Student Complaints
In a large and complex university community, interactions between staff and students are many and varied. Unfortunately, sometimes a student might feel that they have experienced unreasonable treatment, disadvantage or distress, that needs to be resolved.
The following offers some useful tips for resolving such situations and provides suggestions on who to contact if further help is needed.
First steps to resolving a complaint
A key principle in the UTS complaint resolution process is that complaints are resolved wherever possible at the most appropriate level of management for that issue or concern.
You are encouraged to raise your complaint in the first instance directly with the person concerned. This is appropriate in matters where you feel comfortable about making a direct approach, or where the complaint does not relate to allegations of unlawful behaviour (e.g. assault, illegal discrimination or harassment, corruption).
Where it is not appropriate for you to raise the issue directly with the other person/s, you can make a complaint to a manager or another person in authority at UTS.
Who should I contact?
There are a number of areas at UTS that help students resolve different types of complaints.
- Counselling, advice and mediation: The Student Counselling Service can provide personal assistance and advocacy in a range of matters.
- Academic and resource issues: The Students' Association can provides advice and advocacy in relation to appeals and other complaints.
- Equity issues: If you have an equity related complaint, please contact the Equity & Diversity Unit for advice and assistance.
- Faculty matters: The appropriate person may be the Director of Program, Head of Department, Head of School, Associate Dean, Faculty Administrator. Students may choose to raise complaints and issues with other appropriate staff in the faculty such as the Course Adviser, Subject Coordinator, Faculty Academic Liaison Officer, or the Responsible Academic Officer. You should only contact the Dean when other resolution options have failed.
- Administrative matters: If the complaint relates to an administrative unit you should contact the Director or another manager of the unit. In the case of a large unit, for example the Library, the person in authority may be the manager of the appropriate area in the Library. Complaints about enrolment and administration can be submitted to the Student Administration Unit.
- Postgraduate research matters: The Dean of the University Graduate School is responsible for receiving and investigating complaints from postgraduate research degree students.
- Unlawful actions: Specialist units have the authority to receive and investigate specific types of complaints. Complaints about unlawful discrimination or harassment can be lodged directly with the Equity & Diversity Unit; complaints about corruption, maladministration or serious waste can be lodged with the Audit and Review Unit on phone 9514 3122.
- Personal safety: Contact Security Services for matters relating to theft, assault, or other concerns about personal safety.
- Last resort: When all other avenues for complaint resolution have been exhausted, you can make a complaint to the Office of the Student Ombud if your complaint relates to administrative matters or some academic decisions.
