Student Information

At ASOB student grievances and complaints, including bullying, sexual harassment and unlawful discrimination, and racial and religious vilification, are viewed with the utmost seriousness and treated confidentially. Grievances and complaints are handled by as few people as possible in order to ensure confidentiality. The complainant and the respondent will be advised that they are not to discuss the complaint with others and that there is to be no victimisation of other parties.

ASOB’s approach to grievance and complaint resolution is consistent with the principles of this policy and procedure, and will generally involve the following steps:

Step 1: Informal complaint

• It is advisable that student’s, wherever possible, try to resolve concerns through discussion between the complainant and the person responsible for the decision or behaviour that is the reason for the student’s complaint.
• All academic and professional staff at ASOB are available to assist student’s to resolve their concerns at this level.
• Any staff member who is informally approached with a grievance or complaint has an obligation to respond to the grievance and the complainant with an acknowledgement of receipt of the complaint within five (5) business days of receiving it.
• This staff member will also organise a time to discuss the issue with the complainant and the respondent, either face to face or over the phone.
• It will be established which relevant rules, requirements, policies and procedures have a bearing on the complaint. Issues that can be agreed on and those where there is a difference in opinion will also be discussed.
• After a complaint has been raised, it is the responsibility of both parties to try to resolve the issue in a courteous and respectful manner. The respondent will provide a response within five (5) business days to the staff member.
• The complainant will receive notification of the respondent’s response from the staff member and the informal complaint will be resolved within ten (10) business days of the matter being raised.
• Outcomes of the informal complaint will be documented in writing, including the decisions, the reasons for the outcome and the agreed actions, and will be provided to both the complainant and the respondent.

In some circumstances student’s may not feel comfortable to raise their complaint directly with the person who is the subject of the complaint. Therefore, there is no obligation to resolve complaints informally. Student’s may request a formal complaint as the next step in the grievance and complaint resolution process.

Step 2: Formal complaint

• If the complainant student is not satisfied with the initial decision regarding the issue or the issue cannot be resolved informally, a formal complaint must be submitted by completing the Student Complaints and Appeals Form to the Student Administration and Support Officers. The form must include relevant facts and supporting documents, and must specify the resolution the student is seeking.
• The Student Administration and Support Officers will check that all evidence and supporting documents are included with the complaint form, inform the student that the complaint has been received and refer the case to the Course Co-ordinator for investigation within five (5) business days of receiving it. Where the Course Co-ordinator is the subject to the complaint, the Dean will appoint a person with the appropriate experience to carry out the investigation.
• All reasonable measures will be taken by the Course Co-ordinator to resolve the complaint. The Course Co-ordinator may pursue enquiries to confirm the potential outcome that the complainant is seeking.
• The respondent will be notified of the nature of the complaint made and will be asked to clarify any explanation given.
• The Course Co-ordinator will provide feedback to the complainant about the respondent’s explanation. This may involve a face-to-face interview with the complainant and may require that either or both parties or witnesses provide written comments.
• The complainant and the respondent are allowed to bring a support person to accompany them to such interviews.
• A record of the discussion and the agreed actions will be created by the Course Co-ordinator and shared with the complainant to check for accuracy.
• A written notification to the complainant will be provided by the Course Co-ordinator within twenty (20) business days with the outcome of the formal complaint. This notification must include the reasons for the outcome and any steps taken to resolve the complaint.
• If for some reason the investigation takes longer, the Course Co-ordinator will advise the complainant of this in writing.
• If the formal complaints process results in a decision in favour of the student, the Course Co-ordinator will immediately implement any decision or required corrective action.
• The complainant will be notified in writing of the action taken. The Course Co-ordinator will also advise the complainant about their right to appeal if the complainant feels the grievance remains unresolved after the formal complaints process.

Step 3: Internal appeal

• If the complainant believes the results of the formal complaints process to be unfair or incorrect and is not satisfied with the outcome, they may appeal for a review within twenty (20) business days of receiving the written outcome of their formal complaint.
• An appeal must be made by again completing the Student Complaints and Appeals Form and submitting it to the Student Administration and Support Officers. The form must include relevant facts, additional information and all supporting documents.
• The Student Administration and Support Officers will check that all evidence, additional information and supporting documents are included with the form, notify the student that the appeal has been received and refer the case to the Dean for investigation within five (5) business days of receiving it. Where the Dean is the subject to the complaint, the Chief Executive Officer will appoint a person with the appropriate experience to carry out the investigation.
• The appeal must lay out the grounds for the appeal and supporting evidence must be supplied in addition to any new information that was not previously given in support of the complaint.
• The Dean will have access to all relevant information in order to investigate the appeal. The complainant and the respondent will be entitled to present verbal or written evidence and may bring a support person to accompany them during this process.
• A written notification to the complainant will be provided by the Dean within twenty (20) business days with the outcome of the internal appeal, including the reasons for the outcome.
• If for some reason the investigation of the appeal is taking longer, the Dean will advise the complainant of this in writing.
• If the internal appeal procedure results in a decision in favour of the complainant, the Dean will immediately implement any decision or required corrective action.
• The complainant will be notified in writing of the action taken.
• The Dean will also advise the complainant in writing about their right to appeal if the complainant feels the grievance remains unresolved after the internal appeal process.

Step 4: External appeal

If the complainant believes the outcome of the internal appeal to be unfair or incorrect and is not satisfied with the result, they may lodge an external review or complaint. The complainant has the following options:

1. Resolution Institute
• For a review of the decision, the student may seek, first, mediation of the decision through the Resolutions Institute’s Student Mediation Scheme and further, if unsuccessful, expert determination through the Resolution Institute’s Expert Determination Scheme, both at no cost to the student.
• If the mediation is successful to the student’s satisfaction, then ASOB will complete any actions following resolution within twenty (20) business days. Any delay will be explained to the student and a further time for completion will be provided.
• Failing a satisfactory mediation outcome to the student, they may opt to further pursue expert determination with the Resolution Institute, which can be chosen when the student’s dispute is technical or specialised and they want an independent expert to make a decision for them.
• ASOB will pay for these processes at no cost to the student and ASOB will be bound by the determination made by the Resolution Institute.
• Further details about each process can be found on the website of the Resolution Institute at https://www.resolution.institute/
2. Further options

Alternatively to the external appeal processes outlined above, student’s may consider options for making complaints to a relevant regulator or other body in relation to any complaint about ASOB’s decision-making or other relevant processes. Some options include, but are not limited to, those outlined in the table below: