Senate Student Discipline Committee

Terms of Reference 2022-23

Purpose

The purpose of the Committee is to oversee the operation of University student conduct and discipline regulations, policies and procedures.

Responsibilities

1. To consider and approve University Regulations and Policy for Student Conduct and Discipline.
2. To ensure the consistent application of Student Conduct and Discipline Regulations across the University.
3. To approve potential members for Student Discipline Panels and Student Discipline Appeal Panels and authorise the Chair to confirm membership for individual panels.
4. To ensure staff engaged in formal disciplinary processes are appropriately trained and skilled, taking into account the nature of alleged misconduct.
5. To ensure fair and transparent consideration of all student conduct and discipline cases.
6. To consider reports and outcomes of student discipline cases and report on trends to Senate.
7. To consider on a systematic basis, all allied policies and procedures that exist within schools and divisions, to ensure a holistic and consistent approach to the handling of student conduct across the institution.
8. To authorise sub-group work streams as and when required to support the Senate Student Discipline Committee achieve its purpose.
9. To have due regard to the student interest in all consideration and decision- making.
10. To consider, record and address the potential equal opportunity impacts of decisions made by the Committee (in accordance with the ‘due regard’ provisions of the Equality Act 2010).

Membership

• Pro-Vice-Chancellor (ex officio) as Chair: Professor Henrietta O’Connor
• Academic Registrar (ex officio): Nuala Devlin
• Council Lay member: Kevin Nagle
• Head of Student Support Services (ex officio): Sarah Cavendish
• Chair(s), Sexual Misconduct Discipline Panel (ex officio):
  • Sarah Cavendish
  • Vacant
• Chair of Plagiarism Forum: Vacant
• Members of Academic Staff nominated by the relevant Head of College as follows. Two each from the Colleges of Life Sciences and Science and Engineering and four from the College of Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities:
  1. Andrew Norman
  2. Dr Kal Karim
  3. Dr Tessa Webb
  4. Dr Mark Leyland
  5. Dr Sarah Graham
  6. Linda Ralphs
  7. Dr Sam King
  8. Dr Kimberley Brayson
• Students’ Union Sabbatical Officers (ex officio):
  • Education: Anne Marie Deeb
  • Wellbeing: Hoor Pathan
• Attendance as required:
  • Case workers
  • Conduct Officers
  • Student Conduct and Complaints Advisor

Nominated staff members will serve for three year terms-of-office. Staff members may be re-appointed.

Modus Operandi

The Committee will meet four times per year, and requires a quorum of 50%.

Reports to

The Committee will report to Senate.

Secretariat

Head of Conduct Complaints and Resolution: Emma Setchfield.