Students' Rights and Responsibilities

Student Charter

The Student Charter was approved by the Academic Board of the University in November 1997. This charter is University policy.

One of the University's major functions is to educate its students.  The University is committed to the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of teaching and learning, and particularly to the provision of high quality teaching.

Excellence in teaching and learning involves students as active participants in their educational experience, rather than as customers or passive consumers.  In addition to the University's role of awarding formal academic qualifications to students who successfully complete their studies, the University seeks to instill in all students independent scholarly learning, critical judgment, academic integrity and ethical sensitivity.

The Student Charter sets out the expectations students can properly hold as they receive their education.  It also outlines what can be expected of students in undertaking their studies to enhance the quality of their educational experience.  It recognises that ethical and honest behaviour and treatment underpins the University's relationship with its students. 

The Charter also recognises that students are central to a dynamic University community, and so it elaborates the expectations associated with students' participation in the life of the University community.  It is acknowledged that student participation is enhanced by an environment which promotes healthy lifestyle choices.

Student Expectations and University Responsibilities

Students as individuals can expect:

• to be treated with courtesy and respect
• to be treated equitably, irrespective of gender, sexual orientation, race, disability or medical condition, cultural background, religion, marital status, age or political conviction
• to communicate freely and to be able to voice alternative points of view in rational debate
• to enjoy a study environment free from sexual, racial or gender-based harassment and other forms of intimidation
• to have personal privacy respected.  Students may expect that personally sensitive information will be requested only where necessary for University academic or administrative functions and that, once collected, it will be adequately protected against inappropriate or unauthorised access
• to have access upon request to personal records which the University may hold about them, subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 1992 and relevant University access policies and procedures

While participating in their education, students can expect:

• to be provided with accurate, timely and helpful information regarding their program of study, and about enrolment and other administrative procedures that apply to them
• to receive, at the beginning of each semester from the subject coordinator, a written statement on the objectives or goals of the course, how performance in the course will be assessed (including information on individual items of assessment and their relative importance) and other general assessment expectations and penalties
• that course content will be up-to-date and informed by current scholarship in the discipline
• to have reasonable access to teaching staff for individual consultation outside class times, in person or by other means (such as by telephone or electronic mail)
• that evaluations of academic performance will reflect each student's true merit
• that feedback on assessment will be recognised as a valuable part of the educative process.  Items of progressive assessment should be marked promptly and returned to students with feedback and the mark or grade obtained. Students may access examination marks and scripts, together with appropriate feedback, following release of final results in a course
• that their copyright in any essay, assignment, thesis or dissertation they produce will be recognised and that students' moral rights in relation to original academic work will be acknowledged in, for example, scholarly publications, academic presentations or teaching materials
• that the facilities or equipment they use are safe and comply with the University's occupational health and safety guidelines
• As members of the University community, students can expect:
  *  representation on major decision-making bodies, and for provision for their representation to be included in  statutes and rules of the University.  It is desirable that student representatives are, as often as possible, appointed by students themselves or by organisations representing them
  *  an opportunity to appraise the teaching performance of academic staff and to provide input into course planning and subject design

Students as individuals can be expected to:

• treat other members of the University community with respect and courtesy
• treat other members of the University community equitably, irrespective of gender, sexual orientation, race, disability or medical condition, cultural background, religion, marital status, age or political conviction
• respect the opinions of others and deal with disagreement by rational debate
• avoid conduct which might reasonably be perceived as sexual, racial or gender-based harassment or which is otherwise intimidating

While participating in their education, students can be expected to:

• acquaint themselves with University policies and procedures relevant to their enrolment and program of study and obey the statutes and rules of the University
• attend classes, maintain steady progress in courses undertaken and submit required work on time (unless unforeseen or exceptional circumstances, which are communicated to the relevant staff member as soon as possible, arise)
• conduct themselves in a professional manner while undertaking industrial placements or other forms of clinical or practice-based experience, and respect the confidentiality of patient, client or commercial information made available to them as part of their  practical learning activities
• incorporate feedback into their learning, make use of the assessment criteria with which they are provided, and be aware of rules and policies relating to assessment
• maintain the highest standards of academic integrity in their work.  Students must not cheat in examinations or other forms of assessment and must ensure that they do not plagiarise the work or ideas of other persons and that the findings of their research are interpreted and presented appropriately and based on accurate data

 As members of the University community, students can be expected to:

• participate actively in and contribute to University decision-making bodies of which they are members, since students represent a key constituency within the University and provide useful perspectives on its operation
• provide fair and honest feedback on teaching performance and the presentation of courses
• respect University property and the facilities, such as library, computing and laboratory resources, which the University provides to support teaching and learning, so that these are available to fellow students
• avoid conduct which disrupts the teaching, learning or research activities of other students and staff, or which interferes with others performing their duties

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