Student Discipline Committee

DISC08-M2

Minutes of the Meeting of the Student Discipline Committee held on 10 June 2008

Members: M D Morley (Chair), S Black, J V Blackwell, Dr J B C Blood, Dr H P Drake, S Driscoll, Dr F T Edum-Fotwe, D Gerty (ab), D Goss,
D Green (ab), R M King, S A Mason, R H Mayo, M Shuker (ab), J A M Strong (ab), Professor J B Thomas, Dr A Watson

By invitation: T W Cartwright, J R Thomas

In attendance: D L Wolfe

Apologies for Absence: S Driscoll, D Gerty, J A M Strong

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1. Minutes
(DISC08-M1)

The minutes of the meeting held on 6 March 2008 were confirmed.

2. Wardens’ Working Group
(DISC08-M1, Min. 4 refers)

The Committee received comments from the Wardens’ Working Group in regard to the policy on the use of drugs agreed at the previous meeting. In the absence of the Senior Warden, the Committee was advised by the Case Officer that the new policy did not prevent a Warden from taking immediate action pending a decision from the Chief Operating Officer. The policy appeared to be working satisfactorily, although the process was a little slower than hitherto, and proposals for its streamlining would be brought forward in the light of experience.

3. Car Parking 2008-2009
(DISC08-P5)

The Acting Security Manager reported that the planning agreements concerning the new Halls of Residence currently under construction included restrictions on students’ rights to bring cars to Loughborough, and that the University was required to take active measures to ensure compliance with these agreements.

Accordingly revisions had been prepared to Ordinance XXIII – Traffic and Parking in the University – which would be considered by the Estates Management Committee and Council. This Committee was invited to comment on the implications for student discipline.

Members felt that any regulations should apply equally to all students, irrespective of their Hall of Residence. They also felt that it was wrong to penalize students for parking their cars on Loughborough streets when other members of the public – residents, visitors, members of University Staff – could park in the same locations with impunity. There was some unease at the University seeking to discipline students for action taken off campus which related to a planning regulation which neither the Local Authority nor the Police were minded to enforce.

The Committee hoped that the issue could be addressed without reference to the discipline system, and was pleased to learn that steps were being taken to publicise the new regulations. Furthermore, the student representatives indicated that the Union supported the new regulations, and would be advising students on how to comply.

4. Suspended Fines

The Committee noted that there was some inconsistency among Wardens in the use and implementation of suspended fines. It was AGREED that whenever a suspended fine was imposed, it should automatically be invoked by the Secretary to the Student Discipline Committee if a further offence took place in the same year.

5. Multiple Minor Offences

It was noted that serial offenders currently received a warning letter after three offences, indicating that were any further offences to be committed the Chief Operating Officer might refer them to a Major Hearing. It was AGREED to recommend to the Chief Operating Officer that he delegate to the Secretary to the Student Discipline Committee the authority to convene such hearings, the assumption being that they would normally be held except where specifically decided otherwise.

6. Major Hearings

Ms Mason reported that she had chaired three Major Hearings on 5 June 2008. In one case the Panel was recommending to Senate that a student’s registration be terminated for using forged documents to gain admission to the University. In the second case the Panel had issued a formal reprimand for violent behaviour on the basis that a sentence imposed by the Magistrates’ Court was sufficient penalty. In the third case a student had been suspended for the next year following a series of violent and anti-social incidents.

7. Minor Offences 2007-2008
(DISC08-P6)

The Committee noted a summary of minor offences committed in the current academic year.

8. Secretary

The Committee noted that Mr Wolfe would be retiring at the end of the current academic year, and thanked him for his services.

(Secretary’s note: Mr Chris Dunbobbin will be secretary to the Committee w.e.f. 1 September 2008)

9. Date of Next Meeting

To be determined.

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