Loughborough University

SENATE

Subject: Revision of Ordinance XXXVIII Student Complaints Procedures

Origin: Secretary

Senate is requested to consider and approve the attached amendments to Ordinance XXXVIII Student Complaints Procedure for onward transmission to Council.

The objectives of the changes are as follows:

1. To include reference to Loughborough Student Advice in the Ordinance in line with good practice advice from the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for HE (para 3).

2. To provide more explicit guidance on the material required for consideration of complaints (para 8).

3.To provide a more explicit mechanism within the formal procedure for speedy resolution of less complex complaints (para 10).

4. To increase the efficiency of appointment of Student Complaints Committee members by removing the requirement for a panel to be appointed by Council (para 15). This is cumbersome as nominees may not be required for any actual cases but must be contacted and approved. In addition, the panel restricts those who can serve, causing delays in meetings which are compounded if some panel members have to be excluded due to prior knowledge of a case.

5. The opportunity has been taken to update and/or clarify the wording in several paragraphs.

Author: J C Nutkins

Date: October 2006