Throughout your time as a student with UniSC, there may be matters that you need to bring to our attention. You have a right to be heard on matters that impact upon your student experience.
Our complaints resolution process provides a simple way for you to give us the information needed so that we can respond to, or act upon, what you have to say with a view to finding resolution.
This process is detailed in the Student Complaints Resolution – Procedures and the Student Complaints Resolution – Academic Policy.
Support for you
Some key areas that can provide support for your complaint, review or appeal are:
UniSC Student Guild
UniSC Student Guild can help students to understand and navigate University policy, correspondence, and decisions. Student Guild Advocates can also provide support in understanding what information and evidence is required to lodge a complaint. Contact AdvocacyStudentGuild@usc.edu.au to arrange an appointment.
Safer Communities
Safer Communities can support students who have experienced behaviours of concerns or who want to lodge a complaint regarding staff or student conduct. Contact the Safer Communities team on 07 5430 1226 or submit an online form to Safer Communities.
Complaints Resolution Team
The Complaints Resolution Team manage the complaint resolution process and can provide students with advice on this process. Please note that if you require advocacy or support to draft your complaint, contact the UniSC Student Guild.
Student Ombudsman
Students may contact the Student Ombudsman for guidance in understanding and interpreting the complaint policy and procedures. You can email the Student Ombudsman at studentombudsman@usc.edu.au
Raise your concerns directly
Problems and issues often occur through error, oversight and misunderstanding. In most cases, these can be resolved quickly and informally. UniSC encourages you to try to resolve your problem or concern in the first instance directly with the relevant person.
Academic matters such as assessment or program, can be raised with the relevant academic staff member such as your Lecturer, Course Coordinator or Program Coordinator.
When you contact the relevant staff member, respectfully provide them with as much detail as possible about the specifics of your concern and be clear about your preferred resolution. It is best to try to resolve issues informally as soon as possible after they occur.
If you are unsure who to approach about your issue you can contact UniSC Student Guild, when you need information, or ask for assistance.
Staff and student conduct
UniSC understands that these matters can be very sensitive and difficult to discuss. UniSC, through its Safer Communities team, offers all students who want to talk about an experience (of sexual assault, sexual harassment, assault, harassment, bullying or discrimination) a trauma informed approach whilst providing a student with choice and control (as far as is reasonable) when hearing any of these matters.
The process is outlined under the Sexual Assault, Sexual Harassment and Respectful Relationships – Procedures, and it is aligned with the Student Complaints Resolution - Procedures.
Disclosure to report to UniSC
Students who have experienced any of these behaviours can contact the Safer Communities team on 07 5430 1226 or submit an online form to Safer Communities.
Safer Communities may assist you with a range of supports such as learning adjustments, protective and supportive measures if required. For after-hours support, contact the SafeUniSC Security Team on 07 5430 1168 or email safe@usc.edu.au.
You may also choose to make anonymous or third-party disclosures through the University’s Action against sexual assault and sexual harassment. However, the University may be limited in its ability to investigate or respond to these disclosures.
Share your student experience feedback
Have you had a great interaction with a staff member, a positive experience on campus, or an idea that you would like to share? This form is for students wishing to submit informal feedback, whether that's positive or negative. It will be sent to the appropriate area for consideration and future improvements.
Make a formal complaint
If your concerns remain unresolved after contacting the responsible person or area, or you do not wish to discuss your issue informally, you can lodge a Formal complaint.
The UniSC Student Guild, offers free confidential support for UniSC students and is able to assist you with the drafting of your Formal complaint and ensuring that you have provided all of the necessary documentation. The Student Guild is independent of the University.
Please ensure to provide in writing enough information with supporting evidence. It is not sufficient for students to assert circumstances, performance, or change to circumstances without evidence to substantiate or support their claims.
If you are seeking to dispute or contest a formal decision made by the University, such as in relation to Final Grade, assessment of a credit application or denial of re-admission, refer to Review of decision.
If your complaint involves the conduct of another student or staff member, please refer to Conduct of staff or students.
