Student complaints about staff

How can a student complain about a member of staff?

A student can make a complaint about a member of staff by following the Student Complaints Procedure. They can also log a report via Report and Support but when it is done in this way, a formal complaint is not lodged automatically. When a student makes comments about a member of staff via Report and Support, a colleague from the Welfare Team contacts the student who has made a report to arrange a meeting to discuss options for support, what could happen next, and the courses of action that can be taken, which can include the student deciding whether they wish their complaint be dealt with informally or formally under the Student Complaints Procedure.

Following this discussion with the Welfare Team, the student will be required to confirm whether they wish to make a formal complaint about a member of staff (or not). If they do, the complaint is then passed to the Student Appeals, Complaints and Discipline team to coordinate the response to the complaint through the Student Complaints Procedure. Information the student has submitted in their report on Report and Support can be used to outline their complaint.

Under which procedure is the complaint dealt with?

The Student Complaints Procedure is overseen by the Student Appeals Complaints and Discipline team. Complaints that are made by students about staff are dealt with at a formal level (Stage 2). The Student Appeals Complaints and Discipline team log the complaint and pass it to HR Advisory Team for them to work with a Head of School or senior manager in a Directorate to consider how the complaint is approached. The Student Appeals Complaints and Discipline team track the complaint’s progress through the process and coordinate formal feedback to the student once the investigation into their complaint has been concluded. The reason for dealing with it in this formal manner is to ensure that the University’s obligations are met in relation to the UK Quality Code for Higher Education and the best practice outlined by the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (known as the OIA).

There are timescales for responding to complaints under the Student Complaints Procedure, but these do not apply when the complaint is being considered under HR procedures. Where it applies, the student is advised in writing that their complaint will be considered under the relevant HR procedures and that the timescales will not be the same as other types of complaints which are dealt with directly under the Student Complaints procedure.

Who decides how the complaint is investigated?

The Student Appeals Complaints and Discipline team pass the student’s complaint to an Assistant Director of HR and the HR Partner for the School or Directorate where the staff member works. The HR Partner arranges a case review with the Head of School or senior manager in the Directorate to review the complaint and the Head of School or senior manager decides on the approach to investigate the complaint. In serious cases, the complaint may be dealt with straight away under the staff Disciplinary procedure. Where complaints or allegations are less clear, a Student Complaint Review investigation may need to take place to establish the initial facts of the complaint.

When does the student receive feedback and what will they know about the outcome?

The investigation, in whatever form it takes, will establish the facts in relation to the complaint the student has made. Once the investigation is concluded, the student will be advised of the outcome by a member of the HR Advisory team writing on behalf of the Head of School or senior manager that requested the investigation. This is communicated to the student by the Student Appeals Complaints and Discipline team and the student is advised of their right of appeal under the Student Complaints procedure.

A student has complained about me, when will I be told?

After the Head of School or senior manager has decided on the approach to take, they will inform the employee to advise them of the next steps.  If there is to be an investigation, the Head of School will advise the employee that an investigation is taking place to gather the facts about the concerns raised.

The Head of School or senior manager will make it clear whether the investigation is being conducted under a formal HR procedure or whether it is a Student Complaint Review investigation. The Head of School or senior manager will also update you to confirm when the investigation has been concluded, the findings (where these relate to you) and any actions they have agreed should be taken forward in light of the findings of the investigation (where these relate to you).

What support can I have if a complaint is made against me?

Your Head of School or senior manager will ensure that you have a named person you can speak to whilst any investigation is ongoing so that you can talk, in confidence, about how you are feeling. You can also seek support via the University’s Wellbeing resources including the Employee Assistance Programme if you feel you need to seek any advice/mental health support.