

particular examination to arrange the answer boxes in numerical order and then parcel the answer booklets together

with four copies of the relevant question paper and the copy of signed attendance sheet for the chief examiner or his

representative in attendance. The invigilators must ensure that the attendant returns all unused answer books to the

Registrar or his representative after each examination.

No candidate can be allowed to enter an examination room earlier than ten minutes before the

commencement of the examination and no student is allowed to enter the examination hall and participate in the

examination after 30 minutes if its commencement. No student is even allowed to leave the examination room until

30 minutes after the commencement of an examination. Any candidates who seek entry into the examination room

after the timeline must be reported in writing through the Registrar to the Committee of Deans. Moreover no

candidate can take into an examination room or have in his possession during an examination any book or paper or

printed or written documents, whether relevant to the examination or not, unless it is authorized to do so. Invigilators

have the authority to confiscate such document. Invigilators are expected to guide against all forms of examinations

malpractices in the conduct of examination and to ensure that silence is observed while communications among

students are disallowed except by attracting the attention of invigilators through the raising of hand for assistance.

To minimize examination malpractices, students may be searched before entering examination venues and

gadgets like handset and headphones may be disallowed in the examination hall while duration of examination is

according to course credit points. Where candidate directly or indirectly give assistance to any other candidate or

accept any assistance from any other candidate during examination, he or she has committed examination

misconduct. Other examination Offences are spelt out in University regulations. If the Examinations and Records

Unit is therefore empowered to regularly report on examinations and take actions on various observations and

incidence noted in the examination processes, the University Management would be better placed to address issues

and challenges of examination administration rather than pay lips service to the conduct and feedback on

examination processes.

It is necessary to reinstate that academic departments in Nigerian University System are responsible for

compiling examination results of their students before it is presented to the Board of Examiners, Board of Studies or

the Faculty Board for result consideration and recommendations to Senate for approval. It is the responsibility of the

Academic Affairs Officer to publish and circulate the approved results while the Examinations and Records Unit

must have custody of all the approved results by Senate for the production of transcript of academic records and the

certificates on demand.

Overview and critique of Students Records Administration in Nigerian Universities

It is obvious that ‘all important University records and documents are kept by the Registrar. He is the

custodian of all rules, regulations and decisions taken at any meetings, and it is his responsibility to keep these

safely…Most importantly, all blank and signed certificates which are not collected are kept by the Registrar. Of

course, he is a signatory to all certificates given for courses approved by the Senate. It is his responsibility to ensure

that certificates are properly written and signed by himself and the Vice-Chancellor and that such certificates are

delivered only to the authentic owners. Other important items kept by the Registrar are the academic transcripts.

They are normally extracted from records in the academic office and the relevant Department and both the Registrar

or his Deputy and the Dean of the Faculty (or the Head of Department) have to sign. It is the Registrar’s

responsibility to ensure that such transcripts get to appropriate persons or institutions and that where payment is to

be made before transcripts are sent out, such payment is made.’19

In some Nigerian Universities, the administrations of academic affairs are functions of the Directorate of

Academic Affairs or the Academic Affairs Division of the Registry under the Office of the Registrar. The Academic

Affairs Division (Academic Registry) is headed by an Academic Affairs Officer or a Director of Academic Affairs

(who is usually a Director, Deputy Director (where Directorate system is adopted) or a Deputy Registrar) and

19

Oyebade, E.F "Chapter 5: Management of Academic Matters in the Nigerian University System’’ in

Administration of University Education, A Professional Perspective ed. E.F. Oyebade et. Al, Flocel Publishers,

Akure, 2007: p. 85, 71-102.

reports to Registrar for the coordination and activities thereon. As earlier indicated, the Academic Affairs Division

often comprises of the Academic Affairs and Senate Matters Unit, Admissions Unit, Examination Unit, Records

Unit, and Information Management (or Computer Processing) Unit.

Acquisition and proper management of student records and statistics are essential in running Universities

with focus on educational planning, Strategic planning and product quality evaluation and control, determination of

academic staff requirements and growth rate, intake and control of student population and campus wide activities,

monitoring of student’s academic performance, determination of grades and class of degrees, diplomas and

certificates, feedback system, issuance of Transcript and responses to inquiries.

The foregoing reinforces the idea (principles) and culture (practice) of academic administration in a way

and manner that places the Registrar and Registry’s staff in the pedestal as relevant stakeholders coordinating and

directing the policy process and activities of examination administration and records management at the brad based

management layers of the University, despite the oversight functions and activities devolved in other Committees of

the University.

Depending on the administrative structure of the Registry of each University, some of the duties of the

Examinations and Records Office may be jointly shared or performed by other units of the Academic Affairs Office

like the Academic Affairs Unit or the Admissions Unit through devolution or deconcentration of powers. Such

functions include certificate verification of freshmen with examination bodies like WAEC, NABTEB and NECO to

ensure correctness and authenticity of results presented for admission.

Wherever the Admissions Office jointly or directly undertakes the oversight functions or supervisory role

of the Examinations Unit in respect of the organization and management of the admissions’ test (i.e. Post-UTME

tests) for applicants into the freshmen (first year) classes, the feedback (results) of the examination ought to be

referred to the Examinations and Records Unit. At the same time, the administrative work conducted on

matriculation and generation of matriculation list (register) would not properly end without transmission of the

names of all the matriculated students (in a serially arranged, alphabetical order according to departments) to the

Examinations and Records Unit both in soft and hard copies for custody, processing and management of students’

record. The identification of student records requires allocation of unique and patterned numbers to each student in

relating to his/her academic activity and personal records during the period of studentship and for future referencing.

For emphasis, the focus of this paper is in areas of examinations administration and records management in

Nigerian University System per se. Hence, it is necessary to trace the framework and work activity of the

Examinations and Records Unit within the context of the documentation and proper custody of records of University

academic activities. Since the record processes developed in western cultures commences from students registration

processes and registration of courses to other aspect of students documentation, examination and record processing,

transcript and certification, the major aspect of the work often undertaken by the Academic Affairs and Senate

Matters Unit in most Nigerian Universities doubly relates to duties and functions of the Examination and Records

Unit.

For instance, the processing of students’ registration on semester basis depending on the methods utilized

to register and approve students’ participation in academic activities in the University, it is imperative that final

custody and filing of all completed and processed course registration materials and student records ought to be

remitted to the custody of the appropriate unit for warehousing and documentation. This is the work of the

Examinations and Records Division who should be in custody of all academic records of students which indicates

the status, examination and academic activities of the students. The records prepared by the Academic Affairs Office

for the students’ registration in terms of forms, students’ information forms and medical examination reports and

other documentations published for students on resumption of studies must be in a student data file or folder which

should be submitted or transferred to the Examination and Records Office for documentation and invariably

processed by the Computer Processing Unit for software documentation and online access.

In the case of returning students in subsequent years, the role of the Examinations and Records Unit remain

similar to those performed in the first year after the Academic Affairs Officer directly or through the School or

Faculty Officers had issued the registration forms to returning matriculated students for completion and return.

Returning undergraduates who completes the forms issued and processed manually or online should send the

completed registration forms through the Department and the School/Faculty Office to the Academic Affairs Office

for endorsement on behalf of the Registrar and then immediately transfer such documents to the Examination and

Records Division for processing. To a great extent, the Examinations and Records Division is like Archival Centre

and Documentation Library of the Registry in areas of record acquisition, processing, warehousing and issuance for

future references and usage.

Examination and Records Unit therefore has an omnibus role to play in managing Students records and

statistics since record is the information storage point from where the University can generate or account for facts,

figures and events as compiled, submitted, documented in written or application format, scanned or microfilmed and

kept for reference or future use. Oyebade (2007) reviewed the functions of records management in the University

system and agreed that record forms a crucial aspect of effective management in educational institutions since

management decisions depend on information derived from the inflow and outflow of records.20

Availability of student records and statistics therefore consist of documentation of intake registration and

verifying that the right candidates are registrable and being registered. The initial verification exercise is important

to authenticate intakes’ credentials from the examining bodies and awarding institutions while the next stage is to

keep a proper track of the students’ academic performance and conduct which is very crucial to the University

output. Hence, the importance and relevance of students’ academic record keeping in the areas of;

1. Record of examination results on semester basis

2. Record of academic sanctions for misconduct or poor performance in assessments

3. Record of absence from the University or change of academic programme

4. Record of disciplinary censure applied on erring misbehaviour as deterrent

5. Record of approved results for the issuance of Notification of result

6. Record of award of degree, diploma or certificate, etc.

7. Record of convocation and issuance of certificate

A well organized Record Office in Nigerian University ought to have the capacity for providing information on

the student records timely whereby such relevant information are warehoused and to retrievable for analysis from

the University database. At the same time, such information should extend to the capacity to provide relevant

information on the population and list of matriculated and registered students, total number of graduands on annual

basis including the classes of degree and issued certificates, the number of students per faculty and departments, the

gender distribution of student population and the number of students registered for various course, the number of

students on academic probation or discipline, the number of students issued academic transcripts and current list of

alumni and graduates of the University. The will help the University in looking at the content and impact of the

environment on the University community.

