E/9.3 Student Ombudsman Office
Policy Owner | Student Ombudsman |
Approval Date | 22/09/2020 |
Approval Authority | Vice-Chancellor and President |
Date of Next Review | 30/09/2024 |
9.3.1 Purpose
9.3.2 Application
9.3.3 Roles and responsibilities
9.3.4 Functions of the Student Ombudsman Office
9.3.5 Status of Student Ombudsman and Deputy Student Ombudsman
9.3.6 Grievances and dispute resolution
Related Documents
Modification History
9.3.1 Role of Student Ombudsman
The Student Ombudsman Office has been established by QUT to ensure students receive fair and equitable treatment. It provides a confidential, independent and impartial resource for the resolution of formal and informal student grievances and complaints relating to administrative and academic decisions.
9.3.2 Application
The services provided by the Student Ombudsman Office are available to all students and immediate past students as defined in the Grievance resolution procedures for student related grievances policy (E/9.2.2).
9.3.3 Roles and responsibilities
Position |
Responsibility |
|---|---|
|
Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic) |
|
|
Student Ombudsman |
|
| Deputy Student Ombudsman |
|
9.3.4 Functions of the Student Ombudsman Office
The primary functions of the Student Ombudsman Office are:
- to provide advice to students and staff encountering difficulties associated with student related policies and procedures
- to provide advice on academic and administrative matters affecting students and strategies for reducing the number of formal appeals lodged by students
- to carry out the University's procedures for resolution of student related grievances according to Grievance resolution procedures for student related grievances (E/9.2)
- to undertake formal investigation of student related complaints which cannot be resolved by other means
- to encourage and facilitate improvements in the quality of the University's administrative, teaching, learning and student service processes and promote input by staff, students and interested third parties into development of University policies.
The Student Ombudsman attends University Appeals Committee by invitation.
9.3.5 Status of Student Ombudsman and Deputy Student Ombudsman
The Student Ombudsman and Deputy Student Ombudsman are QUT staff.
The University recognises that the Student Ombudsman and Deputy Student Ombudsman must maintain neutrality, independence and confidentiality in performing their role. The Student Ombudsman and Deputy Ombudsman have direct access to all levels of the University, including senior officers such as the Vice-Chancellor and President, Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellors and Vice Presidents, as well as executive deans of faculty and heads of school, academic and administrative staff. The Student Ombudsman can:
- talk to University staff
- inspect documents
- get independent legal advice
- recommend changes to university practices to prevent similar complaints.
Where a conflict of interest arises which may compromise the Student Ombudsman or Deputy Student Ombudsman's independence and impartiality (e.g. where a matter arises from an academic activity or administrative decision in which the Student Ombudsman has had a direct involvement), the matter will be referred to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic) for resolution.
9.3.6 Grievances and dispute resolution
The grievance resolution procedures for student related grievances (E/9.2) provides the resolution process.
Related Documents
MOPP E/9.2 Grievance resolution procedures for student related grievances
Modification History
Date |
Sections |
Source |
Details |
| 28.04.21 | E/9.3.5 | Director, Governance, Legal and Performance | Editorial amendment to include Vice-Presidents as senior officers to align with Repositioning QUT for a post-COVID world organisational change - effective 31.01.21 |
| 22.09.20 | All | Vice-Chancellor and President | Revised and modernised policy |
| 05.05.15 | All | Vice-Chancellor | Revised policy |
| 07.08.13 | E/9.3.1 | Council | Revised policy to reflect Appeals Committee Membership change (E/1.2) |
23.09.11 |
E/9.3.2 |
Student Ombudsman |
Periodic review - Minor editorial changes only |
12.01.07 |
All |
Vice-Chancellor |
Policy reviewed and updated |
24.07.02 |
E/9.3 |
Vice-Chancellor |
Approved new student grievance procedures |
23.10.01 |
E/9.3 |
Vice-Chancellor |
Revised role and status of Student Ombudsman |
28.08.00 |
E/9.3 |
Registrar |
Revised to define and limit areas of conflict of interest |
07.10.99 |
E/9.3 |
Registrar |
New section |