The following are key changes to the student casework regulations for the 2023-24 academic year:
Student Conduct Procedure
- Amendments to wording for the purpose of clarification (4.4 / 4.9 / 5.3 / 6.11 / 6.17 / 6.28)
- Clarification that the Procedure that applies will be the Procedure in operation during the year in which the allegation is received (1.2)
- Clarification that breaches of the Student Code of Conduct by students who are also members of staff of the University may be dealt with under the Human Resources disciplinary procedures (1.6)
- Inclusion of a verbal warning to the list of possible penalties (4.3)
- Inclusion of restrictions or conditions as a penalty that could be imposed under level 1 of the Procedure (4.5)
- Inclusion of a definition of minor misconduct (5.1)
- Extension of penalties available at stage 1 to include charges and restrictions/conditions (5.4)
- Inclusion of a definition of serious misconduct (6.1)
- Clarification that in certain circumstances students may be subject to this Procedure if they fail to disclose a relevant ‘unspent’ conviction which has associated penalties that may have an impact during their period of study, in particular where the University may be required to mirror any restrictions and conditions in place (6.9)
- Clarification that the Investigating Officer will normally be one of the University’s Professional Investigating Officers (6.13)
- Inclusion of the option for a Reporting Student (classed as a witness for the purpose of the Procedure) to attend a hearing (6.26)
- Amendments to the guidelines for the application of penalties (section 9)
Risk Assessment Procedure
- Changes to the structure and layout of the Procedure for clarity
- Clarification that where a student has failed, at the point of admission, to disclose a relevant ‘unspent’ conviction which has associated penalties that may have an impact during their period of study, in particular where the University may be required to mirror any restrictions and conditions in place, this may be considered by a Risk Assessment Panel (1)
- Confirmation that the Risk Assessment Panel must ensure that incidents are reported to external bodies as required (4)
- Amendment to the constitution of a Risk Assessment Panel and inclusion of the role of Liaison Officers for both the Reporting and Responding students (5)
- Inclusion of an appendix detailing the roles of individual Panel members (Appendix 1)
- Removal of the section on meetings with the Risk Assessment Panel (8)
- Removal of the section on the provision of information which is duplicated elsewhere in the Procedure (9)
- Clarification that temporary suspension from students will normally only be taken where the post-mitigation risk score is High or Very High (11)
- Clarification that the University will ensure so far as possible that the responding student has not been disadvantaged by the suspension if no disciplinary action is subsequently taken (12)
- Confirmation that a Risk Assessment Panel can apply precautionary action in relation to students that are pre-registered if they have been a student during the previous academic year (13)
- Confirmation that where a student is suspended from campus or their studies, a review must take place a minimum of every four weeks (14)
- Clarification that if a student withdraws from their studies prior to or following consideration by a Risk Assessment Panel, the risk is moved to other appropriate University procedures to be managed (18)
- Inclusion of a fast-track process where there are immediate risks to a party or a member of the University community that need to be addressed (19-20)
- Inclusion of further detail on the roles and responsibilities of Panel members (Appendix 1)
Student Code of Conduct
- Clarification that failure to disclose, at the point of admission, a relevant, unspent conviction and associated penalties that may have an impact during a student’s period of study, where the University may be required to mirror any restrictions and conditions in place, may be regarded as misconduct (4.3)
- Reference to the Unacceptable Behaviour Guidance and action that may be taken as outlined in this document (6.2)
- Clarification that any of the non-exhaustive examples of possible misconduct committed via the use of technology, will also constitute misconduct (6.3)
- Amendment to the examples in the section on Physical misconduct, and renamed to Harassment and bullying (6.3.1)
- Amendment to the examples in the section on Sexual misconduct (6.3.2)