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Admissions Complaints and Appeals Procedure – October 2017
(i) dismissal of the complaint or
(ii) finding the complaint justified
f)
If the outcome is (e ii) above, the Complaints Officer shall determine the University response.
g)
As soon as possible after completion of the investigation, which shall be conducted as
expeditiously as is reasonably practicable, the nominated administrative officer shall notify the
complainant in writing of the outcome and consequential action, if any, to be taken. This will
include a summary of the reasons for the decision.
D Appeals Procedure
1 Initial Investigation
a)
The Admissions Officer shall determine whether the appeal discloses a
prima facie
case on the
specified grounds.
b)
If it is decided that it does not disclose a
prima facie
case, the Admissions Officer shall explain
the reason(s) for this decision in writing to the appellant.
c)
If it is decided that the appeal does disclose a
prima facie
case on the specified grounds, the
Admissions Officer shall investigate it, consulting all relevant parties.
i) Once all the necessary information has been gathered, the Admissions Officer shall judge
whether the appeal may be resolved at that point by conveying information gathered, or
whether the matter needs to be considered at a higher level.
ii) If it is judged that a resolution can be achieved, the Admissions Officer shall put the
response in writing to the appellant.
iii) If it is judged that the matter needs to be referred for consideration at a higher level, the
Admissions Officer shall refer the matter to the Dean of Undergraduate/Postgraduate
Studies of a Faculty other than the one to which the applicant has applied. The Dean shall
act as Appeals Officer.
2 Investigation by the Appeals Officer
a)
The Appeals Officer shall be given administrative support by an administrative officer
nominated by the Academic Registrar.
b)
The Appeals Officer shall investigate the appeal and may seek any further information that is
deemed necessary to come to a decision.
c)
A record of all proceedings shall be maintained by the nominated administrative officer.
d)
Exceptionally, and, where deemed appropriate by the Appeals Officer, the appellant and any
other relevant parties may be invited to a hearing. Any person invited to attend a hearing by
the Appeals Officer may be accompanied by a friend or representative. The nominated
administrative officer shall provide the appellant, as soon as is reasonably practicable, with
relevant case papers. The conduct of the hearing shall be for the Appeals Officer to decide.