Open menu

Regulations Governing Academic Appeals by Students 2023-24

Introduction

These Regulations are divided in to two sections. Section A gives details of the policy, whilst Section B outlines the procedure to be followed when raising an appeal. A simple summary of the procedure can be found in Appendix D. The University provides further information and guidance for staff and students, which can be found at http://www.southampton.ac.uk/studentadmin/appeals/.

Students can obtain free, independent and confidential advice and support throughout the appeals process from the Students' Union Advice Centre and are encouraged to do so wherever possible.

For students based overseas, local variations may need to be applied. The variations to these Regulations for local implementation at the University of Southampton Malaysia (UoSM) can be found in the University of Southampton Malaysia (UoSM) Policy and Procedure for the implementation of the Regulations Governing Academic Appeals by Students.

Section A: The policy

1. Who can appeal using these Regulations?

The following people can appeal using these Regulations:

1.1 Individual students currently registered at or being assessed by the University of Southampton. 

1.2 Individual students who have left the University of Southampton (including recent graduates), provided that there is adherence to the timescales and relevant provisions as set out in Section B of these Regulations. 

1.3 Groups of students who are made up of individuals as described in Section A paragraphs 1.1 and 1.2. In these circumstances normally one student should be prepared to be the spokesperson and correspondent for the purposes of the appeals procedure. Each member of the group must be able to demonstrate that they have been personally affected by the matter which has been raised. In addition, all students must agree in writing that the spokesperson may act on their behalf. Group members must re-affirm their membership in writing if required at the point of escalation to Stage 2 of any academic appeal. The group must decide collectively to escalate any academic appeal to Stage 3 or to request a Completion of Procedures letter at the end of Stage 2. Any Completion of Procedures letter issued by the University of Southampton will be addressed to the spokesperson. All students that are members of the group at the point of the final decision will be named in the Completion of Procedures letter and a copy will be sent to all students that are members of the group at that point. 

1.4 Students studying at another institution for an award accredited by, approved by or delivered by the University of Southampton. Such appeals should be referred to the Head of Academic Appeals and Student Complaints. 

2. Who cannot appeal using these Regulations?

The following people cannot appeal using these Regulations:

2.1 Those applying to study at the University of Southampton (see the Regulations Governing Complaints from Applicants).

2.2 Third parties wishing to raise an appeal on behalf of a student. This includes parents, guardians, relatives or the spouse or partner of a student, except where such representation has been agreed by the University or is in place as a reasonable adjustment.

2.3 Students at other Accredited Institutions/Universities (except where covered by Section A paragraph 1.4).

3. What types of decisions may a student appeal against under these regulations?

3.1 Provided a student has grounds (see Section A paragraph 4) they may appeal against any academic decision made by the University, with the exception of the exclusions outlined in Section A paragraph 5. 

4. What grounds does a student need to make an appeal?

Students may only appeal against a decision if they can show on a balance of probabilities:

4.1 That they possess new substantive information supported by evidence which was not known by the student and/or the evidence could not reasonably have been obtained by the student in time to present to the board or panel of the University which made the original decision against which the student is appealing; and/or

4.2 That there has been significant failure of due process in the making of the original decision (including but not limited to irregularity in the procedures of the University or significant computational or administrative errors of fact in results published), which the student believes affected the University's original decision; and/or

4.3 That their performance had been adversely affected by illness or by other factors (e.g.: family crisis) which, in exceptional circumstances, they were unable or for valid reason unwilling to disclose to the University before it made its original decision (also see the Regulations Governing Special Considerations (including Deadline Extension Requests) for all Taught Programmes and Taught Assessed Components of Research Degrees).

5. What can't a student appeal against under these regulations?

5.1 A student cannot appeal against a decision which has been made by the University:

5.2 A student cannot appeal to the University against a decision which has been made by the Student's Union (see Students' Union Complaints Procedure).

5.3 Students cannot appeal against poor teaching or supervision (See Regulations Governing Student Complaints).

5.4 These Regulations do not cover appeals made persistently and unreasonably by a student based on substantially similar facts so as to constitute repeated demands or representations made on matters which have already been considered or are being considered under these Regulations, or any earlier version of regulations governing appeals by students or any other regulations. The University may also invoke the Regulations Governing Student Discipline.

5.5 These Regulations do not cover appeals about matters which have already or are currently being considered by the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education ("OIA"), a court or tribunal.

5.6 For taught programmes, modules or elements of assessment, students cannot submit an appeal related to a mark or marks until a Board of Examiners has taken the decision to ratify the marks.

