University of Brighton Complaints Procedure | A Guide for Students

How to voice your concerns: As a student you have the right to make a complaint For the University of Brighton to help you to navigate this process you will have to determine whether your complaints is either: An Academic Appeal or A Formal Complaint E: Complaints@brighton.ac.uk | April 2019 | Mary-Louise Aitken

Is your Concern a Complaint or an Academic Appeal?: A Formal Complaint Make contact with your School Office for a name of a Complaint Officer within your School. Initiate a Stage 1 Early Resolution An Academic Appeal Make contact with your School Office for more information about how to request a review of an Examination Board decision* *For further information, please see here E: Complaints@brighton.ac.uk | April 2019 | Mary-Louise Aitken

How to Make a Complaint: The University’s Complaints Resolution Procedure is a three-stage process to address informal and formal concerns or complaints*. In brief this consists of: Stage 1 Informal - Early Resolution (within your School) Stage 2 - Formal (once Stage 1 has been exhausted) Stage 3 - Review Request *Partner College complaints policies are different so be sure to check with your institution directly. Ask them for a copy of the policy or check their website. E: Complaints@brighton.ac.uk | April 2019 | Mary-Louise Aitken

Stage 1 - Early Resolution Stage: It is hoped that the majority of concerns can be resolved informally within your School. In most cases, this approach provides a quick resolution and avoids having to submit a written complaint. You are encouraged to raise issues with your School Complaints Officer (the person nominated to listen to your concerns and help find a resolution with you). For advice about who to approach, please contact your School Office. When you contact your School Complaints Officer, it's important to be as specific as possible about your concerns and to think about what might help to put the problem right. You can send them an email or ask to meet in person. You should contact them to let them know that what you are discussing is an informal early resolution to your complaint.  We recommend you email your concerns or write them in a word-processed document and attach it to an email. E: Complaints@brighton.ac.uk | April 2019 | Mary-Louise Aitken

Making a Formal Complaint: Where it is clear that early resolution is not appropriate (or possible) within a timescale of 14 calendar days, your Complaint Officer will inform you in writing that this process has come to an end. Following an attempt at a Stage 1 Early Resolution you will be eligible to submit a Stage 2 Formal Complaint, using the form accessed here, no later than 14 calendar days after Stage 1 has come to an end. Your form must be submitted to the Complaints Office inbox (Complaints@brighton.ac.uk). If you are not satisfied with the response to the Early Resolution stage, if you have either withdrawn from the University, or if have received an award from the University within the past 60 calendar days, you can submit a Stage 2 complaint using a Stage 2 form. NB: You are only permitted to submit a Stage 2 Formal Complaint without the need to engage with a Stage 1 Early Resolution if you have either withdrawn from the University, or have received an award from the University, within the past 60 calendar days. You will need to submit your Stage 2 Formal Complaint using the form accessed here. This must be submitted to the Complaints Office inbox (Complaints@brighton.ac.uk). E: Complaints@brighton.ac.uk | April 2019 | Mary-Louise Aitken

Stage 2 Formal Complaint – What to Expect: A Complaints Investigator from outside your School will be assigned to your case. You will need to liaise directly with them in order to arrange a meeting. An Outcome Report by your Complaint Investigator will be submitted to the Complaints Office. Following a review, the report will be forwarded to you by the Complaints Office. Submission of Stage 2 Formal Complaint form Your complaint will NOT UPHELD Your complaint will be UPHELD or PARTIALLY UPHELD E: Complaints@brighton.ac.uk | April 2019 | Mary-Louise Aitken

Following Your Stage 2 Complaint: If you feel that the outcome of your Stage 2 Complaint Investigation was fair, you will not need to do anything further unless you have been offered some form of compensation. In this case, you will need to inform the Complaints Office within 14 calendar days whether you would like to accept their offer. If you feel that the outcome of your Stage 2 Complaint Investigation was unfair, you may be eligible to submit a Stage 3 Complaint within 14 calendar days but only if: i) proper procedures were not followed ii) the outcome was unreasonable iii) new material evidence has come to light which you were unable for valid reason to provide earlier in the process If you feel that the outcome of your Stage 2 Complaint Investigation was unfair and you do not have grounds to submit a Stage 3 Complaint, you can ask the University for a ‘Completion of Procedures Letter’. If you wish, you may then bring your complaint to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) within 12 months of receiving your letter. E: Complaints@brighton.ac.uk | April 2019 | Mary-Louise Aitken

Who’s Who?: Complaints Office: The University’s central office overseeing the complaints procedure and handling student complaints from Stage 2 onwards. School Complaints Officer (SCO): Each school has a number of appointed SCOs. This is the person nominated to handle your complaint in the first instance within your school. See informal Stage 1 Early Resolution. Complaints Investigator: This is the person from outside of your school nominated to investigate your complaint at Stage 2. See Stage 2 – What to Expect. Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA): Once all University processes are completed (and if you remain dissatisfied with the outcome) you can contact the OIA. This is an independent body set up to review student complaints. The University will email information to you about how to contact the OIA at the conclusion of the University’s formal complaint process. Free to students, the OIA deals with individual complaints against Higher Education Providers in England and Wales. The OIA will consider how your complaint was handled and is interested in whether the University has acted fairly and reasonably, and whether it has followed its own procedures. Brighton Students’ Union (BSU): BSU’s Support team can discuss your concerns with you, help you to clarify your issues, and help you formulate your complaint.  They can guide you through the process, check your statements, and attend meetings with you (subject to availability). E: Complaints@brighton.ac.uk | April 2019 | Mary-Louise Aitken