Filing methods required in the Records Room is both hard and soft copies depending on the specialization and

expertise deployed in order to make students records retrievable and subject of analysis from time to time. Student’s

records cannot be kept by the Academic Affairs Office or the Students Affairs Division but with the Examinations

and Records Unit, once it is obtained for processing and custody. Important and relevant information on students’

records are to be given out to those in need by the Records Office with respect to personal data such as: Students’

full name, age, sex, permanent and contact addresses; telephony, course of study, departments, level, next of kin and

parental names, occupation, addresses and contacts. The issue of academic transcript on regular basis further

requires that inventory on transcript of academic records must indicate: Students name at the time of admission, the

year of admission, sessions spent, level of admission, faculty and department, the courses taken and grades earned in

the University. Other personal records are the place of Origin, sponsor and mode of scholarship, degree obtained,

results and CGPA.

Examinations and Record Administration in Nigerian University: A case study of University of Ado-Ekiti

(Now Ekiti State University) in the pre-ESKU years

Introduction

The objects, laws and regulations in various Universities are set to establish the traditions, norms and

practice inherent in teaching-learning and examination procedures. Hence, the attainment of the purpose of these

rules and regulations are general responsibility of the academics and other designated non-academics staff towards

ensuring that the overall objectives of the University are achievable. For avoidance of doubt, examination of

students within the scope of University administration is all encompassing because it is part of the partial and

wholesome objective of any University at determining its quality of output and end product.

The powers of the University to examine students alongside subsist on the premise that examination must

be based on approved course of study and satisfaction of other University requirements. Be as it may, the University

through its Senate determines the conduct and other examination regulations for the successful implementation of

the University objectives.

20

Oyebade, E.F "Chapter 5: Management of Academic Matters in the Nigerian University System’’ in

Administration of University Education, A Professional Perspective ed. E.F. Oyebade et. Al, Flocel Publishers,

Akure, 2007: p. 85, 71-102.

At the same time, the Vice Chancellor as the Chief Executive and Chief Academic Officer of the

University has specific roles and responsibilities usually exercised through Deans of Faculties, Committees of Deans

and individually by the Heads of department. The Registrar who is the Chief Administrative Officer of the

University also assist the Vice Chancellor and the entire body polity of the University to achieve the same objective

through the various functions devolve in the administrative machineries of the University.

The total quality management of the University administration, including the examination of students is to

establish good cause, good governance, compliance, discipline and responsibility in all ramifications. As such the

role of the Registry in the Administration of examination cannot be step aside, without a pronouncement of these

facts, which are not directed to usurp the powers of the academics, but to compliment it.

It is on this note that I wish to state further that the provisions of University law, tradition, precedence and

prerogatives requires Registry staff specialized in Examination Administration to work under the Registrar’s

directives from time to time to achieve the various objectives and regulations of the University on examination

without being seen as contravening the law or tradition thereto.

Registry and Examination Administration

The objective and role of the Registrar in examination administration is diverse. The acceptance of the

Registry in the University towards performing the roles and responsibilities are more encompassing because

teaching and examination in higher institutions cannot work in isolation without the administration and regulation

being applied. The fact remains that all University employees (academic and non-academic staff) are expected to

uphold the objectives of the University wherever they function or service the University.

The Registrar as the Secretary to Council, Senate, Congregation and Convocation is a central figure under

the Vice Chancellor to oversee various aspects of administration including examination. The University system is a

public institution and an academic community devoted to highest esteem of fundamental principles and practice that

cannot be jettisoned by mere differences of status or functions, as long as the objectives of various functionaries are

not set to confront or clash with the other, but to complement it.

Today, several functions of the Registrar as Secretary to Council, Senate and Convocation by tradition and

practice had been devolved or decentralize in other Registry officials and divisions of the Registry for proper

execution, except where the personal attention or official presence of the Registrar is required. As such, the

Academic Affairs Division assists the Registrar with Senate matters, Academic matters and servicing of the

Committee of Deans among others. At the same time, the Examination and Records Division assists the Registrar

with Records Management and Examination Administration.

