1. Policy Statement 2. Policy Scope 3. Policy Exclusions 4. Formal Communications 5. Definitions 6. Policy Principles 7. Support during the complaint process 8. Withdrawal of complaint 9. Malicious or vexatious complaints 10. Other avenues of complaint
1. Policy Statement
The Policy on Student Complaint Management1 provides a framework for fair and equitable processes which enable student concerns to be addressed as quickly as possible and at a level as close to the source of complaint as possible.
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2. Policy Scope
2.1 This policy will apply to the management of complaints arising between parties including:
- student: student
- student: staff member
- student: external agency - such as those agencies cooperating with the University in its professional experience or community engagement placements, for example, clinical, school, business placements, provided that the student should first have exhausted avenues of resolution under any applicable complaint or complaint handling procedure of the cooperating agency.
2.2 This policy applies in all cases other than those addressed in other specific University policies or regulations.
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3. Policy Exclusions
Any matter dealt with under Statute 10 Student Conduct and Discipline, the Policy on Student Appeals or the Staff Code of Conduct is excluded from this policy.
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4. Formal Communications
The timelines and associated provisions relating to formal communications contained in the Academic Regulations will apply to communications under this policy.
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5. Definitions
Terms used in this policy are consistent with the Australian Catholic University Glossary of Terms published on the Australian Catholic University Website. In the context of this policy the following terms also apply:
- Appropriate confidentiality refers to situations when a senior officer of the University may disclose to another person as much information as is necessary for the explicit purposes of clarification or assistance to enable the complaints process to be facilitated.
- Complainant means the student who has initiated the complaint.
- Complaint means a statement or expression that something is unsatisfactory or unacceptable.
- Respondent means a person or organisational unit against whom a complaint has been raised under this policy.
- Responsible Officer means the University staff member with responsibility for handling the complaint.
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6. Policy Principles
6.1 All actions under this policy are to be based on values that are consistent with the University Mission and to be underpinned by principles of mutual respect and procedural fairness for and by all students, staff and others who may be involved.
6.2 All parties to a complaint have the right to be:
- heard;
- treated without bias or pre-judgement;
- informed of any complaint made which relates to them;
- provided with an opportunity to respond to any complaint pertaining to them;
- informed about the status of any complaint which has been formally raised and to which they are a party or in which they are named.
6.3 A person or committee handling a complaint will deal with the matter as expeditiously as possible, consistent with the need to act fairly.
6.4 A person or committee handling a complaint will maintain appropriate confidentiality.
6.5 Students and staff will familiarise themselves with and adhere to all relevant University regulations, associated written procedures and standards of conduct.
6.6 The University will take all reasonable steps to prevent students suffering any disadvantage (including through victimisation) as a result of lodging a complaint.
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7. Support during the complaint process
7.1 In any discussions or interviews in which a student participates during any complaint process under this policy, whether as a complainant or respondent, the student may, at their discretion, be accompanied by one other person, other than a person with a qualification in law, whom the student designates as their support person.
7.2 A support person may not be a person who was involved in, associated with, or alleged to have been involved in or associated with the subject matter of the complaint.
7.3 A support person may only make submissions on behalf of a student if invited to do so by the person or committee dealing with the matter.
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8. Withdrawal of complaint
8.1 At any time during the process a student may withdraw a complaint, by notice in writing to the responsible officer.
8.2 Upon such withdrawal, consideration of the complaint will normally be discontinued.
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9. Malicious or vexatious complaints
In any case in which a complaint is found to be frivolous, vexatious or malicious, action may be taken by the University under Statute 10 Student Conduct and Discipline.
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10. Other avenues of complaint
10.1 While students are encouraged to resolve any concerns or complaints they may have arising from their status as a student of the University, nothing in this policy detracts from the right of a student to access any other appeal or complaint mechanism available to the student as legislated in the relevant State or Territory. If any external process is initiated, the internal appeal or complaint process will be terminated.
10.2 Following exhaustion of internal appeal or complaint management processes, in the case of matters for which there is no specific external independent arbiter, a student can appeal to the University Visitor, who is an independent arbiter, external to the University. Any such appeal must be made in accordance with the Policy on Review by the University Visitor of Appeals or Complaints by Students.
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1Academic Regulations
Student Appeals Policy
Glossary of Terms
Policy on Review by the University Visitor of Appeals or Complaints by Students
Policy and Procedures on Student Appeals
Procedures for Student Complaint Management
