This book is based on twelve single-word questions, all beginning with the letter ‘P’, which have been designed to assess risk in academic procedures and policies. While each will be addressed in greater detail in the pages that follow, they are presented here as a combined summary and index.
Twelve P’s for Assessing Risk in Academic Policies and Procedures
A Guide for Those Responsible for the Design, Implementation and Assessment of Academic Procedures and Policies in Australian Universities
Written by Dick Audley, 2023.
Dick Audley, a retired AAIR member, has recently revised his book, Twelve P’s for Assessing Risk in Academic Policies and Procedures, and would be happy to make PDF copies available free of charge to anyone who may be interested. The work addresses twelve areas of risk, each of which commences with the letter ‘P’, and offers practical suggestions on how each can be identified and mitigated. The book reflects his recent PhD and contains numerous charts, diagrams, and checklists.
PURPOSE? – Why has the procedure or policy been introduced, what is it intended to achieve, and what outcome is it expected to deliver?
PARTIES? – Who are the people involved with the policy or procedure?
- Those who devised it
- Those who sponsor it
- Those required to administer it
- Those affected by it
- Those who will use the end product
POSITION? – Where does the policy or procedure fit within the wider university system? What tasks, assumptions, processes, etc., precede and follow it, and does what is envisaged integrate smoothly with all of these?
PROTOCOL? – Is there a protocol governing its operation (a manual, set of instructions, template, etc.,) to ensure consistency, uniformity, and accountability?
PACE? – How slowly or quickly does the process proceed, or is the policy implemented, and is this the most appropriate for all participants (both those originating it and those affected?
PACKAGE? – How is the process explained (packaged) to those affected by it?
PATTERN? – Does the process conform to the normal procedures within the university?
PAYMENT? – Who pays for the process or policy (either directly or indirectly)? Does the benefit received outweigh the costs involved?
PRODUCTIVITY? – How many staff does the process involve, and is each one of these absolutely essential?
PRODUCT? – What does the process actually produce? Is this what was intended and does this come in a form in which it can be used effectively as an input for subsequent procedures?
PROGRESSION? – Is the process reviewed at regular intervals and improved as required?
PREMONITION? – How do the staff feel about the procedure? Are they comfortable with it, or do they fear that something is just waiting to go wrong?
In his book, Dick goes through each of these questions in detail. To read the whole book, please email Dick and he will share a copy with you directly.
Bio
Dick Audley has been involved in the assessment of higher education programs for much of his professional career, where he pioneered many of the techniques now used for the analysis of courses. After retirement, Dick completed a PhD at UTS where he examined the impact of risk management on the course accreditation procedures of Australian universities. The transfer from assessor to student involved the development of a different type of relationship with a range of institutions, almost all of which had strict protocols about interviewing staff and the conduct of research into their activities.
To request a copy, contact the author.
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From the President (2024/07)
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