Dispute resolution

The University has legislation, policies and procedures for the resolution of disputes in The Faculties:

Principles for Determination of Systems of Assessment and for Consultation
Assessment Review and Appeals Procedures
Examinations (The Faculties) Rules 2005

Detailed statements are available at the following websites:
Policies home page
Legislation home page

Course content, teaching practices and general disputes statements and procedures are available from Faculty Offices. If a student has concerns about other aspects of a course which they are undertaking, and which they are unable to resolve with the lecturer, the student may raise them with the Sub-dean, Associate Dean/Deputy Dean, Dean or Pro Vice-Chancellor (University Community) who will endeavour to resolve them informally.

If the student is not satisfied with the outcome and wishes to invoke the formal complaints mechanism, the student must lodge the complaint in writing, with the lecturer concerned, with a copy to the Head of Department/Division in departmental Faculties or, in the case of the Faculties of Asian Studies and Law, to the Dean of the Faculty.

If the student is not satisfied with the lecturer’s consideration of the complaint, the student may require the complaint to be considered by the Head/Dean of the Faculty. A copy of the original complaint, together with any other material that the student considers relevant, is to be provided to the Head/Dean.

The Ombudsman and students*

Canberra students can be affected by the decisions and actions of both Commonwealth and ACT government agencies. You can complain to the Ombudsman if you think an agency’s decision was unreasonable, unfair or wrong; or you received misleading advice; or the agency unreasonably delayed making a decision.

The Ombudsman investigates complaints informally, in private, and independently of any government agency and free of charge.

Commonwealth agencies include Centrelink, Education, Taxation, the Australian Federal Police and Australia Post, as well as ANU. ACT agencies look after ACT Housing, police, schools, local hospitals, motor vehicle registrations, parking and other fines, and include the Canberra Institute of Technology and the University of Canberra.

The Ombudsman usually expects complainants to try first to sort out the problem with the agency concerned or to use an alternative review mechanism where one exists; for example, the Social Security Appeals Tribunal in matters concerning AUSTUDY or the formal review procedures of the universities and CIT. If your particular problem cannot be dealt with by the Ombudsman, you will be advised who can help you.

You can phone, call in or write to:

The Commonwealth/ACT Ombudsman
Ground Floor Shop Front, Farrell Place
Canberra City ACT 2600
T: 02 6276 0111 9.00am – 5.00pm
F: 02 6249 7829
W: www.ombudsman.gov.au

*This information was supplied by the Ombudsman’s Office.