University of Bristol

Each university has its own distinct set of disciplinary policies and procedures. Please use the links below to reveal the information of interest.

Links to procedures and policies

• General misconduct: Student discipline is dealt with by the General counsel and Deputy University Secretary

Most student disciplinary matters are dealt with locally, by schools or in halls of residence. Where an allegation is serious, a complaint may be made through the University Secretary to the Vice-Chancellor under the Student Disciplinary Regulations.

• Academic misconduct: Misconduct relating to cheating, plagiarism and any other academic misconduct will be dealt with under the:

Assessment Regulations University Examinations Regulations

 

Precautionary / interim measures?

If after receiving a disclosure, the person receiving the disclosure believes that there is a risk of harm to the student reporting the matter or anyone in the University community, they will refer the disclosure for an initial risk assessment to one of the Director of Student Health and Inclusion or Director of Student Life and Wellbeing (or their nominee) with advice from the Secretary’s Office.

Consideration will be given as to whether a Non-Contact Order is appropriate to protect the parties involved and whether a referral should be made to the Risk Assessment Panel for consideration of precautionary action such as suspension or restriction of access to University premises or reporting to the police or safeguarding agencies.

 

Approach to police involvement?

Any allegation of misconduct constituting a criminal offence or where a student has been arrested by the Police will be referred to the Student Resolution Service for investigation and referral to the Vice-Chancellor.

If allegations of misconduct have been reported to the Police, any University investigation will be adjourned pending the outcome of the Police investigation. 

If appropriate, risk assessment procedures may take place and appropriate action, such as issuing a Non-Contact Order, may be taken.  

The student may by suspended from the University pending the conclusion of the disciplinary proceedings or any criminal process.

A decision to suspend a student pending investigation, hearing or trial or to issue a Non- Contact Order may be subject to review at the request of the student after four weeks. Such a review will not involve a hearing, but the student, either personally or through their adviser, friend or representative, will be entitled to make written representations.

The University may report any criminal offence to the police. However, if a person reports allegations of misconduct that may constitute a criminal offence by a student, but does not wish the police to be involved, the Vice-Chancellor may at their discretion agree not to report the matter to the police. In such circumstances the University will not normally proceed with internal disciplinary measures for the offence, although it may take disciplinary action over other related offences.

The fact that the police decide not to proceed with a case or that criminal proceedings have returned a ‘not guilty’ verdict does not preclude the University from taking its own disciplinary action.

If a student has been convicted of a criminal offence or accepts a police caution in relation to behaviour that falls within the scope of the University’s definition of misconduct, the University will accept this as conclusive evidence that the behaviour took place. Further investigation may not be necessary and the complaint will be deemed proven.

 

Right to be represented?

General misconduct 

A friend or representative can be brought to the hearing. The student is normally expected to speak on their own behalf, unless they have a good reason for not doing so.

The representative is entitled to make representations in mitigation before the penalty is decided.

The student can be represented by a representative in any appeal.

Academic misconduct

A representative can accompany the student at the panel interview of an academic misconduct panel. This person may address the panel and confer with the student during the meeting, however, they will not be permitted to answer any questions on behalf of the student, unless in exceptional circumstances where they are appropriately trained, and the student is unable to do so themselves.

The student may be accompanied at any appeal hearing by a representative for support or representation.

N.B. Even where universities state that legal representation is not permitted, we have often successfully argued that students ought to be in accordance with the principles of natural justice.

 

Penalties?

General misconduct

Penalties available:

1. A formal written warning;
2. Absolutely discharged, which means that although the student may be technically guilty of the misconduct alleged, no blame should be attached to their actions;
3. Cautioned, which means that no immediate punishment is imposed, but if the student is found guilty of misconduct on a subsequent occasion in the following twelve months, or some other specified period, they will then be dealt with for both offences;
4. Conditionally discharged, which means that no immediate punishment is imposed, subject to the student fulfilling certain stipulated conditions including future good behaviour over the following twelve months or some other specified period. If the conditions are not met, a punishment may be imposed following a further hearing; 
5. Fined up to a maximum of £800, subject to periodic review;
6. Required to write a letter of apology to a specified person or persons;
7. Required to attend a specified course or programme and to pay the reasonable cost as determined at the relevant time by the University;
8. Required to pay a reasonable sum by way of compensation for identified and quantified loss;
9. Required to perform unpaid services for the University community to a maximum of 40 hours;
10. Required to have no contact, or restricted contact, with a specified person or persons;
11. Required to move to another room or another residence within University residences;
12. Suspended from enjoying specified privileges for a fixed period of time;
13. Excluded from the University for a fixed period of time, up to a maximum of twelve months;
14. Suspended from the University for a fixed period of time, up to a maximum of twelve months;
15. Expelled from the University, which means that the student ceases to be a member of the University, and loses all rights and privileges of membership;
16. Any other reasonable penalty deemed to be appropriate by the Vice-Chancellor or Disciplinary Committee.

Any of the above penalties may be suspended for a fixed period of time. If the student is found guilty of subsequent misconduct within that period the suspended penalty will immediately take effect.

Academic misconduct

A range of penalties depending on whether the offence is considered less serious or serious.

 

Right to appeal?

Yes.

General misconduct

Appeals must be submitted in writing within 21 days of notification of the penalty.

The grounds of appeal are:

i) That the decision was not reasonable;

ii) That the procedure was not correctly followed when making the decision;

iii) That new evidence has come to light that was not available to the original decision maker which may have materially affected the decision.

The person considering the appeal may:

a) Reject the appeal and confirm the original penalty;

b) Uphold the appeal; or

c) Refer the case to the Secretary’s Office, for referral to a Committee of the Board of Trustees.

Academic misconduct

An Appeal Form must be submitted within 21 days of notification of the decision.

Appeals may only be made on the basis of one or more of the following permissible grounds:

1. There has been a material irregularity in the decision making process sufficient to require that the decision can be reconsidered.

2. A student’s performance in assessment has been affected by illness or other factors which the student was unable, for good reason, to divulge before the meeting of the board of examiners.

3. A penalty for cheating or plagiarism, imposed under the examination regulations by the school or faculty is wrong or disproportionate (there is no right of appeal in respect of a penalty or penalties imposed under the Student Disciplinary Regulations and implemented by the board of examiners on the direction of the Vice-Chancellor or a Disciplinary Committee).

Grounds of appeal that are not permissible:

1. Disagreement with the academic judgment of the board of examiners;
2. No appeal will be considered if it raises for the first time issues concerning the supervision or teaching of a student. Such matters will only be considered if they have been raised by the student promptly, at the time they first arose and pursued under the Student Complaints Procedure.

 

Member of the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (“OIA”) Scheme?

Yes – this means that you could potentially complain to the OIA once you have exhausted the University’s internal procedures.

 

Contact our Student & University lawyers:

If you require further information or advice from our team of specialist lawyers, please contact a member of the team using one of the methods below. 

This information was drafted in the months leading up to September 2023. It does not constitute legal advice. As University policies are updated from time-to-time, the information on this page may contain some inaccuracies and you should always check your University’s resources and/or seek legal advice where appropriate.

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