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
Precautionary / interim measures?
Interim precautionary measures may include:
- No contact instructions, which prohibit the student from contacting any witnesses;
- Temporary bans on the student from accessing the University campus or named buildings;
- Temporary suspensions on the student entering any part of the Student Union; and/or
- Temporary suspension of studies of the student.
approach to Police involvement?
The University may decide to put its internal investigation on hold until the criminal proceedings have reached a conclusion.
Precautionary actions, such as no-contact instructions or temporary suspensions, may still be taken.
The University is not bound by the outcome of any police or criminal proceedings, but it may choose to take these into account when determining the outcome of the case.
Right to be represented?
General misconduct
A supporter may accompany a student during any formal meeting held under the Student Disciplinary Procedure or Assessment Irregularities Procedure. A supporter may not represent the student or answer questions on their behalf; their role is to provide moral and emotional support to the student.
Academic misconduct
A student may attend a hearing with a supporter but the supporter will have no formal role in the meeting and cannot ask questions on the student’s behalf or question witnesses.
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
The University may impose:
- A caution;
- A written warning;
- A final warning;
- Antisocial fines;
- Suspension;
- Deferred expulsion; and/or
- Expulsion with immediate effect.
Academic misconduct
A range of penalties depending on whether the offence is classed as ‘minor’ or ‘major’.
Right to appeal?
Yes.
General misconduct
Students may appeal a decision or sanction within 21 days of receipt of the written decision for one or more of the following reasons:
- New material evidence is available that was not previously reasonable available;
- Procedural irregularity;
- Bias or prejudice;
- Excessive or inappropriate sanction; and/or
- The decision was one that no reasonable person/committee could have reached on the evidence available.
Academic misconduct
Students have the right to appeal against any decision or sanction imposed for at least one of the following reasons:
- New material evidence is available that was not previously reasonably available;
- Procedural irregularity (i.e. you feel that this procedure was not correctly followed);
- Bias or prejudice (i.e. you feel that the investigation was prejudged or unfair in some way);
- Excessive or inappropriate sanction (i.e. you believe that the sanction imposed on you is not proportionate to the determined irregularity); and/or
- The decision was ‘perverse’, meaning that no person/committee could have logically reached it on the basis of the evidence before them.
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.
We treat all personal data in accordance with our data protection policy.