(1) This Procedure is governed by the Student Complaints Policy. (2) A student who wishes to provide feedback about their experience at, or of, ACU, the University’s operations or to make suggestions for improvement, but does not require any formal resolution, may submit feedback through the online feedback form. (3) The Office of the Academic Registrar will refer feedback to the manager responsible for the relevant organisational unit for consideration. (4) When handling a complaint, a complaint handler or review officer must proceed in a manner that is procedurally fair. The complaint handler or review officer will: (5) Failure of the complainant and/or the complainant’s support person to appear for discussion of any complaint, at the time notified to them, will not prevent the matter being considered by the complaint handler. (6) A student or prospective student who feels that an academic or administrative issue is unsatisfactory or unacceptable is strongly encouraged to attempt to resolve the matter directly with the person or area concerned, or with the appropriate supervisor of that person. (7) A student or prospective student may proceed directly to the lodgement of a formal complaint where: (8) For any sexual assault or sexual harassment related incidents, it is advised that students do not attempt to resolve the matter informally and should proceed directly to lodging a disclosure or formal report under the Student Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response Policy. (9) Before lodging a formal complaint, a student is encouraged to seek confidential, independent advice from the Student Advocacy Service to understand: (10) A disclosure or formal report of sexual assault or sexual harassment should be submitted in accordance with the Student Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response Policy. (11) A student or prospective student who is not able to resolve a complaint to their satisfaction informally under Section 4 of this Procedure may submit a formal complaint to the Office of the Academic Registrar online from Complaints and Feedback, or by mail to PO Box 968 North Sydney NSW 2059. (12) A complaint should be lodged within 20 working days of the occurrence of the subject matter of the complaint, or of notification of the matter which is the subject of the complaint as the University’s ability to take action reduces after this time. (13) The Academic Registrar or complaint handler may, at their discretion, extend the time for lodging a complaint. (14) In lodging a formal complaint, a complainant is responsible for ensuring that the matter raised has substance and is genuine and they must conduct themselves in an appropriate manner. (15) A formal complaint must: (16) An anonymous complaint will only be considered if: (17) Relevant information or evidence includes specific details that are sufficient to allow an investigation to proceed and enable any other party/ies to respond which will include matters such as: (18) New grounds or new evidence will not normally be accepted at any later stage of the complaint process, unless: (19) Any formal complaint received directly by a staff member must be referred to the Office of the Academic Registrar by email to student.complaints@acu.edu.au in the first instance. (20) Upon receipt of a formal complaint or request for a review of a complaint outcome, the Office of the Academic Registrar will record the lodgement in the University Register of Complaints. (21) The Office of the Academic Registrar will undertake a preliminary assessment of the formal complaint submission and may take any of the following actions: (22) Where a complaint has been assessed as incomplete in clause (21), the complainant will be granted five (5) working days to provide further information and/or documentation. The Office of the Academic Registrar may, at their discretion, extend the time for providing further information and/or documentation. (23) The Office of the Academic Registrar will respond to the complainant in writing within 5 working days and will advise that the matter: (24) The Office of the Academic Registrar will monitor the progress of complaint resolution and will escalate as necessary according to clause (40). (25) A complaint that relates to an academic or non-academic matter within the jurisdiction of, or related to, a School or Faculty including professional experience or community engagement placement matters may progress through the following levels: (26) A complaint that relates to a matter within the jurisdiction of, or related to, any organisational unit other than a School or Faculty may progress through the following levels: (27) A student submitting a complaint that relates to another student may seek support from staff of the relevant Faculty, or from staff of any of the University’s support services. The complaint may progress through the following levels: (28) Where the relevant complaint handler designated under clauses (25)-(27) is the subject of, or has been involved in the matter to which the complaint relates, the complaint will be referred by the Office of the Academic Registrar to another staff member at the same level who has had no previous involvement. (29) Any investigation of a formal complaint will be conducted in accordance with the procedural fairness and conduct of proceedings provisions of Section 3 of this Procedure. (30) The Office of the Academic Registrar will refer the complaint to the relevant complaint handler identified in clauses (25)-(27). (31) The complaint handler will take the following initial action where the matter includes specific complaints: (32) If the complaint handler was previously involved in a decision to which the complaint relates, the complaint will be referred to another staff member nominated by that officer’s supervisor. (33) The complaint handler will conduct an investigation into and/or a review of the issues raised. (34) The complaint handler may, at their discretion: (35) The complaint handler will determine whether the formal complaint is: (36) A determination that the complaint is substantiated or substantiated in part may lead to a range of outcomes, including: (37) The complaint handler will notify the Office of the Academic Registrar of the outcome of the investigation