As members of the University of Liverpool students are expected to follow the Standards of Student Conduct to ensure that all members of the University community feel safe, supported and respected.
The University’s conduct policy applies not just within University premises or just within term-time. Students’ behaviour off campus and during vacations, weekends, and evenings may be taken into consideration.?
Report + Support
You can report any incident of
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Bullying
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Harassment
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Sexual harassment
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Sexual Assault
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Domestic abuse
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Honour Based Abuse
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Hate Crime
You can report online using Report + Support
Anonymous reports
You can report anonymously if you wish. However the University cannot investigate anonymous reports.
Anonymous reports inform the University about issues and can allow them to monitor trends and try to tailor support for the community.
Reporting with contact details
If you report through Report + Support with your contact details a wellbeing adviser will get in touch to offer support and discuss your options. If you wish to report the incident formally to the University the wellbeing adviser will put you in touch with the Guild.
Reporting Student Conduct Concerns
If you wish to report an incident formally to the University you can do so either through report + support or by contacting Guild advice directly. Guild advice can support you in reporting to the University through the Student conduct policy.
You can report an incident to the University conduct team using the Student Conduct Concerns reporting form
A Guild adviser can support you in submitting the form and discuss support available to you through the process.
University Disciplinary Investigations
Local Disciplinary action
Less serious instances of misconduct may be considered under Local Disciplinary. Staff such as Heads of department, directors of professional services, heads of accommodation and hall managers and wardens can consider cases under Local Disciplinary.
If you are invited to a meeting as part of a Local Disciplinary investigation you are entitled to bring a supporter. This can be a Guild adviser.
University Disciplinary investigation
In cases of allegation of serious misconduct the case will be considered and investigated formally by the University.
The University may hold a Risk Assessment Panel to decide if any action needs to be taken whilst the investigation is conducted. You will be informed of any outcome in writing if, for example, the other student is told they cannot contact you or be in the same room as you.
The University will appoint an investigating officer to gather evidence around the case. They will decide if any charges need to be considered at a University Disciplinary Panel.
You may be invited to a meeting with the investigating officer. You will be given at least 3 working days’ notice of any meeting. You are entitled to bring someone with you to this meeting and Guild advice staff can provide this support.
Following the interview you will be sent a copy of the notes and can either agree with the record or request changes.
The investigating officer may also interview the responding student or any witnesses.
When the investigator has completed their investigation, you will be informed if any charges are being made and the Officer’s final decision to how the case is to be considered; either at a University Disciplinary Panel or Local Disciplinary.
University Disciplinary Panel
If the case goes to a University Disciplinary Panel you may be invited to attend. You are not required to attend if you do not wish to do so. If you do wish to attend you are entitled to bring a supporter. This can be a Guild adviser.
You may be invited to read a statement about your case or you can submit a written statement to be read on your behalf.
Reasonable adjustments can be made if you do not wish to be in the same room as the other student.
Outcomes
The Panel has the power to impose a variety of different penalties and may decide to impose more than one penalty depending on the charge. The full list of potential sanctions can be found in the University’s policy on Student Conduct breaches and indicative sanctions.
Right of Appeal
As the reporting student you have the right to appeal against a finding or penalty imposed by the University Disciplinary Panel.
You can only appeal the finding of the University Disciplinary panel on the following grounds;
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That new information exists which, for good reason, was not available at the time of the meeting of the University Disciplinary Panel and which could have ordinarily been considered, in mitigation, by the University Disciplinary Panel, when it determined the penalty imposed;
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There is compelling evidence that the penalty imposed was disproportionate to the offence.
You can only appeal the penalty imposed by the University Disciplinary panel on the following grounds;
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The reporting student believes that the Panel ignored their request to apply a specific penalty in order to ensure they can safely carry out their day to day activities;
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There is compelling evidence that the penalty imposed was disproportionate to the offence.
You need to submit your appeal in writing to the Director of Student Experience and Enhancement and also copy in the Adviser to the Board of Appeal within ten working days of receiving your outcome letter.
In your appeal you need to include the following;
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The date of your University Disciplinary Panel
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The date that you received your outcome letter
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A statement of appeal explaining which grounds you are appealing on and any evidence to support this
The Director of Student Experience and Enhancement will review your appeal and decide whether or not you have presented grounds for your appeal to be considered.
If it is decided that you have presented no evidence that your appeal should be considered then you will be informed of this writing and you will have no further right of appeal.
If you have presented evidence of grounds for an appeal then the Secretary will organise a Board of Appeal to reconsider your case.
A Guild Adviser can support you through this process. Contact our Advice team by email:?guildadvice@liv.ac.uk?or book an appointment with them by calling Reception on 0151 794 6868.