Special Entry Access Schemes
A chronic circumstances working party was established by the VTAC Management Committee for the dual purpose of developing an application form and procedures for chronic circumstances experienced during year 12 for the 2003-2004 admissions cycle, and to investigate the feasibility of a simpler, possibly centralised, process to handle the various institutional special entry schemes currently in operation, which could also subsume the chronic circumstances process. The first task was completed and successfully implemented for the 2003-2004 selection.
Following two rounds of institutional feedback about the scope and direction of the project it was agreed to implement a centralised process for the 2004-2005 admissions cycle. It was also agreed that the process be expanded to cater for Commonwealth learning scholarship applications to institutions wishing to use SEAS as a vehicle for such requests.
The scheme consists of a booklet and two application forms. The booklet both outlines the system-wide principles and has separate institution specific sections. The latter provide details as to which SEAS types (access and equity & year 12 chronic circumstances) and categories (see below) are considered by the institution and state institutional eligibility requirements for each category.
The SEAS - access and equity schemes form is for use by all applicants and it replaces institution based special entry scheme applications. SEAS - access and equity has nine categories: mature age entry, non-English speaking background, recognition as an Indigenous Australian, difficult family circumstances, disadvantaged socio-economic background, rural and isolated students, and under-represented school, women in non-traditional areas and disability or long-term medical condition. T here are no restrictions on the number of categories which can simultaneously be indicated. However, some are only utilized by particular institutions and are so labelled.
The SEAS - year 12 chronic circumstance scheme form - is for use by current year 12 applicants and duplicates the process instituted for 2003/04.
Commonwealth Higher Education Student Support Number (CHESSN)/Learning Entitlement
- The Management Committee agreed to VTAC involvement in allocation of CHESSNs based on business requirement delineated in the Higher Education Information Management Scheme (HEIMS) Student Module - CHESSN Interface with Tertiary Admissions Centres document. It was also agreed that in relation to the reform package, and in particular student learning entitlements, VTAC should develop a practical, minimalist approach. To this end the working party established by the Management Committee to consider these issues in detail agreed that:
- VTAC would not convey SLE to applicants. It would be an individual applicant's responsibility to obtain this from the private portal.
- The VTAC Guide and application should convey to applicants that determination of their SLE and eligibility for courses in this respect was their responsibility.
- VTAC would collect the SLE and pass it to institutions only in the offer file.
- While the SLE would not be shown on the offer work lists, this may be a requirement in the future.
- The offer letter would add a further condition that any offer is conditional upon sufficient SLE being available.
- The issue of cut-off scores, selection data in the Victorian context, has been the subject of several exchanges of correspondence between VTAC and DEST in connection with data to be published via the DEST public portal, both the minimum score for 2004 and in general thereafter.
The Committee has insisted that full selection data ie. clearly in ENTER, fringe ENTER and the percentage of offers made below the clearly in ENTER, should be published as it provides a truly objective and transparent schema. Publication of either the first two data elements alone, as has occurred in good guides, it has been discovered, is misleading. DEST is willing to discuss the issue and is understood to be preparing a paper embracing this and other state issues for consideration at a forthcoming workshop.
ENTER and Ministerial statements
Broad ranging discussions about the ENTER in relation to selection policies, practices and outcomes, have taken place both within the Committee and with VCAA. Several initiatives have flowed from these discussions, others are still being formulated.
- The impetus for the above conjoint special entry schema arose, in part, from this context and from the viewpoint of benefiting all parties involved in the selection system.
- The Committee has briefed both members of the Minister's staff and press about ENTER and scaling and conveyed the correct perspective of the former within the selection process.
- A new ENTER and scaling information package for schools aimed at subject teachers ie. those in a prime position to influence subject choice has been developed and is being trialled during 2004.
- The Committee has acted to reinforce the role of middle band in selection by encouraging institutions to both review middle band criteria and publish, in their publications, the full range of selection criteria, not just clearly-ins, to demonstrate the manner in which middle band operates.
VET contributions to ENTER
The Committee agreed that from 2004 scores for up to two VCE VET studies be eligible for inclusion in the best 4 component of the ENTER (at most three VCE VET 3-4 sequences can contribute overall). It was also agreed that block credit for units 3 and 4 for recognized VET qualifications at AQF3 and above be eligible for inclusion as an increment in ENTER calculation, as currently provided for an unscored VET sequence ie. 10% of the best four average is added.
2003/04 selection
The 2003/04 selection cycle was smooth and uneventful the Committee not having to tackle any problems, or consider any major recommendations. All proposed developments and initiatives in relation to the actual selection period were successfully implemented.
A proposal to eliminate paper-based applications was accepted the Committee noting this would eliminate 97% of applicant originating and punching errors, the web application process being entirely self-validating. Thus the process will be considerably more accurate for both applicants and selection officers. An unpublished paper form will be retained for applicants unable to access the internet and all queries in this regard will be handled sensitively by one member of staff.
Disaster recovery/ risk management
The Committee endorsed a disaster recovery/business continuity plan prepared by the Director subject to it being vetted by an outside expert. This person concluded that all relevant material had been covered but more detail was required and in so doing identified several additional items for inclusion in the risk management plan. He also advised that a standard risk register analysis should be undertaken, which process will occur later in 2004 to accompany the prose version.
Unmet demand
Various data sets have been provided to the Victorian Parliamentary Education and Training Committee following a presentation to the Committee about VTAC's role and available data. The issue of incorrect discounting in the AVCC unmet demand survey remains unresolved although all parties in Victoria , including the Minister's office and VVCC, are firmly of the view that the methodology is flawed and Victoria 's figures understated by approximately 5,000.
August 2004