Revision Date: 07/2018 by Charter Australia
SCOPE
These procedures apply to:
- students who wish to appeal decisions on their formal complaints or review requests
- students who wish to appeal the outcome on their Special Circumstances application
- students who wish to lodge an appeal against a determination made under the Student Conduct Policy
- Students include persons who are seeking to enrol into Charter Australia’s course(s) or unit(s)
PURPOSE
The purpose of this process is to:
- appeal decisions made on formal complaints or review requests lodged
- appeal decisions on Special Circumstances applications and determinations made under the Student Conduct Policy
- seek a resolution
Charter Australia’s approach to complaint management
- Informal discussion
- Formal complaint or review of decision
- Internal appeals
- External review or appeal
Process for lodging an internal appeal
| Step 1 |
If a student is not satisfied with the response to the formal complaint or review, they may appeal the decision within 20 working days of receiving the written response. A completed Appeal Form must be sent to the Student Appeals Committee (SAC) and should include additional information or supporting documentation in order to support the student’s Appeal. |
|---|---|
| Step 2 | The SAC will send a written confirmation of receipt of the appeal application via email within 5 working days of receiving the appeal. |
| Step 3 | The SAC may take one of the following actions within 10 working days: 3.1 Refer the Appeal back to a formal complaint or review of decision - After reviewing the Appeal, the SAC may decide to refer it back to Formal Complaint or Review of Decision (e.g. if the original decision maker had access to limited supporting documents or evidence in the first instance). 3.2 Independently investigate the Appeal - The SAC will review the student's submission and assess additional information presented. The SAC may interview and seek information from stakeholders involved in the matter. The student may be invited to formally present their case and may be assisted or accompanied by a support person when/if being interviewed. 3.3 Seek independent advice of other staff - The SAC may find it necessary to seek the formal independent advice of other staff due to the nature or complexity of an appeal. The SAC with additional staff will assess the student's submission and provide a consensus recommendation. |
| Step 4 | Upon completion of one of the above options, the SAC will: 4.1 advise the student in writing that the Appeal has been rejected outlining the outcome, rationale for the decision and further avenues for appeal or complaints internally and externally. 4.2 advise the student in writing that the Appeal has been upheld outlining the outcome, the reasons for the decision and further avenues for appeal or complaints internally and externally and implement the changes or recommend changes to the relevant staff or department. Changes, where relevant, will be recorded in the Charter Australia Complaints Register. The written outcome will be sent to the student within 10 working days of receipt of the Appeal. The student will be notified during this period of any likely delays. |
A student is advised to contact the SAC by emailing sac@charter.edu.au at any stage during the process if they would like further clarity on the process or updates on the progress of their appeal.
Important notes
Any student who lodges an appeal must remain enrolled during the process and is encouraged to continue attending classes and working towards their qualification, unless otherwise advised.
At any point, the student may decide to refer the matter to an external agency; however, it is strongly encouraged that the student exhausts all internal processes before they contact an external body. For information on how to make an external complaint, refer to the External Appeals Procedure.
Record keeping and confidentiality
Records of all appeals handled under this procedure and their outcomes will be recorded in the Student Records Management System and will be maintained for a period of at least five years. This is to allow all parties to the complaint or review appropriate access to these records, upon written request to the CEO.
All records relating to complaints will be treated as confidential and will be covered by the Privacy Policy.