Careerists (or professionals) in the Registry ought to see their work not merely as bureaucratic (office

routine) but also as technocratic which requires methodology, prudence and practice. This cannot be achieved

without the full participation of the specific officials in assignments related to their functions. By regulations and

existing Laws of the University, the role of Registry in the administration of examination is anticipated. Registrar as

the Secretary to the Committee of Deans is charged with the organization and administrative arrangements for

University examination is the head of the SECRETARIAT of all University examination. This has many implication

to the conduct and management of all records, materials, resources and personnel required for the conduct and

administration of examinations at all levels (whether academic or non-academics). Academic staff who superintends

at examination at various levels cannot work in isolation of designated Registry staff, unless lawless and

disorderliness is the reign of Examination administration, because no organization can exist on the premise of its

individuals without the institution and administration in place.

From the foregoing, the role of the Registrar in examination administration falls into different categories

vis a vis:

a. Departmental functions – coordinated by Departmental Secretaries with HOD’s

b. Faculty functions – coordinated by Faculty Officers with Deans

c. Specialized functions– coordinated by Academic Office and Exams &

d. Examination and Records Division with the Registrar and Vice Chancellor respectively.

Part of the functions of the Registrar in the conduct of examination are explicit and good intended, without

any attempt to ridicule or destroy the system. The functions can be classified as follows:-

a. Secretary-ship at all levels of examination matters which invariably infer the management and custody of

records, regulation, information, compliance, verification/certification in all examination exercise.

b. Lodgement of all examination entry by students (candidate) within specified period.

c. Publication of all examination courses examined in a timetable prior to examination.

d. Receipt of all withdrawal of entries in cases of medical grounds in any examination with the consent of

respective Dean

e. Provision of all approved examination materials at examination halls.

f. Arrangement of Medical personnel to provide First Aids for candidates at examination centres.

g. Internal arrangements of each examination room prior to the conduct of examination

h. Supply of answer booklets, attendance sheets, threads and other examination materials to Senior

Invigilators at examination centres.

i. Circulation of Timetable and examination instructions to all invigilators at specified periods before

examination conduct.

j. Reporting on compliance to examination Timetable and regulations including delivery of security

status of question papers of students

k. Collection of the duplicate of all attendance sheets of examined students, having been checked and ensure

that signature of candidates are put on record sheet.

l. Regular visit to examination room to ensure record of all personnel and examiners in attendance in

compliance with examination regulations

m. Receipt of copy of report of all cases of examination misconduct forwarded to the

Vice Chancellor for record purposes.

n. Report of later comers into the examination room to the Committee of Deans.

o. Report candidate in possession of any unauthorized printed or written document in examination centers.

p. Arrangement for the Typing/dictation of answers for candidates requiring special

medical attention to undertake examination on request.

A review of the above functions which does not undermine that the duties of Academic staff to examine

(teach candidates, set question, invigilate, mark answers script, compute results and submit same to the Faculty and

senate implies that designated non-academic staff who participate in examination administration performs purely

administrative function.

The role of the Registry staff in examination remains shared responsibilities between the Faculty Officers

who undertakes specific function at the faculty level and specialized departmental officers from Academic Office or

Exams and Records Division who monitors compliance for successful examination and examination policy

formulation/feedback on review.

In the last examination, Examinations and Records Officers that visited various examination halls noted the

uncooperative attitude of some Lecturers in some Departments during their visit to Examination Rooms to ensure

compliance with University regulations in ensuring that proper examination arrangement us in place to the chagrin

of the visiting officials the Division. This is the reason why this paper was generated as a way of seeking

clarification on the role and participation of the Exams and Records Officers in future University examination to

avoid any form of friction or hostility in the examination process.

EKITI STATE UNIVERSITY, ADO-EKITI, NIGERIA

FACULTY BOARD OF STUDIES MEETING OF

EXTRACT OF A POSITION PAPER ON CASES OF EXAMINATION MISCONDUCT AND STUDENTS’

INDISCIPLINE: RE-SEIZURE OF TELEPHONE HANDSETS DURING SECOND SEMESTER

EXAMINATION IN VIEW OF THE FACULTY PANEL’S REPORT ON EXAMINATION MISCONDUCT

Background: University rules and regulations codified examination misconduct and students’ discipline in

Students’ Handbook (2004) as follows:

Page 30 (I 1 a-h) stipulates that Students are barred in examinations from instruments, materials or aids that are not

permitted by the Department since they constitute acts of examination misconduct and attracts disciplinary

measures. This regulation is to prevent the use of such items in examination to pass information, to prevent students

from using such items to collude, collaborate or copy materials, to prevent students from distracting or disturbing

examination and

to uphold academic integrity in administering University examinations.

