Guidance on the Role of a Friend or Supporter
This guidance is intended for all students currently involved in formal University Procedures.
If you are involved in any formal University casework, either as a responding student (the subject of an investigation), or as a reporter, you have the right to be accompanied to any formal meeting you are required to attend. This guidance lets you know who can act as a ‘supporter’ and what role they can expect to play in any formal meeting.
Who can be a supporter?
You can choose whoever you wish to be your supporter, and you can also choose not to bring anyone if you do not want to.
Normally, you are only allowed to bring one person with you to meetings and their role will be to offer you moral, emotional and procedural support.
Supporters can be, for example:
- A friend, housemate or course-mate;
- Your personal tutor, senior tutor or research supervisor;
- A parent or relative;
- A partner;
- Someone from the Student Advice Centre of the Students’ Union;
- A Trade Union rep (particularly if you are studying on a programme which leads to professional registration, such as Dentistry, Medicine, or an Allied Health Profession).
You may choose to bring a member of the legal profession as your supporter, but it is important to understand that this is not normally necessary, may be expensive for you, and could delay any internal University process without having a material impact on the outcome of any investigation. Free support and advice is available from the Student Advice Centre of the Students’ Union.
Is there anyone who can’t be a supporter?
Yes. Generally, anyone who is connected to your case shouldn’t act as your supporter. For example, if you are involved in a disciplinary or complaint case, you should not choose any witnesses to act as your supporter.
What role will the friend or supporter take?
Your supporter’s role is to provide you with emotional and moral support throughout the process. They will not take on a formal role in any meeting (for example, by answering questions on your behalf, cross-examining witnesses, or representing you in any other way), but they may be asked to contribute a comment or statement at the end of any meeting.
If you wish to be accompanied to any meeting, it is your responsibility to ask someone to act as your supporter, and to provide them with any details relevant to the case to enable them to support you.
Anyone acting as your supporter is required to be respectful, and must not interrupt proceedings. If there are interruptions, or your supporter behaves in a way that is perceived to be aggressive, discourteous, or inappropriate, the meeting may be adjourned and you may be asked to choose someone else to accompany you to the meeting once it is reconvened.