Selection data
The clearly in rank, the fringe (the point above which 95% of offers were made) and the percentage of offers made below the clearly in rank are currently published for about half the university courses in the VTAC system following round one offers. The same data is repeated in the Guide. Courses that select on an individual basis publish 'I' as do some courses that select primarily on Year 12 performance. TAFE Institutes have published 'I' since joining the system.
The above package of data has been published by VTAC since the introduction of the VCE. (There have been some changes over time to nomenclature and methods of calculation.) Publication has been designed to strengthen the transparency of the system and underpins middle band selection. It has been a positive feature of the system.
In part, publication is also a problematic area. On the one hand, selection data is made available to assist applicants and their advisers. On the other hand, regrettably, the public treats the published data as providing a measure of the relative "standard" of a course. It is, of course, neither correct nor appropriate to use the published data for this purpose.
From the 2001/02 selection round, a series of measures are being implemented in order to reduce the likelihood of published data being misinterpreted in this way and to enhance transparency to this part of the system. The publication of selection data will include information relating to both the first round and the final results after completion of all selection rounds. More importantly, information about all offered applicants for all courses, irrespective of method of selection, will be published graphically on the web. For a trial period this information will be made available through the Courselink program to schools so that career teachers can guide applicants in their consideration of these data.
Tertiary Information Service
The Management Committee has been actively involved with institutions and the Tertiary Information Service (TIS) in clarifying respective roles with respect to marketing policies and practices. A new structure is emerging from these deliberations which will see greater formal institutional involvement, at the policy level, with an institutional TIS Board being constituted to take responsibility for planning, coordinating and reporting on the future activities of TIS. Although the new arrangements will mean that VTAC no longer provides administrative support for TIS, the Management Committee has indicated to TIS representatives that it is keen that collaboration with TIS is maintained to ensure that the interests of prospective applicants and all post-secondary education providers continue to be properly catered for.
VET in schools
A series of proposals from the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority have been accepted which recognize, within the overall framework of standard VCE practice, the distinguishing features of VET in schools programs in terms of their design, implementation, delivery and assessment. Importantly, and consistent with the direction of the Kirby Report, ENTER calculation routines will be adjusted to accommodate these flexibilities.
Fee structure and funding
VTAC operates within guidelines under which applicant fees and institutional levies are to contribute broadly equally to the annual budget. As a result of a funding review undertaken during the year in the context of these guidelines, it was agreed that applicant fees should not increase and that any additional funding required should be accessed by way of institutional contributions.
System enhancements
The automatic re-ranking facilities on the on-line offering system were enhanced by the addition of functions which enable selection officers automatically to re-rank applicants with estimated/factored-up ENTERs within a nominated range of deviance between the two ranks, or to add a margin where institutions give preference to applicants from certain regions. The new facilities have led to a substantial reduction in the workload of selection officers and enhanced the accuracy of the selection process.
Related third party disclosures
The Auditor-General observed in a management letter accompanying the audit to 30 June 2000 that, while VTAC is not legally required to do so, consideration should be given to implementing the thrust of the Direction of the Minister for Finance with respect to related party disclosures.
A voluntary code of conduct has been accepted which will bring VTAC into line with the general obligations of directors of companies and the relevant ministerial directions under the Financial Management Act.
Information provision
Activities related to providing information about the selection and admissions system were extended during the year to include both parents of Year 12 students, in terms of the application process and ENTER creation, and parents of Year 10 students, in terms of subject choice and scaling. Surveys continue to indicate that family and friends are the primary source of information for students. Twenty evening sessions were conducted in metropolitan and regional areas for parents to help clarify misconceptions, especially about scaling and subject choice, and generally explain the intricacies of the system. A booklet written for parents and distributed through schools has been well received.