Page 37 (2 a and c) specified that students should acquaint themselves with examinations regulations/instructions

and warned that in their own interest, no lecture note, textbook, jotter, bag and any prohibited items (telephone sets

inclusive) should be brought anywhere close to the examination room. Invigilators were empowered to seize such

unauthorized materials, if found or discovered while Pages 43-45 (26) stipulate penalties of examination misconduct

for student found cheating or in possession of ‘incriminating materials’ resulting to academic misconduct punishable

with appropriate disciplinary action since such actions ‘prejudices the integrity of the University examination’.

Development: The Faculty in collaboration with the various Departments prepared well ahead of the 2010/2011

2nd Semester University examination to ensure prompt and orderly conduct. Notices were sent to all Departments,

Classrooms, Laboratories, Notice Boards, Faculty and Departmental Associations imploring students not to

bring/use Telephone handsets at examination premises, since it is a prohibitive, incriminating and unauthorized

object/material. (A Copy of the notice is herewith attached).

Several verbal appeals were made to students never to compromise the examination integrity. However, Invigilators

caught students with telephone handset during the examination and promptly seized them for submission to the

Faculty. Affected students who failed to fill examination misconduct forms could not be invited to Faculty

Examination Misconduct Panel, though some resorted to sending highly placed individuals or emissaries to the

Faculty. In recent days, some pressmen came on investigation to arm-twist the Faculty to no avail. Since the Faculty

Board of Studies is aware of the matter and the Faculty Panel had sat on cases of examination misconduct, the report

is hereby circulated.

Action Required: Faculty Board of Studies is to consider and recommend to the Vice Chancellor on whether to

confiscate, destroy, dispose off or return seized Telephone Handsets (Exhibits) of the affected students and to adopt

the Faculty Panel’s Report as a preliminary investigation record required by Students Disciplinary Committee to

treat students discipline of those who have ‘a case to answer’.

Remarks: Due to political pressures on the University Management, the telephones were returned to all the affected

students without further sanctions.

There should therefore be in a place a template to monitor and assess University examinations using the proposed

chart below or designing any other form that can guide on such matters viz.

EKITI STATE UNIVERSITY, ADO-EKITI, NIGERIA

TEMPLATE OF EXAMINATION MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT REPORT SHEET

Date Time

of

Report

Course

Code and

Examination

Duration

No. of

Examined

Students

Name of

Examiner/

Lecturer

Name of

Invigilators

Signature

of

Invigilators

Condition

of

Classroom

and Exam

Hall

Assessment

of

Examination

Conduct

Name of Assessor: …………………………… Date/Signature: ………………………………

The EKSU Examinations and Records Office Between 1982 and 2011 in perspectives

The Unit was an integral part of the Academic Affairs Office at the outset of creation of the University in

1982. In 2003/2004 academic session, the Division was carved out as an autonomous unit of the Registry to improve

work performance and specialization, enhance productivity, division of labour and decentralization of the work

process of the Registry. It assisted the Registrar as an integral part of the University’s academic integrity and student

records management in servicing strategic areas of University examinations and records; through requisitioning and

distribution of examination materials, monitoring and reporting on the successful conduct of examinations;

documentation and retrieval of students’ record for processing and certification, issuance of transcript of coursework

and grade points, issuance of certificates, validation of students’ attendance and conduct, attestation of academic

records and qualification, research competencies and leadership experience; and Character referencing for job

opportunities, further education, travels, scholarship etc. The mission of the division in pre-2012 years is as follows:

1. Provide services to strategic customers and stakeholders

2. Report and advise the University Management on the examination matters for policy formulation and

improved decision making mechanisms.

3. Cooperate with Faculties in requisition and provision of examination materials and imprest as well as

monitoring compliance with examination regulations.

4. Assist students by record keeping of examination results for future referencing and other omnibus

examination services.

5. Provide window shops for former students and alumni to process and collect results, certificates,

transcripts, references and other related request

6. Provide certification and verification services to bodies and enquiring agencies requiring information about

students/alumni as directed by the Registrar.

