Report and Support

The University has previously issued the following penalties to reported students in Disciplinary cases where allegations of sexual misconduct have been found to be upheld:

• Reprimanded
• Required to write a letter of apology to a specified person
• Required to attend a specified course (consent training)
• Required to have no contact, or restricted contact, with a specified person or persons
• Suspended from the University for a fixed period of time
• Expelled from the University.

Because the number of cases of sexual misconduct reported via the Student Disciplinary Procedure are relatively low, we are unable to discuss the specific figures of how many students have received each of these penalties, as this would potentially identify the students who were involved in these sensitive and confidential cases, and would be contrary to the principles of the Data Protection Act.

The University will ask the reporting student early on in the process what a positive outcome/resolution to their case would look like for them, advising them to look at the penalties available in order to manage expectations and allow them to understand what is within the University's scope.

The University will find a student guilty of misconduct if, on the evidence before it, it is satisfied on the balance of probabilities of the student’s guilt. This means that on the evidence available, the student’s guilt is more likely than not. This is different to the Police who find allegations to be upheld when there is evidence to prove the allegations 'beyond reasonable doubt'.

The University has found at times that when a reported student is contacted about the allegation of misconduct made against them -in order to allow them to respond- that student has then chosen to withdraw from the University. When this happens, it is important to note that if a reported student withdraws, the University cannot continue to pursue Disciplinary action against them.

Where a reported student is found to have the allegations of misconduct brought against them to be upheld, details of the misconduct and the penalty imposed will be sent to the student’s Head of School. A record will also be made on the student’s central University file. The record will be kept on the student’s files and may be referred to for the purpose of references.

In light of taking allegations of sexual misconduct seriously, the University has at times appointed a specialist external, impartial agency to conduct investigations into reports of very serious sexual misconduct. The University understands the value of being able to carry out thorough investigations, and as such we have appointed a specialist sexual misconduct, Student Casework Investigator who undertakes disciplinary investigations within the University.

Through the improvements we have made to the Disciplinary process specifically in relation to sexual misconduct cases, the University is hopeful that we will create an environment and community where we are clear that allegations of sexual misconduct which are raised to us, will be appropriately investigated and students will hopefully feel confident that they know their report will be dealt with in an a supportive, trauma-informed way.

If reporting students are unhappy with the outcome of the Disciplinary case, they are able to make a complaint using the Student Complaints Procedure within 3 months of the outcome of the Disciplinary case.