6. Late appeals

6.1 Appeals received outside of the timescales set down in these Regulations will not be accepted unless the student can demonstrate exceptional circumstances for the delay. The student should submit an explanation and any evidence of the delay with their appeal form. The explanation provided should be relevant to the period from the published appeal deadline until the submission of the appeal. 

6.2 The decision as to whether or not the student has demonstrated exceptional circumstances for their late submission of an appeal at Stage 1 will be made by the member of staff appointed as Reviewer under Section B paragraph 1.3 of these Regulations; by the Partial Academic Appeals Panel at Stage 2 and by the Partial Senate Appeals Panel at Stage 3. 

6.3 Where the student is unable to demonstrate exceptional circumstances, the appeal will be rejected and will have exhausted the University’s procedure, and a Completion of Procedures letter will be issued in line with Section B paragraph 6.1. The student will be informed of this outcome normally within 5 working days of the receipt of the appeal. 

7. Support

7.1 During all stages of the procedure, a student (“the companion”) may be accompanied to all appeal meetings (to which they have been invited) by a member of the University, usually either a member of staff or a fellow student, or by an advisor from the Students' Union Advice Centre. Only in exceptional circumstances and by prior agreement may a student be accompanied by someone who is neither a member of the University nor a Students' Union advisor.

7.2 The role of the individual accompanying the student is not to offer formal representation, but to offer support and advice to the student.

8. Confidentiality

8.1 The University will process all personal information in accordance with its Data Protection Policy.

8.2 Any appeal raised by a student will be treated with the highest level of confidentiality that can be maintained, but the University will disclose information: to inform staff of any allegations made and give them an opportunity to respond as required by natural justice; to allow an investigation to be carried out properly; for the discharge of its duties; or as required by law. 

8.3 There may be cases where it is appropriate to preserve confidentiality in relation to the identity of witnesses where there is reasonably perceived to be a need to protect any student or staff from the risk of intimidation or retribution. 

8.4 The University may also adapt these Regulations where it is considered undesirable for any one person to give evidence in the presence of another. 

8.5 Where a person against whom allegations have been made is not aware of the identity of all those who have given evidence, due weight to this factor must be given and the individual's responses to the allegations must be seen in this context. Natural justice must be observed, meaning that such an individual has the right to fully understand the case made against them. 

8.6 Appeal outcomes and recommendations may be shared across the University in the spirit of institutional learning.  Any personal information, however, will be removed and handled in accordance with the University’s Data Protection Policy. 

8.7 Audio and/or visual recording of appeals meetings is not normally permitted. If, due to exceptional circumstances having been accepted, it is agreed in advance that a student is permitted to record a meeting, any such recording is confidential and must not be copied or shared with any third party, or published or disseminated in any way. A true and complete copy of the recording of the meeting must be provided to the other party as soon as possible after the recording was made. 

8.8 Where relevant for the purposes of considering an appeal, a member of staff may request to see existing documentation that is relevant to the case.  This may include but is not limited to marks profiles, Special Considerations recommendations, emails between the student and their Personal Academic Tutor (PAT) and academic integrity records.  Any such documentation will be provided to the student with their outcome letter. 

9. Monitoring appeals

9.1 Student appeals from students will be monitored, on an annual basis, by the University. The outcomes of such monitoring may also inform other processes or activities and enhance the quality of the student learning experience.

Section B: The procedure

A summary of this procedure can be found in Appendix D. Reasonable adjustments to this procedure can be made, when appropriate, for students with additional needs or to allow for other factors that would otherwise place a student at a disadvantage. If the University and the student agree, meetings may be held by video conference, telephone conference or other means considered appropriate by the University and student. In exceptional situations, e.g. where a  verbal discussion would be impractical, and both parties agree, such discussion may be conducted in writing. 

This procedure sets down the usual timescales for appeals submissions and outcomes. Where, for any reason, the University is unable to adhere to stated timescales, it will make all reasonable efforts to keep the student informed of the delay. Please note that where 'working days' are referred to, this excludes weekends, bank holidays and University closure days. 

1. Impartiality and Conduct of Appeals Meetings 

1.1 Individuals appointed to review appeals at Stage 1 and those appointed as members of Stage 2 and Stage 3 appeals panels must not have an individual relationship with the student (e.g. through personal tutoring, small group teaching, project/dissertation/thesis submission etc.) or have been in previous discussions with the student about their case. 

