Student Complaints and Appeals
Introduction
If you have a complaint about an aspect of the University, a member of University staff, or how a policy or procedure has been implemented, it can be dealt with under the Student Complaints Procedure.
If you disagree with a decision of a Board of Examiners you can lodge an examination appeal under the Exam Regulations.
Please note that the two procedures are separate (although sometimes examination appeals might relate to a complaint that has already been made).
First Steps
If you have a complaint, in the first instance you should raise it with an appropriate member of staff. This may be your personal tutor, supervisor, the undergraduate or graduate dean, or head of department. Complaints may also be channeled through student representatives. If the matter is not resolved by that member of staff you should look to take it to a more senior staff member as appropriate (see section 12: ‘Suggested route for complaints’ of the Student Complaints Procedure)
In the case of an examination appeal, you should first read the Examination Regulations and discuss the problem with the relevant Dean. If the problem remains unresolved, you must write to the Student Complaints Officer within 21 days of publication of the decision which you want to appeal. Please note that an appeal based solely on challenging the academic judgement of a Board of Examiners will not be heard.
Student Complaints Officer
Where more informal procedures have failed to resolve the problem, you may bring a complaint, grievance or examination appeal to the Student Complaints Officer in Senate House, telephone 0117 928 8904, internal extension 88904, email student-complaints@bris.ac.uk, who will be happy to give you advice.
Once a complaint or appeal is brought to the attention of the Student Complaints Officer s/he will generally invite you to a meeting to discuss the next steps. S/he may carry out an initial investigation, obtaining relevant information from departmental, faculty or other sources.
Mediation Service
Where appropriate, the Student Complaints Officer will refer the matter to one of the University's impartial Student Mediators. These are members of staff who have undergone special training in mediation and will have no prior connection to the complaint or appeal.
The Mediator's task is to attempt to help all those involved find a resolution to the problem. He or she will see you and the staff member(s) involved in the dispute, generally separately first and then together. The mediators role is not to suggest or impose solutions but to facilitate open discussions between all parties. You will be given a separate leaflet explaining more about this process. All discussions with the Mediator are confidential.
The mediation process may result in agreement that certain actions should be taken by you or by the staff member(s) concerned, or in acceptance that, in the light of the discussions, no further action is appropriate. If you remain dissatisfied you may take the complaint or appeal to the University Council.
Council
If you wish to take a complaint, grievance or appeal to the University Council you should send a letter setting out full details of the complaint to the Deputy University Secretary in Senate House, who may be contacted for information or advice. You may be asked to set out in writing further details, making clear the exact nature of the complaint or appeal and the outcomes sought.
On receipt of the complaint Council will establish a committee, which will normally consist of three members of Council and, unless you wish otherwise, a student sabbatical officer.
Procedure of a Council appeal or grievance committee
The Deputy University Secretary (or nominee of) will act as clerk to the committee, and you may contact him/her for information or advice at any stage.
To clarify the issues, the Deputy University Secretary may ask for written witness statements or documents such as medical certificates to be produced in advance of a hearing. You will be entitled to see all statements and documents seen by the committee. You are entitled to be present at hearings of the committee, and to be accompanied by a friend or representative.
The order of any hearing will be at the discretion of the committee, which may ask for enquiries to be undertaken and witnesses to attend. You will be given a full opportunity to state your case, and will be able to address the committee at the conclusion of any evidence that has been presented. You can be accompanied at the hearing by an adviser, friend, or representative.
Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIA)
If you are still not satisfied, you may take your case to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education, which provides an independent scheme for the review of student complaints. The OIA will consider cases only when the University's own internal appeal procedures have been exhausted. It will not intervene on matters which turn purely on academic assessment.
Further information about this scheme is available on the OIA website
Checklist for Students
Grievances:
Think it through
- Act early - don't let a grievance fester. Try tackling the problem at source, by speaking to the person directly responsible. Take a friend with you, if this helps.
- Ask yourself what your complaint or grievance is really about.
- Consider what outcome you want.
- Write down your grievance and the desired outcome.
- Read the Student Complaints Procedure
- If you are unsure about whether or how to proceed, contact the Student Complaints Officer
- If you are unhappy about discussing the problem in your department, consider going to the undergraduate or graduate dean in your faculty.
- If you prefer, you can go to the Adviser in the Students' Union or to a student representative for help.
Remember
- The University is committed to dealing with student complaints sympathetically.
- If you want to, you can act with other students to bring a group complaint.
- You may ask to keep the matter confidential, although this may restrict the help that University staff can give you.
Exam appeals:
- If you are thinking of an exam appeal, read the Examination Regulations.
- Have you seen the dean?
- Are you within the 21 day deadline?
- You can only appeal the fairness of a decision. You may not query an academic judgement if it was reached in a proper manner.
Contacts
Student Complaints Officer:
0117 928 8904 (internal 88904)
student-complaints@bris.ac.uk
Students' Union Advice and Representation Workers
Graham Petch and Katy Gullon
0117 33 13541 or 0117 33 13511
ubu-justask@bristol.ac.uk
Students' Union general enquiries:
0117 954 5815, minicom 0117 954 5814