The Division is an arm of Registry whose day to day activities, under the general direction of the Head of

Department, is to assist and report to the Registrar in providing essential services in the University as follows:

a. Custody and update of records on University academic policies, examination and student matters, grading

system, curriculum and the Faculty.

b. Attendance of Senate to compile approved results and graduating list and custody of students’ record –

Student data files and documentations.

c. Participation in University examination management services – requisition and distribution of examination

materials, imprest and monitoring and reporting on examination activity.

d. Participation in the screening and issuance of academic clearance to graduating students.

e. Processing and issuance of Notification of Results for signature of Registrar’s nominee – Deputy Registrar

(Academic)

f. Custody, processing (Writing) and release of University certificates – Bachelors’ Masters’ and Doctoral

degree to authentic owners.

g. Participation in the screening of freshmen and other matriculated students through examining of their

credentials and issuance of screening certificates.

h. Processing issuance of academic transcript on request and payment to the University.

i. Processing and confirmation of Result requests, Attestation Letters and Letters of Proficiency in English

Language and Verification/Certification of results and the confirmation/clarification of academic records to

inquiring institutions and relevant agencies.

j. Participation in University activities for compilation of academic calendar and handbooks and the custody

of University Calendar, Faculty and departmental handbooks for referencing.

k. Participation in the management of University ICT and record computerization including use of University

website and email services to respond to official enquiries.

For various services rendered, payments are made to University approved banks for services rendered and

the bank accounts are audited by the Internal Audit Unit on quarterly basis. All services rendered are paid for, except

confidential enquiries from public sector agencies i.e. Ministries, security and law enforcement agency, overseas

verification agencies and sisters’ educational institutions.

TRANSCRIPT MANAGEMENT

Vetting of transcripts is important aspect of the departmental job after retrieval and processing. Final copies

are signed transcript by the HOD or his nominee. Transcript software is deployed into the systems though processed

through manual format due the programme limitations in the accepting results with errors or incomplete after

retrieval despite sighting approval by Senate. Issuance is on first come, first serve basis to reduce pressure from

Alumni and staff who wish to obtain it without observing timeframe. The Alumni Association donated accessories

to the unit to fast track transcript processing on regular basis apart from the University.

VERIFICATION AND CONFIRMATION OF RESULTS

Requests on verification and confirmation of results are treated promptly. The usual practice is to direct an

official to look for detailed results, graduating list or convocation brochure to confirm records. In the case of request

for confidential reports or record of students, requests are normally forwarded to the respective Faculty for

assistance. Some of the establishments and organizations like professional bodies and employers of labour usually

forward verification fee payable in bank draft and are presented to the Bursary for issuance of receipts. Request

made from overseas were replied via e-mail and the Unit uses university e-mail box.

ARRANGEMENT OF STUDENTS RESULTS AND COLLATION OF GRADUATING LIST

Initial steps at re-arranging the results of each academic department on yearly basis are handled by the

Unit. There is no better means of result collation unless adequate number of personnel and equipments are in place.

NOTIFICATION OF DEGREE RESULTS/FINAL CLEARANCE

Graduates on regular programme whose basic entry qualification were verified at Admissions Office and

printed on the Verification list were cleared in most instances, though; there is occasionally demand for the sighting

of those Certificates for the avoidance of doubt in the case of Part Time Programme and Sandwich Graduates before

signing of their final clearance. In all cases, all graduating students were cleared, provided they do not have any

disciplinary cases with the University and have paid all School Fees and Alumni dues.

EXAMINATION ADMINISTRATION

In preparation for the Semesters examination, cash advance are raised and disbursed as approved for the

Examination and Records and the Faculties until the University cancelled the fund allotments. However,

examination materials requested from the University Central Stores are collected and allocated to faculties after

consulting with the Principal Stores Officer and Faculty Officers. The Sandwich Programme and the Pre-Degree

Programme also present their examination requests. Report on monitoring of examination including the submission

of Timetables is presented separately at the end of the semester examination.

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS

The Department participated in the Part Time Programme and Sandwich programme screening exercises.

Problems encountered with the processing of Transcripts can be solved if there is enough staff to do clerical and

routine jobs related to filing and record keeping as well as acquisition of file cabinets until the records can be

computerized. The other aspect is to visit various academic departments to generate results of students. The

department requires monthly imprest to run the office for transcript processing including fueling and other

processing cost and materials. Transcript typesetting ought to be managed in such a way that Senate approved

results would not be altered regardless of the error detected by the new Software Programming.

