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Timeframes for Formal Complaints Resolution

UTAS Home › Governance & Legal › Student Complaints › How to resolve a student complaint  › Timeframes for Formal Complaints Resolution

Action Relevant section of Ordinance 8 Who is responsible Time limit for action
(all days specified are working days)
Part 2 -Initial complaint to Head of School/Section*

Student makes a complaint to an "appropriate person"		 Part 2.1.1 Student
Investigation of complaint and decision on complaint by appropriate person Part 2.1.2 Appropriate person(i.e. Head of School or Head of section as relevant) 10 days from date of receipt of complaint
Copy of decision sent to student Part 2.1.4 Appropriate person 5 days from date of decision
Part 3 -Review of decision by a Committee

Student asks for a review of appropriate person's decision by a Review Committee		 2.2.1 and 2.2.2 Student 20 days after receiving appropriate person's decision
Acknowledgement of review request from Student Governance & Legal staff Within 2 days of receipt of question
Mediation may be offered at this stage by the Director, Governance & Legal Part 2.3 Director, Governance & Legal
Review Committee meeting convened 3.1.4 Governance & Legal staff Within 10 days of request for review from student
Advice of meeting to student 3.1.5 Secretary to Review Committee 5 days before meeting
Additional documents to Review Committee 3.1.7 Student 3 days before meeting
Decision of Review Committee 3.2.3 Review Committee Within 5 days after meeting
Notification of decision of Review Committee 3.2.5 Review Committee Within 3 days of decision being made
Part 4- Appeal

Student appeals decision of Review Committee (Notice of Appeal)		 4.3.1 Student Within 20 days of receipt of decision of Review Committee
Appeals Committee meet to determine if there are sufficient grounds for an appeal 4.3.3 Appeals Committee Within 5 days of receipt of student's notice of appeal
Notification to student of whether an appeal is to be heard or not 4.3.4 Secretary to Appeals Committee Appeal heard within 15 days of Notice of Appeal, student given 5 days notice of meeting
Notification of the Appeal decision 4.4.4 Appeals Committee Within 5 days of decision

Note that a time limit set out in Ordinance 8 - Student Complaints (PDF 92KB) must be complied with but there are occasionally exceptional circumstances where this is not possible. If an action cannot be completed within a time limit, steps must be taken to ensure that the process is completed within a reasonable time. Students will be kept informed of progress if this is the case. No action is invalidated because a time limit is exceeded.

* All references to Heads of School apply to the Directors of Centres of the Australian Maritime College and in the case of research higher degree candidates, the Dean of Graduate Research, as appropriate.