1.2 In the case of an appeal submitted by a student registered on a programme with joint honours, the Chair of the Academic Appeals (AA) Panel at Stage 2 or Stage 3 should not be from either Faculty associated with the student’s programme of study. 

1.3 A student may attend all appeals meetings to which they have been invited and in accordance with the provisions of Section A paragraph 7.1.  The University reserves the right to proceed with the meeting if the student does not attend. 

1.4 Meetings of full AA panels at Stage 2 and Stage 3 will be conducted in accordance with the provisions of Section B paragraphs 1.6 to 1.8. 

1.5 The Panel may wish to hold a private discussion before the start of the Panel meeting to consider the written evidence.   

1.6 At the appointed time, the Chair of the Panel will: 

  • 1.6.1 invite the student, their companion (if any) and the School’s Representative to enter the meeting at the same time;
  • 1.6.2 welcome the student, their companion (if any) and the School’s Representative, introduce all those present, and explain the role of the Panel and the procedure to be followed;
  • 1.6.3 invite the student to present their case, to confirm the grounds of their appeal and the outcome they are seeking;
  • 1.6.4 invite the School’s Representative to present the School’s case and to explain the School’s original decision;
  • 1.6.5 invite the student to make any comments in relation to the School’s case;
  • 1.6.6 invite the School’s Representative to add any further comments;
  • 1.6.7 invite the Panel members to ask questions of the student and of the School’s Representative.  The Chair may also ask questions;
  • 1.6.8 give the student and the School’s Representative an opportunity to make a final statement and to raise any further points.
  • 1.6.9 conclude the meeting and instruct the student, their companion (if any) and the School’s Representative to leave the meeting at the same time.

1.7 The Panel will consider its decision in private.  The decision must be made solely on the basis of evidence before the Panel. 

1.8 If necessary, the Chair may adjourn the Panel meeting or decision making in order to request further evidence where a decision cannot be reached in the absence of that additional evidence.  In such circumstances, the Chair will have discretion to invite further written representation from the student and/or the School’s Representative where necessary in the interests of natural justice. 

2. Stage 1: Notice to Appeal

2.1 A student must give the University notice of their intention to make an appeal as soon as possible but within 10 working days or, in the case of pre-sessional results and supplementary examinations, 5 working days of the date a decision in Section A paragraph 3 is first communicated by the University to that student. 

2.2 The notice must be made in writing, using the Stage 1 Notice to Appeal Form (Appendix A) which must contain a written statement outlining the important points the student wishes to raise and their preferred outcome. Subject to the provisions of Section A paragraph 1.4, the Form should be submitted to the Curriculum and Quality Assurance (CQA) Team in the Faculty in which the student is registered (see Appendix E for contact information). Where an appeal is submitted against a decision made in a School in a different Faculty, the appeal may be passed to that Faculty to administer. 

2.3 Subject to the provisions of Section A paragraph 1.4, the CQA Team will acknowledge receipt of the Form and, except in the instance of a rejected late appeal (see Section A paragraph 6.3), arrange for a member of staff to review the appeal at Stage 1.  This may be a member of academic or Professional Services staff. 

2.4 At the discretion of the Reviewer, a preliminary discussion should take place within 5 working days of the date the Form is received by the CQA Team.  A separate note taker must be present at the discussion (this will usually be a member of the CQA Team), except where the meeting is conducted in writing, in which case the text will form the summary.  

2.5 Where a preliminary discussion takes place, a written summary setting out the key points of the discussion (the "Preliminary Report") should be produced by the notetaker and sent to the student with the Stage 1 outcome letter.  Should the student disagree that the Preliminary Report is a true representation, they may submit their own record of their understanding of the discussion within five working days of the date of the Stage 1 outcome letter.  The Preliminary Report (and where received, the student’s record of their understanding of the discussion) will form the final record of the discussion and retained within the student’s appeal file. 

