During your time at University it is quite common to experience something that interferes with your studies. This could be a family problem, financial issue, a health concern, or something else entirely. You may also have a complaint about your academic experience or your wider University experience, or fall foul of the University regulations. For example, you may need to follow the processes for misconduct issues (e.g. plagiarism, collusion, cheating, and non-academic processes).
The University recognises this and provides procedures such as mitigating circumstances, appealing, and suspending to try to make sure that whatever you’re experiencing, it is supported sensitively and appropriately.
Our role in providing you academic advice
- Listen to you explain your situation and provide you with further advice and support on how to complete the academic procedures. This includes the evidence and information you should provide and recommending next steps you can take to support yourself e.g. accessing further services.
- Liaise with other services and your department on your behalf where needed, with your consent.
- Review and provide further guidance on the information you collate before submitting it.
- Act as a companion at University meetings if requested. As a companion, we cannot represent you, but we can provide emotional support, request breaks and serve as an additional account of the proceedings. Further information on companions (also referred to as 'representatives') can be found within Senate Regulation 11: Part B.
- Continue to provide advice on any outcomes of the procedure and anything else you’d like advice on during your student journey.
We recommend that you
- Read through our step-by-step guides on the procedure you need to follow, to get a good understanding of the academic process so you can ask us any questions you may have on it. If you’re not sure which procedure you need to follow, contact us on the form below.
- Get in touch with us by either filling in the online form or visiting our Reception Desk
- Visit the Signposting and Wellbeing Advice pages to get details on further services that can support you. There are various services listed in the Academic and Learning Support page that you may find helpful. We would also strongly recommend looking through any other pages you feel may contain service information and resources relevant to you.