Disciplinary Process

Introduction

Facing a disciplinary issue can feel stressful, but you’re not alone. This guide explains how the University’s disciplinary process works, what each stage involves, and how the Union’s Advice Service can support you. Understanding the steps and your rights can help you feel more prepared, more confident, and better able to put your case forward.

What is the disciplinary process?

If you have been accused of behaving in a way that breaches the student code of conduct, you may be entered into the University Disciplinary Process. Any member of staff could raise allegations of misconduct against you, or alternatively a student may raise a grievance against you. The process is confidential and will not be shared with parties not involved in it. The process is designed to ensure that students accept responsibility for their actions and put minor problems right before they become serious.

Precautionary Action

When a complaint or grievance has been made against you, the University will assess the risk that you may pose to yourself, other students and the reputation of the University. If they feel that there is an ongoing risk by the nature of the alleged misconduct, they could take precautionary action which may involve:

An immediate temporary suspension from the University
Agreement of a behavioural contract between yourself and the other parties involved
Support provision for both yourself and other involved

Preliminary Investigations

You will be notified of the allegation within ten working days of it coming to light. An investigator will then consult with a senior member of your College or department (usually a Dean or Director) to decide whether the allegation should be dismissed, issue a caution through informal procedures or proceed with formal disciplinary procedures.

Formal Procedures

If the decision is made to submit the allegation into formal procedures, the PVC Dean or nominee will decide the most appropriate level of the investigation.

There are two types of formal procedures:

Local Procedures

This disciplinary meeting is chaired by a senior member of the department who will be accompanied by another member. You will be given a minimum of 5 working days notice for the date and time of the meeting. You will also be provided a clear statement of the nature of the alleged conduct issue and any documentation that will be considered.

University Level Procedures

An allegation of serious misconduct will be considered by a panel of four people who have no prior connection to the allegation, including the Dean/Director as Chair, a senior manager, a student rep and another member of the University. You will receive a minimum of 15 working days’ notice.

How to prepare for a disciplinary meeting

We strongly encourage you to seek support from a Union Advisor. They will be able to offer your support and guidance during this process, help you to prepare statements and gather evidence.

To prepare for a disciplinary meeting, we recommend that you review the statement and evidence provided to you ahead of the meeting which will outline the nature of the allegation. You should then begin preparing your response. This should be in statement format, alongside any evidence you may have. You also have the right to gather witness statements. These should be submitted 5 working days prior to the meeting.

Possible penalties

Oral or written warnings
Payment for damage
Exclusion from certain facilities or areas for a set period

At University level, penalties may also include suspension from your programme or expulsion.

How to conduct yourself in University meetings

If you’ve been invited to a University meeting such as a disciplinary meeting, professional conduct and professional suitability meeting or a suspected academic misconduct meeting, we understand that this can be very daunting. Remember, you are always entitled to invite a Union Advisor along to the meeting for support. This

We recognise this is a worrying time and so we want to share our guidance on how you should conduct yourself in these meetings.

Make sure you fully understand the reason for the invite. If you aren’t sure, you can ask for a brief summary to help you to prepare.
If you’re on a professional course, familiarise yourself with your governing body’s code of conduct. For example, the NMC code of conduct or BASW.
The most important rule is to always be honest. We understand this can be particularly difficult if you’ve made a mistake and behaved in a way that is unacceptable. However, if you are found to be being dishonest, the outcome will be more severe. If you are honest and reflective of your behaviours, the University will take this into consideration.
It may be helpful to prepare a statement outlining your response to the concerns. The statement should be an honest account and provide a reflection on the impact of your behaviour and what you have learned from it. You may get asked questions such as ‘what should you have done differently’ or ‘if this happened again what would you do differently’. You can also refer to your statement or read your statement during the meeting.
Have a good attitude in the meeting. This means not being too defensive and acknowledging (if appropriate) that you perhaps haven’t acted correctly.
You can take a break at any point in the meeting if you are feeling overwhelmed and your Union Advisor can give you a quick call.

Appeals

If you disagree with the outcome, you have ten working days from the outcome to submit an appeal if:

• New and relevant evidence has become available
• The correct procedure was not followed
• The penalty is disproportionate

The Union Advice team can help you draft and submit your appeal. If accepted, your case will go to a Disciplinary Appeal Panel.

If you remain dissatisfied after the appeal outcome, you may be able to escalate your case to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIA), provided it meets their eligibility criteria. More information is available on their website: oiahe.org.uk.

FAQs

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