Grievances, Complaints and Problems During Candidature
The procedures for resolving grievances during your candidature are detailed in the Student Grievance Resolution Process. Within the University, there are three stages that a grievance may go through before it is resolve
- Stage 1: Informal Discussion;
- Stage 2: Formal Review; and
- Stage 3: Appeal.
It is University policy that grievances and complaints are resolved, as far as possible, at the local level. If you have a concern or problem during your candidature, raise it with your supervisors in the first instance. Then, if the matter has not been satisfactorily resolved, or if you feel uncomfortable raising it with your supervisor(s), you can raise it with the Postgraduate Coordinator and, if necessary, the Head of School.
If the Postgraduate Coordinator is also your supervisor, you can contact the Head of School directly. Similarly, if the Head of School is also your supervisor, you may speak to the Deputy Head of School or another senior academic staff member of the School whom you find approachable. You might also wish to consult with a person outside your School.
Education and Welfare Officers (EWOs) in the Adelaide University Union (AUU) are available to provide independent advice about your options and may also liaise or advocate on your behalf if there are complications involved in your directly approaching the subject of the grievance.
EWO services are free of charge for students of the University, and contact details for the EWOs are provided in the Contact Details section of the Handbook.
Grievances during candidature tend to fall into three main categories:
- Administrative determinations - If you have reason to believe that staff within the school may find it difficult to provide independent consideration of a grievance or complaint, you may wish to consult with a person outside your school. If the matter is not resolved to your satisfaction, you may be eligible to lodge a request for a Stage 2 Formal Review by the Dean of Graduate Studies or the Student Matters Sub-committee (SMS) of the Research Education & Development Committee (REDC).
- Academic evaluations - Since most significant academic evaluations during candidature are made by a Committee at School level (e.g. transferring down, termination of candidature), they normally can be appealed solely on procedural grounds. Candidates should seek advice from an EWO when proceeding with this type of grievance. Stage 1 (Informal Discussion) should be directed to the Dean of Graduate Studies. If the matter were not resolved to your satisfaction, Stage Two would involve your lodging a formal complaint with the Dean of Graduate Studies, for a formal review by the SMS.
- Examination outcomes Outcomes for thesis examinations are based on the advice of independent examiners. Normally two examiners are involved, but where there is a significant divergence of opinion, additional examiners and/or an arbitrator may be appointed to help reach a consensus outcome. Grievances about examination outcomes are admissible on procedural grounds only.
Stage 1 (Informal Discussion) should be directed to the Dean of Graduate Studies. If this does not resolve the matter to your satisfaction, you may lodge a request with the Dean of Graduate Studies for a Stage 2 Formal Review by a special sub-committee of REDC. Irrespective of category, a grievance will usually proceed to a Stage 3 Appeal to the University's Student Grievance and Appeals Committee only if the following conditions are satisfied:
- the Stage 2 Formal Review has been completed, and
- there are reasonable and eligible grounds for appeal, with sufficient supporting evidence for the Committee to be able to make a safe determination.
For further information on the Student Grievance Resolution Process, please contact Student Policy and Appeals.