Review of decision
Seek support
Before submitting a review, it is recommended that you contact the UniSC Student Guild, to support you to understand the requirements for a review. UniSC Student Guild offers free confidential support for UniSC students and is able to assist you with the drafting of your Review of decision and ensuring that you have provided all of the necessary documentation. The Student Guild is independent of the University.
Although a Review of decision is not the last stage of the complaints resolution process, it is important to note that new evidence is not usually accepted at the appeal of decision stage. Therefore, all relevant information and evidence should be presented to ensure that the decision maker can consider and understand the impact that may have occurred, and deliver an appropriate outcome.
Reviewable decisions include:
You may be able to lodge a Review of decision, pending you have appropriate grounds, for the following:
- If you have lodged a Formal Complaint and you are dissatisfied with the decision or the process followed by the decision maker; or
- If you have received a formal decision made by the University, where the Policy or Procedure relevant to the original decision provides an option for the decision to be reviewed, and you are dissatisfied with the decision or the process followed by the decision maker; such as
- Outcome of an Application for Credit Transfer;
- Outcome of an Application for Review of Final Grade;
- Outcome for a request waiver of a pre-requisite; or
- Outcome to your show cause response
Justification of grounds for Review
Students can request a review of decision, or the process followed by the decision maker, only when they can demonstrate eligible grounds for review with supporting evidence. Eligible grounds for a review of decision are:
- relevant factors that the original decision maker did not take into account;
- new and additional relevant information; or
- procedural errors.
It is expected that in your written request for review statement, you reference these grounds with detailed links to supporting documentation. Please ensure to provide clear information and details relevant to your complaint. It is not sufficient for students to assert circumstances, performance, or change to circumstances without evidence to substantiate or support their claims.
Where the Complaints Resolution Team considers that your request does not clearly identify grounds with supporting evidence, you will be given 5 Business Days to amend your request. Without appropriate details, grounds and evidence your request may not progress for consideration.
Your request for review must be made within 10 Business Days of being advised of the decision or outcome (except where otherwise prescribed in a policy document).
Appeal of decision
Seek support
Before submitting an appeal, it is recommended that you contact the UniSC Student Guild, to support you to understand the requirements for an appeal. UniSC Student Guild offers free confidential support for UniSC students and is able to assist you with the drafting of your Appeal of decision and ensuring that you have provided all of the necessary documentation. The Student Guild is independent of the University.
Appealing decisions include:
An Appeal of decision is the last internal avenue within the complaints resolution process.
You may be able to lodge an Appeal of decision, pending you have appropriate grounds, for the following:
- If you have lodged a Review of decision and you are dissatisfied with the decision or the process followed by the decision maker; or
- You are is appealing a Misconduct finding or penalty in accordance with Student Misconduct – Procedures.
Justification of grounds for Appeal
Students can request an appeal of decision, or the process followed by the decision maker, only when they can demonstrate that a procedural error has occurred.
New evidence is not accepted at the appeal of decision stage of the student complaint resolution process, unless:
- there has been a major change in circumstance following the lodging of a review and the associated information or evidence has a significant bearing on the review and was not reasonably available at the time the review was first lodged; or
- the student is appealing a General Misconduct finding or penalty in accordance with Student Misconduct – Procedures.
It is expected that in your written request for appeal statement, you reference these grounds with detailed links to supporting documentation. It is not sufficient for students to assert circumstances, performance, or change to circumstances without evidence to substantiate or support their claims.
Where the Complaints Resolution Team considers that your request does not clearly identify grounds with supporting evidence, you will be given 5 Business Days to amend your request. Without appropriate details, grounds and evidence your request may not progress for consideration.
Your request for review must be made within 10 Business Days of being advised of the decision or outcome (except where otherwise prescribed in a policy document).
Policies, procedures and resources
- Student Complaints Resolution – Academic Policy
- Student Complaints Resolution – Procedures
- Student Charter
- Student Conduct – Governing Policy
- Student Misconduct – Procedures
- Sexual Assault, Sexual Harassment and Respectful Relationships (Students) – Operational Policy
- Sexual Assault, Sexual Harassment and Respectful Relationships (Students) – Procedures
- Staff Code of Conduct - Governing Policy