Appendix 1: Student conduct and discipline regulations

Student Conduct and COVID-19

1. The University takes the health, safety and wellbeing of all its students, staff and visitors seriously and in response to the Covid-19 pandemic has introduced some additional requirements to its Student Discipline and Conduct Regulations.

2. The University has implemented a range of measures to ensure the safety of students and staff in response Covid-19 and it will keep these under review as the academic year progresses and update them as required.

3. Changes to University policy will be published and updates made to policies and regulations as appropriate.

4. All members of the University community, including students, are required to follow relevant legal and University requirements put in place to respond to COVID-19.

5. The University recognises that not all these requirements are part of normal University life but under current circumstances, all members of its community have a collective responsibility to ensure that they take all possible action to keep each other safe where possible.

6. In accordance with the Student Conduct and Discipline Regulations and the Dignity and Respect Policy (PDF, 410kb), students are required to behave with respect and courtesy at all times, this includes when students are living in the local community.

7. The University will investigate where appropriate, alleged breaches of its Regulations including those relating to national or local requirements linked to Covid-19 wherever they take place.

8. University buildings and facilities will indicate COVID -19 safety measures in place in line with national or local guidance.

9. Students should familiarise themselves with these measures, act in accordance with them and follow any reasonable instruction issued by a member of staff.

10. Students may be subject to fitness to practice proceedings where allegations are received for those are registered on the following programmes: Doctor of Clinical Psychology, MBChB degrees, BSc Operating Department Practice, PGCE, MSc Midwifery and Leadership, MSc inNursing and Leaderships, BSc in Physiotherapy and awards in Counselling.

11. Students with general Covid-19 related concerns can email: studentcovidsupport@leicester.ac.uk.

University managed accommodation

12. When living in or visiting University managed accommodation, students must comply with the relevant legal and University requirements put in place to respond to COVID-19.

13. Residents may be required to follow Government or University guidance in relation to household groups.

14. A household is defined as the group of residents you share a kitchen with in the accommodation.

15. In line with Government guidance households may be required to isolate together if you or a member of the household is required to isolate you must report it to the University.

16. The household would also include any guests invited in to the accommodation in line with guest policy covered in the Terms and Conditions of Residence (log-in required).

Minor Breaches of COVID-19 Student Conduct Regulations and Informal Resolution

17. Whether a minor breach of Regulations has occurred will be determined by the current national, local or University guidance in place at the time of an alleged breach.

18. In most cases, minor breaches of Regulations, should be resolved at the point they occur.

19. In such cases, staff should remind students of the University’s expectations and ask them to respect them in future.

20. Where students comply with such requests there will be no further action.

21. Most potential breaches should be handled when they occur by an appropriate member of staff, from the student’s School or a University Service, depending on where the alleged breach takes place.

22. If a student fails to respond in full to an alleged breach, any sanction applied will take into consideration their level of cooperation alongside any presented evidence. This will result in a referral to the Student Conduct Team and may be considered as a significant breach.

Significant Concerns or Alleged Breaches of Regulations

23. In some circumstances a potential breach will require escalation, for example in cases where students:

i. repeat previous behaviour and requests to address the behaviour have been ignored
ii. are verbally aggressive or abusive
iii. refuse to follow government or University guidance for example , refusal to self-isolate when required to do so
iv. publish views or pictures on social media that undermine current COVID-19 safety measures
v. do not provide an honest factual account in response to alleged breaches

24. The above is not an exhaustive list and breaches shall be considered in line with the current government guidance.

25. If there is a significant breach of the University’s COVID-19 guidance, the Student Conduct team will in most cases, initiate formal disciplinary proceedings in line with the Student Conduct and Discipline Regulations (Senate Regulation 11).

26. The Academic Registrar of their nominee may issue a Temporary Suspension Order following a reported breach of COVID-19 safety measures to the Student Conduct Team.

27. A Temporary Suspension Order will usually be for a two-week period for COVID-19 safety measure breaches, but may be extended dependant on potential risk to the student themselves or others.

28. If the breach involves a possible hate crime, and any other forms of unacceptable behaviours the Student Support Services team should be contacted and case management offered. Students can self-refer using the Report and Support form and staff can contact the team by emailing welfare@le.ac.uk.

Sanctions for Breaches of COVID-19 Requirements

1st minor breach

School or Service or Student Conduct Team address verbally with students concerned, remind them of expectations and ask that they meet their obligations in future.

2nd minor breach

Head of School or Service, or Student Conduct team issues a written warning.

3rd breach or significant breach

Referred to Student Conduct.

Examples of significant breach of COVID-19 guidance

Hate related incident i.e. targeting someone because of a protected characteristic and making inferences regarding COVID-19
Claiming or suspected to have COVID-19 and refusing to comply with the safety measures
Do not follow the self-isolation guidance

Referred to Student Conduct.

Student Conduct to consider formal disciplinary action under the Student Conduct and Discipline Regulations. Where a breach is found to have occurred following an investigation sanctions will follow the guidance published in SR11.99 Temporary Suspension Order will be issued for significant breaches.

Students who have previously been issued a Temporary Suspension Order who are subsequently found in breach will normally be issued a monetary fine.

For reported multiple breaches a full SR11 investigation and referral to a Student Discipline Panel will usually occur.