FAQs

Flinders will treat your complaint, request for review, or appeal with appropriate confidentiality.

We will only provide information about your complaint, request for review or appeal to staff members who require the information in order to carry out an investigation of your complaint, or to relevant persons in order to respond to allegations made in your complaint, unless required by law.

The following services can support you to make a complaint, request for review or appeal:

• Student Assist at Flinders University Student Association (FUSA) provides free, independent and confidential advocacy and support to help you resolve your complaint informally, or to help you lodge a formal complaint.
  
  
• Student Policy and Integrity Services can provide information about student-related policies and procedures.
  
  
• Student Equal Opportunity Advisors can provide advice on your options for making complaints concerning unlawful discrimination, harassment or bullying.
  
  
• If you are experiencing stress, health issues or you would like to receive some counselling support during the complaints or appeals process you can contact Health, Counselling and Disability Services

Your rights

Flinders will:

• take your complaint, request for review or appeal seriously
• treat you with fairness and impartiality
• keep you informed about the progress of your case
• resolve your case as quickly as possible
• apply the principles of procedural fairness
• treat your complaint, request for review or appeal with appropriate confidentiality.

Your responsibilities

• to provide accurate and relevant information
• to respect the confidentiality of all parties to your complaint, request for review or appeal
• to be respectful of, and cooperate with Flinders staff managing your case

The complaint, request for review or appeal must be written in your words and made under your name. However, Student Assist at the Flinders University Student Association (FUSA) or another person (e.g. friend or family member) can help you to prepare your complaint, request for review or appeal.

A complaint, request for review or appeal lodged using the online forms on this website must be lodged by yourself.  If you have any difficulties using the online forms please contact Student Policy and Integrity Services.  If you are seeking support through Student Assist they may, with your permission, lodge the complaint, request for review or appeal on your behalf via studentcomplaints@flinders.edu.au.

Please note that on receipt of your complaint, request for a review, or appeal, the University will correspond with you directly.

You can ask a support person to accompany you at any meeting or hearing during the complaint, review or appeal process. A support person can be anyone of your choosing, other than a practicing legal practitioner.

Complaints must be raised within 6 months after the issue occurs. Requests for review must be submitted within 20 University business days of being advised of the decision in your matter. Appeals must be lodged within 20 University business  days of notification of the outcome of the review.

University business days are the days of Monday to Friday inclusive, with the exclusion of gazetted Public Holidays and also excluding the official closure of the University over the Christmas and New Year holiday period

If you are unable to lodge your complaint, request for review or appeal in the required time timeframe you may be eligible for an extension, depending on the circumstances.

You can contact Student Policy and Integrity Services for advice on timeframes for your complaint, or to request an extension to submit your complaint, request for review, or appeal.

You may discuss your complaint with a support person or advisor in confidence.  

You must respect the confidentiality of all parties to your complaint, request for review or appeal. It is not appropriate to share or publish information about your complaint on social media or in a public forum.

A breach of your confidentiality responsibilities may result in you being reported under Statute 6.4 Student Conduct.

If your intention is to make a disclosure (informing someone without making a formal complaint or seeking an investigation) or if you wish to make a formal complaint regarding sexual harassment or sexual assault, you are encouraged to contact Counselling Services.

For more information on sexual harassment / sexual assault matters, please visit Safety on Campus

The University respects your right to make an anonymous complaint.

Remaining anonymous means that you do not provide any identifying information, such as your name, address or contact details, when you submit your complaint.

If you decide to remain anonymous you should be aware that an anonymous complaint can usually only be assessed on the information you provide in your complaint.  If you remain anonymous, the University will be unable to seek clarification or additional information from you.  As a result it may be difficult for the University to fully assess the issues or concerns you raise in your complaint and it may be difficult for us to progress an investigation into your complaint.   

Further, you should note that in accordance with the principles of natural justice, as part of any investigation process we may need to provide sufficient details about the nature of your complaint to a person or service provider being complained about in order for them to provide a response to your complaint.  Without your name and contact details we will be unable to advise you of any outcome or actions taken.

If you wish to lodge an anonymous complaint you can send a written statement (marked confidential) to either studentcomplaints@flinders.edu.au or in hard copy to the following postal address:

Student Policy & Integrity Services
Flinders University
GPO Box 2100
Adelaide SA 5001

If you have general feedback or a suggestion regarding a University service or process please email the details to the Student Experience Office student.experience@flinders.edu.au.

If you are not able to access the online forms, please send an email with the details of your complaint or request to studentcomplaints@flinders.edu.au

You may lodge a complaint or appeal with an external agency at any time.

External agencies may include:

• South Australian Ombudsman (www.ombudsman.sa.gov.au);
• South Australian Equal Opportunity Commission (www.eoc.sa.gov.au);
• Australian Human Rights Commission (http://www.humanrights.gov.au/);
• South Australian Police (SAPOL) (https://www.police.sa.gov.au/).

Please note that external agencies may have specific requirements about the lodgement of a complaint or appeal and may have restrictions on the types of complaints or appeal they can investigate.