Dear Ms Turner,

Thank you for your request for information, received by Aberystwyth
University on 11^th February, in which you requested the following:  

i.          A copy of the latest version of the university’s general
admissions statement.

ii.          A copy of the university’s latest general advice for
admissions tutors and (at both undergraduate and postgraduate level (i.e.
postgraduate selectors for both taught and research courses), or just the
one document if separate documents do not exist and there is just one
document for both groups of students.)

iii.          A copy of the university’s latest admissions policy for
disabled students.

iv.          In a video posted on the official Aberystwyth University You
Tube page, Caryl Davies (Director of Student Support) states that disabled
students are offered a place on academic merit only and that the
disability support is considered secondly once an offer is made. (See:
[1]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAXI0M4o9Pk)

Please supply copies of any documents which the university has prepared in
order to provide advice, guidance or official policy on how to deal with
applicants who may not quite meet the entry criteria where the missing
criteria is due to a disability or health reasons e.g. a student who
narrowly misses the entry criteria due to disability related illness
during previous study. How do academic selectors/admissions tutors make a
decision in these cases?

You will receive a response as soon as possible, and in any event not
later than in 20 working days (11^th March 2014). 

Yours sincerely,              

Julie Archer

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rheolwr Cofnodion / Records Manager

Llyfrgell Hugh Owen Library

Prifysgol Aberystwyth / Aberystwyth University

Penglais

SY23 3DZ

Ffôn / Tel. (01970-62)8593

E-bost / E-mail: [2][Aberystwyth University request email]

Gwefan / Website: http://www.aber.ac.uk/infocompliance/

References

Visible links
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAXI0M4o9Pk
2. mailto:[Aberystwyth University request email]

Dear Ms Turner,

I am writing in response to your recent request for information under the
Freedom of Information Act 2000 (‘the Act’).  I apologise for the delay in
providing this information.

i.A copy of the latest version of the university’s general admissions
statement.

ii.A copy of the university’s latest general advice for admissions tutors
and (at both undergraduate and postgraduate level (i.e. postgraduate
selectors for both taught and research courses), or just the one document
if separate documents do not exist and there is just one document for both
groups of students.)

This information is still under review.  Work is currently underway on
policy statements and user guidelines to comply with the new B2 chapter on
Recruitment, Selection and Admissions of the QAA Quality Code. It is hoped
that this document will be presented to the Recruitment Committee in June.

iii.A copy of the university’s latest admissions policy for disabled
students.

The Admissions Policy was approved by the Recruitment Committee in June
2013 and is attached.

iv.In a video posted on the official Aberystwyth University You Tube page,
Caryl Davies (Director of Student Support) states that disabled students
are offered a place on academic merit only and that the disability support
is considered secondly once an offer is made. (See:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAXI0M4o9Pk)

Please supply copies of any documents which the university has prepared in
order to provide advice, guidance or official policy on how to deal with
applicants who may not quite meet the entry criteria where the missing
criteria is due to a disability or health reasons e.g. a student who
narrowly misses the entry criteria due to disability related illness
during previous study. How do academic selectors/admissions tutors make a
decision in these cases?

We do not have a contextual admissions policy as such but we do treat
applicants on their academic merit.  If we did receive documented evidence
of a medical or other circumstance then we would take this into account at
the confirmation stage in August when results are known. This is done on
an individual basis.

The Equality Challenge Unit’s document “Equitable admissions for
underrepresented groups” summarises the University’s approach to the
admission of disabled students:

Making an offer at the same time for all applicants

This approach is non-discriminatory as disabled applicants are treated in
the same way as non-disabled applicants. It also puts disabled applicants
on the same footing as disabled students who may not disclose at
application, but do so once they have secured a place. To avoid the
potential for discrimination, discussions about what reasonable
adjustments applicants might require and the impact of their impairment on
their ability to study should only be held after an offer is made. The
only exception to this would be when an applicant is being invited to an
assessment as part of the admissions process, and therefore a discussion
about reasonable adjustments would be required. There may be instances
that an institution has to withdraw an offer on the basis of a
determination that there are genuinely no steps that would be reasonable
for it to take to overcome the disadvantage that an applicant may face.
Such situations are extremely rare. The assessment of reasonableness is an
objective one (and should always be on a case-by-case basis) and
ultimately one for the courts to consider.

[1]http://www.ecu.ac.uk/publications/equita...

Yours sincerely,

Julie Archer

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Julie Archer
Rheolwr Cofnodion / Records Manager
Llyfrgell Hugh Owen Library
Prifysgol Aberystwyth / Aberystwyth University
Penglais
Aberystwyth
SY23 3DZ

Ffôn / Tel. (01970-62)8593
E-bost / E-mail: [Aberystwyth University request email]
Gwefan / Website: http://www.aber.ac.uk/infocompliance/

References

Visible links
1. http://www.ecu.ac.uk/publications/equita...