Findings and Conclusion

Several challenges have been observed in the process of examination administration and records

management in the pre-EKSU years which may have been resolved or still pending as summarized below:

1. Occasional non approval of imprest for examination monitoring and reporting.

2. Non availability and custody of several detailed results of our University graduates from 1986 to 1998 in

the Examinations and Records Unit.

3. Non availability and custody of results of some departments and programmes like Department of

Psychology result for 2004 to 2006, the Part Time Programme and the detailed results of Department of

Electrical/Electronic Engineering for 1993 to 1995.

4. Omission of names of many graduands in the Convocation brochure and non availability of detailed

graduating list in Record Room.

5. Lack of adequate hands and younger secretarial staff to process transcript (as the current Typesetters are

mainly Chief Typists in peak of their careers).

6. Need to locate master software of existing transcript software and to update for compatibility with

Microsoft version updates for efficiency and usage.

7. Need for configuration of students data software and the internet upload with the transcript office and

updating of students records and results.

8. Inability of University to process award of academic record computerization from inception and non-

cooperation of departments to locate result.

9. Incessant break down of Computers used for processing transcripts causing loss of inputted data in

computer memory due to technical and back up failure.

10. Lack of regular upgrading of computers and engagement of a Service Contract Technician for regularly

maintain the Computers and photocopiers.

11. Undue pressures and impatience on the part of several applicants or their proxies wishing to get transcripts

before dateline without due process

12. Inadequate shelves and file cabinets to keep transcript file copies.

13. Failure of many applicants to bring their documents when applying for certificates, thereby attempting to

circumvent procedure and delay collection.

14. Several outstanding certificates yet to be written or signed for release to our graduates of 2006 academic

session and those in Affiliate programmes.

15. Non release of soft copes of students’ result presented to Senate for custody by various departments to

improve on record keeping and ICT development.

16. Non availability of bonded copies of Senate approved graduating list

17. Inadequate supply of Notification formats and official letter heads papers to process official request and

prepare results i.e. Diploma

18. Non availability and custody of results from Affiliate Colleges to enable us speed up the process of their

verification.

19. Several checks and constraints created on verification issues by overseas agencies making verification

processes cumbersome and more rigorous

20. Lack of internet connectivity directly to our working desk, though the Registrar provided leeway through

access to use of Shell ICT Centre, but inadequate.

21. Lack of administrative grants to Registry for prompt servicing and funding of official needs/purchases on

regular servicing and upgrading of systems, purchase of computer resource and accessories, replaceable

electrical materials, recharge cards for internet browsing, back up accessories for volumes of typesetting

works, stationeries and postages (except for monthly fuel subsidy by the Registrar and quarterly N8, 000

imprest used for purchase of envelopes and office needs).

22. Regular request for correction of Names, Matriculation numbers and addition of Third Names by graduands

after Notification of Results and or Certificates had been issues. (This problem is more often traced to

academic departments in their presentation of results to Senate rather than typographical errors).

23. Absence of Cleaners for the maintenance of offices and the computer room to prevent dust and other

deterrents to computer facilities and office use.

24. Lack of water facility in the Omolayo Administration Block which affected the use of Toilet and cleaning

of office on regular basis.

25. Worn out furniture and fittings in particular, office tables and chairs of many years.

Recommendations

STUDENT RECORDS AND TRANSCRIPT MANAGEMENT

Previous and recent challenges relating to corrupt practices or extortion alleged against members of the

University community (both academic and non-teaching) on transcript processing and issuance does not relate to

this University alone, but it is evident in many older Nigerian tertiary institutions from experience and investigations

carried out. The important thing is how to stem the tide by ensuring that student records are made available without

making alumni and students to suffer unnecessary. Many of them have lost golden opportunities due to the non

retrieval and late or non issuance of their student records when required for upgrading and other purposes. The best

solution to resolve these challenges are as follows:

1. Acquisition of remodelled and authorizable e-transcript management software and deployment.

2. The retrieval and update of all student records in the Departments, Faculties and Programmes of the

University.

