Complaints and appeals

You may wish to put in a complaint:

• if something goes wrong for you
• you want to appeal a decision 
• you feel that something is unfair or did not meet your expectations
• you feel UTS College has not met its obligations.

UTS College accepts complaints and appeals about non-academic matters and appeals about academic matters. 

Complaints and appeals about non-academic matters mainly fall into the following categories: 

• Student services (including facilities and Homestay)
• Non-academic education-related matters
• Administrative decisions (e.g. enrolment, mid-program fee increases)
• UTS College staff (including linked bodies such as Channel Partners) 
• People external to UTS College that students interact with as part of an approved external program of study (e.g. excursions or field trips)
• Visitors to UTS College
• Other students.   

A complaint may also arise from a matter/incident that occurs on or off-campus.

Appeals about academic matters can fall into the following categories:

Academic integrity:

• Appeal a decision regarding a breach of Academic Integrity. 
• When a student attempts to cheat, plagiarise or otherwise act dishonestly in undertaking an assessment task (or assisting other students to do so); or engaging in any other improper academic conduct as deemed by the Dean of Studies they will be penalised for breaching academic integrity (Academic Dishonesty).

Assessment tasks:

• Appeal a grade for an assessment task or final grade for a subject. 
• Appeals can only be made on the grounds of procedural or factual errors including the application of special consideration. 

Appeals can also be lodged regarding other non-academic matters such as:

• Appeals against non-academic misconduct decisions or other administrative decisions.

If you suspect there have been procedural or factual errors in the grading of your assessments, you have the right to appeal.

Find out how to lodge an appeal.

When you make a complaint it will be reviewed by UTS College staff and you will be given a written response.

If you are unhappy with our response to your internal complaint, we will give you contact details for an external complaint handling body. There are different external bodies depending on whether you are enrolled in an ELICOS (English) program, a UTS Foundation Studies program or a diploma, and whether you are an international or domestic student.

Our internal complaints handling and appeals process includes the following:

1. A process is in place for lodging a formal complaint or appeal if the matter cannot be resolved informally and this requires a written record of the complaint or appeal to be kept.
2. Each complainant or appellant has an opportunity to formally present their case at no cost to themselves.
3. Each party may be accompanied and assisted by a support person at any relevant meetings.
4. The complainant or appellant is given a written statement of the outcome, including details of the reasons for the outcome.

A student’s enrolment must be maintained during the program of the complaint resolution or appeal process unless the student chooses to withdraw or completes their study program before a resolution is met.

Timelines

The process commences within 10 working days of the formal lodgement of the complaint or appeal and supporting information. All reasonable measures are taken to finalise the process as soon as possible.

Process

Complaints – Non-Academic Matters

• ​verbally to a staff member, or
• in writing to complaint@utscollege.edu.au

Where possible:

• Complaints made directly to a staff member are resolved by that staff member.  
• Complaints received through complaint@utscollege.edu.au are referred to the appropriate area for management.

UTS College recognises that more serious complaints should be addressed at a more senior level (e.g. relating to unlawful conduct, or complaints that could lead to a finding of misconduct or disciplinary action being taken). Complaints about a staff member cannot be managed by the staff member or a peer team member. 

Appeals Management – Academic Matters

Appeals relating to Academic Integrity breaches can only be made on one or more of the following grounds:

• The finding of misconduct is unreasonable or cannot be supported, having regard to the relevant evidence.
• The finding of misconduct was:
  • (i)   made contrary to the requirements of procedural fairness
  • (ii)  made contrary to a material requirement of the policy
  • (iii) based on a material misunderstanding of the meaning or effect of a provision of the policy
  • (iv) based on a material mistake as to the facts.
• New evidence has become available to the student or former student, being evidence that:
  • (i)is relevant
  • (ii)  was not available or known to the student or former student at the time of responding to the allegation
  • (iii) could reasonably be expected to affect the finding of misconduct or the penalty imposed.
• The penalty to be imposed on the student or former student is excessive or inappropriate.

Appeals relating to outcomes of Academic Integrity breaches (Academic Dishonesty) must be made in writing to the Dean of Studies at appeals@utscollege.edu.au.

Appeals against assessment tasks should be directed to the Teacher/Subject Coordinator of the program. This can be done verbally or in writing via email to the Teacher/Subject Coordinator. Appeals relating to final grades can only be made if factual or procedural errors have occurred.

Appeals against the review of a UTS College decision on academic matters can be directed to an external body. The external agency will differ dependant on your enrolment status.

Complainants will receive written advice of the outcome of their complaint.

Responsible parties

Where a complaint involves investigation and response by multiple teams, the responsible managers will agree on who will be responsible for coordinating the response to the complainant. While each situation will be different, the general principle is that the team with the most significant component of the complaint will manage the complaint.

UTS Collegea so has arrangements in place for an external independent complaint handling body to hear complaints or appeals arising from the internal complaints and appeals process if you are not satisfied with the result of UTS College’s complaints and appeals processes. UTS College will maintain your enrolment while the complaints and appeals process is ongoing. 

If the internal or any external complaint handling or appeal process results in a decision that supports you, UTS College will immediately implement any decision and/or corrective and preventative actions required and advise you of the outcome.

The Overseas Students Ombudsman (OSO) , or the NSW Ombudsman in the case of students enrolled in UTS Foundation Studies programs,  ​can also investigate issues that International students have with universities, schools and training institutions in Australia. To lodge a complaint or learn the details of what the Ombudsman can investigate; go to the Overseas Students Ombudsman website or the NSW Ombudsman website.