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 Code of Conduct
- General misconduct: University's Regulations as to the Discipline of Students
- Academic misconduct
N.B. academic misconduct is described as the “use of unfair means in the assessment process”
Reports of “unfair means in the assessment process” will initially be considered by the relevant academic department who may investigate and respond to the matter. Matters which are considered serious may be reported to the Chief Operating Officer for consideration for referral to a Summary Hearing at paragraphs 18 - 26 or a Senate Discipline Panel at paragraphs 27 - 40 of the Regulations.
N.B. Misconduct in Accommodation Owned, Managed or Leased by the University has a distinct investigation process under the Regulations.
Precautionary / interim measures?
A student may be subject to precautionary measures or a suspension or exclusion pending the completion of investigation.
A Risk Assessment Panel will be convened which will evaluate the risks to the students involved, the University community in general or a particular member or members of that community or members of the public or to the carrying out of a full and proper investigation.
The University may put in place precautionary measures considered necessary to protect the University community in general or a particular member or members of that community or members of the public or to ensure that a full and proper investigation can be carried out.
Precautionary measures may include, but are not limited to:
- Specific arrangements in relation to the student’s programme of study;
- University owned or managed or leased accommodation;
- Access to specific places, facilities or activities; and
- Restrictions on the student contacting a named person or persons.
Where these precautionary measures are not considered sufficient to protect the University community in general or a particular member or members of that community or members of the public or to ensure that a full and proper investigation can be carried out, the Risk Assessment Panel may recommend that the student be considered for a suspension or exclusion pending completion of the investigation.
approach to Police involvement?
If a disciplinary investigation has started, it would normally be adjourned pending the outcome of a police investigation. However, the fact that criminal proceedings have not concluded does not preclude the University from taking its own disciplinary action, particularly in relation to allegations of minor criminal offences.
If the police are unable or unwilling to proceed with the alleged offence, this also does not always preclude the University from taking disciplinary action.
Where a student has been convicted and sentenced by a criminal court, the verdict of the court will not be open to challenge in proceedings initiated under the University’s Disciplinary Regulations and the sentence will be taken into consideration in determining the penalty under these Regulations.
Right to be represented?
General misconduct
Yes, students may be accompanied to interviews and hearings by a friend or representative. The student will be required to give details of any friend or representative in advance.
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 and academic misconduct
Depending on the seriousness:
- a reprimand;
- with the consent of the student, a requirement that the student gives an undertaking as to future conduct in such terms and containing such conditions as the Chair may prescribe, breach of the undertaking to constitute misconduct;
- in the case of the use of unfair means in the assessment process of the University in relation to taught programmes of study, refusal of credit for any or all units for which the student is registered (with no grade being returned) or failure of a part thereof, or a reduction of grade for any or all units for which the student is registered or a part thereof;
- a fine of not more than £200;
- the payment of compensation in a sum not to exceed £500 for damage to property or loss or injury to any person caused by the student.
- with the consent of the student, a requirement that the student gives an undertaking as to future conduct in such terms and containing such conditions as the Panel may prescribe, breach of the undertaking to constitute misconduct;
- in the case of the use of unfair means in the assessment process of the University in relation to taught programmes of study, refusal of credit for any or all units for which the student is registered (with no
- grade being returned) or failure of a part thereof, or a reduction of grade for any or all units for which the student is registered or a part thereof, with or without the right to enter for a subsequent examination in respect of that unit or part thereof;
- in the case of the use of unfair means in the assessment process of the University in relation to:
(i) the confirmation review of a Higher Degree by Research (or upgrade procedure for a Higher Degree by Research, for students whose initial registration was prior to August 2012), failure in the examination with or without the right to submit a revised confirmation review, in the latter case the student will be required to become a candidate for a Master’s degree (or in the case of an upgrade, remain a candidate for a Master's degree); or
(ii) the final thesis of a Higher Degree by Research, failure in the examination with or without a right to submit a revised thesis, or for a candidate for the Degree of PhD, PhD with Integrated Studies, PhD in an EPSRC Doctoral Training Centre, DEdCPsy, DMedSci, EdD, DBA, DDSc, EngD or MD failure in the examination with the right to be considered by the Examiners for the award of a Master’s Degree;
- a fine of not more than £750; the payment of compensation in a sum not to exceed £1,000 for damage to property or loss or injury to any person caused by the student;
- exclusion for a stated period or permanently from any part of the University or from the use of any of the facilities of the University;
- suspension for a stated period or permanently from any of the University’s activities;
- suspension for a stated period from membership of the University; expulsion from membership of the University.
Right to appeal?
Yes.
The student may appeal from a decision of the Senate Discipline Panel or of a Chair of the Discipline Pool or of the Investigator or of the Director of Accommodation and Commercial Services to the Senate Discipline Appeals Panel upon any one or more of the following grounds:
- that there was a material procedural irregularity which rendered the process leading to the initial decision unfair;
- that the penalty imposed was too severe as being disproportionate to the gravity of the charge admitted or found to have been made out;
- that material of which the student could not reasonably have been expected to have been aware at the time of the initial decision casts substantial doubt upon the appropriateness of that decision.
The deadline for appealing is within 15 working days of the notification to the student of the decision of the Senate Discipline Panel or of the decision of the Chair of the Discipline Pool or of the decision of the Investigator or the Director of Accommodation and Commercial Services, to the Chief Operating Officer who will refer the appeal to a Senate Discipline Appeals Panel Hearing.
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. Sheffield Uni students union website has a very useful section for students - https://su.sheffield.ac.uk/advice-and-support/academic/discipline-and-misconduct
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