3. The massive contracting and computerization of all students records in the University.

4. Training of Registry staff in management of e-transcript through the use of computer and e-transcript

processing

5. Allocation of laptops and deployment of application and accessories to staff for processing of transcripts

6. Creation of online platforms for transcript requests by alumni and students

7. Processing of transcripts request through online request and allocation to specific number of staff with

identifiable codes and timeline for reporting and supervision

8. Cancellation of direct physical contacts with staff and offices for the generation of transcripts and issuance

except through the office of the Registrar

9. Use of online request for easy processing and conclusion of all transcript requests.

EXAMINATION ADMINISTRATION

The erosion of the role of the Registry and the lack of competence or confidence as well as changing

statutes have resulted in the current processing of examination administration in the University. There is an urgent

need to conduct an holistic review of what should be defined as administrative work in examination matters and

restrict the involvement of academic staff to their areas of interest or preferred involvement so as to restore

credibility to the examination processes from the pre[parathion for examinations to collation of results and

submission so as to safe the University from the continued challenges of keeping proper and adequate records of

students and stemming out irregular and shameful practices associated with examination matters in the corridors of

academic bench of the University. Until the Registrar can perform its professional statutory roles in examination

matters, the examination administration of the University will continue to face various challenges as earlier

highlighted.

Notes and References

1 http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/management.html#ixzz3vWRqO2ax.

2 Gulick, L and Urwick, L, (eds.), Papers on the Science of Administration, New York, Institute of Public

Administration, 1937 3 W.O. Ibukun, Educational Management: Theory and Practice, Bamgboye Press, Ado-Ekiti, ISBN 9783176250,

1997:3 4 J. Babatola, Public Administration: A Companion for Nigerian Students, Obafemi Awolowo University UNIFECS

Diploma and Advance Diploma Programme Handout, Excel Professional Centre, Ibadan, 2001. p. 20-30 5 Training Conference Manuals of Association of University Administrators (UK) and American Association of

Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), 2008-2012. 6 Wikipedia - Description of BYU's Registrar's offices duties.

7 Graham, C. (2013). "Changing technologies, changing identities: A case study of professional staff and their

contributions to learning and teaching". Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher Education 17 (2): 62–

70. doi:10.1080/13603108.2012.716376. 8 Wallace, Michelle; Marchant, Teresa (2011). "Female administrative managers in Australian universities: not male

and not academic". Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management33 (6): 567-581. doi: 10.1080/1360080X.

2011.621184. 9 Conway, Maree. 'Defining administrators and new professionals.' PERSPECTIVES, VOL. 4, NO. 1, 2000: pp. 4-5.

10 Gornall, L. (1988) `New professionals’: changes and occupational roles in higher education. perspectives, 3(2),

pp. 44-49. 11

Conway, Maree and Ian Dobson. 'Fear and Loathing in University Staffing: The Case of Australian Academic and

General Staff.' Journal of Higher Education Management and Policy, Volume 15, No. 3,: pp. 123.133. 12

Szekeres, Judy (2011). "Professional staff carve out a new space". Journal of Higher Education Policy and

Management 33 (6): 679–691. doi:10.1080/1360080X.2011.621193. 13

Alonge, M.F "Assessment and Examination – The pathways to educational development’’9th

Inaugural lecture of

University of Ado-Ekiti (now Ekiti State University) delivered by Prof. M.F. Alonge (Professor of Tests and

Measurement) on21st August, 2003, Ado-Ekiti : p. 11-42. 14

Alonge, M.F "Assessment and Examination – The pathways to educational development’’9th

Inaugural lecture of

University of Ado-Ekiti (now Ekiti State University) delivered by Prof. M.F. Alonge (Professor of Tests and

Measurement) on21st August, 2003, Ado-Ekiti : p. 11-42. 15

Alonge, M.F: p. 36-38. 16

Oyebade, E.F "Chapter 5: Management of Academic Matters in the Nigerian University System’’ in

Administration of University Education, A Professional Perspective ed. E.F. Oyebade et. Al, Flocel Publishers,

Akure, 2007: p. 85, 71-102. 17

Ibid. 18

G.T. Korgba, Duties, Functions and Responsibilities of a Registrar, Manual of University Management, National

Universities Commission, Abuja, Espee Printing, 1997:26-38. ISBN 9782916102 19

Oyebade, E.F "Chapter 5: Management of Academic Matters in the Nigerian University System’’ in

Administration of University Education, A Professional Perspective ed. E.F. Oyebade et. Al, Flocel Publishers,

Akure, 2007: p. 85, 71-102. 20

Oyebade, E.F "Chapter 5: Management of Academic Matters in the Nigerian University System’’ in

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