Know your stuff:  Personal Mitigating Circumstances (PMC)

The University wants to ensure that everyone is assessed at a time when they are fit and well.  The PMC procedure allows students to alert the University to circumstances that temporarily prevent them being assessed - this includes exams, assignments and presentations.  Examples might include sudden illness, bereavement, family difficulties etc.

PMCs are specifically for unforseen, sudden circumstances and do not cover ongoing or long term conditions (eg long term illness or disability) and for these you should seek support from the Disability team in Student Life.  If you feel that you need to submit a PMC, here are some key points to bear in mind:

• PMCs should be submitted electronically. You can login to the PMC system via the Student portal link on the student channel https://sss.salford.ac.uk.
• PMCs can be submitted in advance or up to 10 working days after the assessment or submission date.
• You should provide as much detail of the circumstances as possible, including the dates and impact the circumstances have had on your assessment. Show that the situation had a severe effect on your ability to do the assessment and show it was unexpected and unpreventable.
• PMCs should be submitted with relevant evidence - e.g. letter from a Doctor.
• PMCs will either be accepted or rejected by your School, and you will be informed within 3 days of submitting.

'Fit to sit'

The University operates a 'fit to sit or submit' policy, which means that once you have submitted an assigment or sat an exam, you can not claim at a later date that your performance was negatively affected by circumstances.  This is important because it means you must make a decision about your fitness before you sit / submit your assessed work.

Sources of information/ related links

• You can read the guidance notes  on personal mitigating circumstances at http://www.salford.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/607548/PersonalMitigatingCircumstancesProcedure.pdf
• Email the students’ Union Advice Centre for support/clarification at advicecentre-ussu@salford.ac.uk
• If you do decide to submit a PMC and would like an adviser in the Student Union Advice centre to check the draft of your request, then please book an appointment through the info point staff on 0161 351 5400.

* If you sat or submitted an assessment but are able to show that you were unable to determine if you were fit to do so, the University may consider a PMC or appeal on this basis.