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Appeals and Complaints

Student Appeal Policy

Policy Code: CG1488

Purpose
Scope
Definitions
Policy Statement
Responsibility
Legislative Context
Associated Documents
Implementation

Purpose

To provide the University and its Students with information about Student Appeals.

Scope

This Policy is applicable to all Students and Staff of the University.

Definitions

Academic Board: Means a Board established pursuant to the University of Ballarat Act 1993.
Agency: Includes the Victorian Ombudsman, the Privacy Commissioner, the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commissions or Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (for International Students in relation to the Education Services for Overseas Students Act (“ESOS”)).
Appeal: Means an escalation step which may be open to a Student if the Student is dissatisfied with an adverse decision, or perceives an adverse outcome, and an Appeal may be an Internal Appeal or an External Appeal.
External Appeal: An appeal to an external Agency against a Final Decision of the University.
Final Decision: A decision made by the member of Staff authorised to make that decision and communicated to the Complainant in writing when all Internal Appeal avenues within the University’s Procedures and processes, including under Legislation, or, if applicable, under this Policy have been exhausted.
Internal Appeal: An appeal against a decision where the appeal is brought under University Legislation or where there is a process for appeal within other University Procedures.
Staff: Any person who is an employee of the University at the time of the Complaint and this includes full-time, part-time, sessional or casual Staff.
Student: Any person enrolled as a student of the University of Ballarat.
University: Means the University of Ballarat.
University Grievance Officer: Staff member appointed by the Vice Chancellor.
University Legal Officer: Staff member appointed by the Vice Chancellor.

Policy Statement

As part of the approach by the University to providing a fair, safe and productive study environment, consideration of Appeals will be dealt with fairly, consistently, promptly, with sensitivity to all parties and in accordance with the principles of natural justice. Access to information about Appeal processes shall be made available fairly, consistently and promptly.

Responsibility

The Vice President Corporate Services (as the delegate of the University Council) has overall responsibility for implementation and review of this Policy.

The University’s Legal Officers and the Executive Officers to Academic Board and the Student Appeals and Course Reviews Executive Officer have delegated responsibility for providing Students and Staff with guidance on this Policy.

All Staff within the University who deal with Students as part of their daily work, should, where they receive request for information about Appeals including Appeals in relation to Final Decisions, do so in accordance with this and other established policies, procedures and standards.

Legislative Context

Associated Documents

 

Implementation

The Student Appeal Policy will be implemented throughout the University of Ballarat via:

  1. An Announcement Notice under ‘UB Communicate’ on the ‘myUB Gateway’ website and through the University of Ballarat Policy - ‘Recently Approved Documents’ webpage to alert the University-wide community of the approved Policy.
  2. Inclusion on the University of Ballarat Policy, Procedure and Forms website.
  3. Reference to the Student Appeal Policy in the University Online Handbook.
  4. Reference to the Student Appeal Policy in applicable University web pages including the University Student and Learning Support (Equity and Student Services) and Corporate Services (Legal) and Corporate Services (Governance) web pages.
  5. Training Sessions to Staff, including other staff responsible for advising in respect of Student issues, such as Student Grievance Officers, Harassment Contact Officers and Student Counsellors (International, Academic, Welfare and Indigenous Support), and staff responsible for supervising Students (including supervisors of higher degrees, or supervisors of Students on placement or work placed training programs).
  6. Training Sessions to Student Association Representatives.
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