and/or the proposal for resolution of a complaint under this policy within 15 working days of the referral of the complaint for investigation. (38) The complaint handler must notify the Office of the Academic Registrar where a further time period is required for cases where the matter is complex, including where the complaint handler is required to investigate any counter-complaint lodged, where delays are experienced in obtaining information from another party or where the matter is referred for resolution under a different University policy. (39) The complaint handler must provide the Office of the Academic Registrar with sufficient detail of the investigation and the outcome of the complaint that will allow for notification to the complainant in accordance with clause (56). (40) Where the Office of the Academic Registrar has not received the outcome of a complaint from the complaint handler within 15 working days of referral of the complaint for investigation and has not been notified that a further time period is required for the investigation, the complaint will be escalated to the supervisor of the complaint handler. (41) Any review of a complaint outcome will be conducted in accordance with the procedural fairness and conduct of proceedings provisions of Section 3 of this Procedure. (42) If the complainant is not satisfied that the complaint management process has led to a satisfactory resolution, they may request a review of the investigation and complaint outcome. Such a review will be limited to: (43) The request for review of a complaint outcome must be in writing and submitted to the Office of the Academic Registrar by email to Student.Complaints@acu.edu.au, or by mail to PO Box 968 North Sydney NSW 2059 within 20 working days of notification of the complaint outcome to the student. (44) The Office of the Academic Registrar will refer the request for a review of the complaint outcome to the relevant review officer identified in clauses (25)-(27). (45) Where a major change in circumstance has arisen under clause (42)b. and the reviewing officer determines that it should be taken into consideration, the matter will normally be referred back to the complaint handler who undertook the initial review, for further consideration. (46) The reviewing officer will notify the Office of the Academic Registrar of the outcome of the review within 15 working days of the referral of the complaint for investigation by the reviewing officer. (47) The reviewing officer must provide the Office of the Academic Registrar with sufficient detail of the review and the outcome of the complaint that will enable notification to the complainant in accordance with clause (56). (48) Anonymous complaints will normally only be investigated where sufficient information from the complainant has been provided which would allow an investigation to proceed without the source of the complaint being known. (49) Where a complainant identifies themselves but asks to have their identity withheld, the Office of the Academic Registrar, in consultation with the complaint handler, will determine whether it is possible to resolve the complaint in accordance with the principles of procedural fairness without revealing the identity of the complainant. (50) Within 15 working days of the receipt of an anonymous complaint for investigation, the complaint handler will notify the Office of the Academic Registrar that either: (51) Any staff member involved in the management of a complaint that is subject to behaviour that may constitute unreasonable complainant conduct, may refer the matter to the Office of the Academic Registrar. (52) The Academic Registrar will determine whether the complainant’s behaviour constitutes unreasonable complainant conduct in accordance with Section 10 of the Student Complaints Policy. (53) Where the Academic Registrar determines that the behaviour constitutes unreasonable complainant conduct, the Office of the Academic Registrar may respond by taking any or all of the following actions: (54) Any action under clause (53)d. should only be taken after consultation with the Office of General Counsel. (55) The Academic Registrar may refer the matter for consideration under the Fitness to Study Policy or the Student Conduct Policy. (56) The Office of the Academic Registrar will notify the complainant, in writing, of the outcome of the investigation and/or the proposal for resolution of their complaint under the Student Complaints Policy. The complainant will be notified of: (57) The written response to the complainant will be retained as a formal record of communication with the student or prospective student in accordance with the Records and Archive Management Policy. (58) Any conditions placed upon or relating to a student’s enrolment as an outcome of a complaint will be held on the student’s personal file. (59) The Office of the Academic Registrar will communicate the outcome of the investigation and/or any proposal for resolution of any complaint to: (60) Any action required of the University as a result of an outcome of a complaint must be initiated within 10 working days of the notification. (61) A copy of the outcomes of any investigation of a formal complaint under Sections 8 or 9 of this Procedure will be maintained on the University Register of Complaints, held in the Office of the Academic Registrar. (62) An annual de-identified summary and analysis of complaints must be tabled at the Academic Board for noting each year. (63) For related legislation, policies, procedures and guidelines and any supporting resources please refer to the Associated Information tab.Student Complaints Procedure
Section 1 - Governing Policy
Section 2 - Feedback
Section 3 - Procedural Fairness and Conduct of Proceedings
Section 4 - Informal Complaint Resolution
Section 5 - Lodging a Formal Complaint
Section 6 - Acknowledgement and Preliminary Assessment
Section 7 - Progression of Complaint
Section 8 - Investigation of a Formal Complaint
Section 9 - Review of Complaint Outcome
Section 10 - Management of Anonymous Complaints
Top of PageSection 11 - Management of Unreasonable Complainant Conduct
Section 12 - Notification and Recording of Outcome of Complaint
Section 13 - Associated Information
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