2.6 The Stage 1 outcome should normally be notified to the student within 10 working days of receipt of the appeal submission.  The possible outcomes at Stage 1 are as follows:

  • 2.6.1 The Reviewer is of the view that the student can demonstrate the grounds for appeal on the strength of the Notice to Appeal Form and evidence and makes a recommendation for the board or panel that made the original decision to reconsider. The Stage 1 outcome letter will set out the Reviewer’s recommendation and reasoning, and the board or panel's decision following its reconsideration. Where a discussion has taken place between the Reviewer and the student, a copy of the Preliminary Report will be appended to the outcome letter.
  • 2.6.2 The Reviewer is of the view that the student cannot demonstrate the grounds for appeal on the strength of the Notice to Appeal Form and evidence.  The Stage 1 outcome letter will set out the Reviewer’s recommendation and reasoning and, where a discussion has taken place between the Reviewer and the student, the Preliminary Report will be appended to the outcome letter.
  • 2.6.3 The Reviewer is of the view that the appeal does not fall within the scope of the Regulations Governing Academic Appeals by Students i.e.
    • 2.6.3.1 it is not correctly made;
    • 2.6.3.2 it has been submitted under the incorrect procedures;
    • 2.6.3.3 it falls outside the grounds upon which an appeal may be made; or
    • 2.6.3.4 it is not submitted in the required format.

As a result of a recommendation made under Section A paragraphs 2.6.3.1 to 2.6.3.4, the Reviewer may refer the student to a different procedure and/or determine that the appeal is out of scope.  The Stage 1 outcome letter will set out the Reviewer’s recommendation and reasoning and, where a discussion has taken place between the Reviewer and the student, the Preliminary Report will be appended to the outcome letter.

2.7 In reaching their recommendation as per the provisions set out in Section B paragraphs 2.6.1 to 2.6.3, the Reviewer (and the board or panel that made the original decision) may, where appropriate, make further enquiries in respect of the appeal factors. This may include, for example, checking attendance, the student file, correspondence with the student, the marks profile, reasonable adjustments, previous appeals and Special Considerations requests.  Any additional documentation considered by the Reviewer (and the board or panel that made the original decision) will be sent to the student as an appendix to the Stage 1 outcome letter. 

2.8 Following communication of an outcome within Section B paragraphs 2.6.1 to 2.6.3, the student is at liberty to determine whether or not to proceed with submitting an appeal at Stage 2, as set out in Section B paragraph 3. An appeal cannot be submitted at Stage 2 without Stage 1 of the procedure having first been completed in full. 

3. Stage 2: Partial or Full Academic Appeals (AA) Panel

3.1 Subject to the provisions of Section A paragraph 1.4, a student wishing to submit a Stage 2 appeal must, within 5 working days of the day of the Stage 1 outcome letter, send a completed Stage 2 Appeal Form (Appendix B), a copy of their Stage 1 Notice to Appeal Form and evidence (as originally submitted at Stage 1), the Stage 1 outcome letter and the Preliminary Report, to the CQA Team in the Faculty in which they are registered (see Appendix E). The student may submit additional evidence not previously considered at Stage 1, provided that it is related to the appeal factors raised at that stage. 

3.2 Following receipt of the Stage 2 appeal submission, the CQA Team will convene a Partial AA Panel comprising of the following members: 

  • 3.2.1 an appointed Chair from outside the School concerned1, from a list of trained members of staff, held by the Head of Academic Appeals and Student Complaints; and
  • 3.2.2 the Dean of the Faculty or nominee from the School concerned. In the case of a student studying at another institution for an award accredited by, approved by or delivered by the University of Southampton, this Panel member must be a member of staff from the University of Southampton. 

3.3 Subject to the provisions of Section A paragraph 8.8, the Partial AA Panel will consider the appeal on the written evidence only. 

3.4 The outcome should normally be notified to the student within 15 working days of receipt of the appeal submission.  The outcomes available to the Partial AA Panel are as follows: 

  • 3.4.1 That, in the case where the student's preferred outcome differs from that implemented at Stage 1 (Section B paragraph 2.6.1), the outcome offered at Stage 1 is upheld and the appeal is rejected. The Stage 2 outcome letter should set out the Partial AA Panel’s decision and its reasoning, and should include details of the procedure to be followed by the student should they have grounds for submitting an appeal at Stage 3. If the student is not satisfied with the decision of the Partial AA Panel but does not meet the ground for appeal at Stage 3 as set down in Section B paragraph 4.1, then the appeal will have exhausted the University’s procedure and the student may request that a Completion of Procedures letter be issued in accordance with Section B paragraph 6.1.
  • 3.4.2 That no grounds for appeal have been met or that the appeal is otherwise outside the scope of the Regulations (as per the provisions of Section B paragraphs 2.6.3.1 to 2.6.3.4) and the appeal is rejected.   The Stage 2 outcome letter will set out the Partial AA Panel’s decision and reasoning, and will include details of the procedure to be followed by the student should they have grounds for submitting an appeal at Stage 3 as set down in Section B paragraph 4.1. If the student is not satisfied with the decision of the Partial AA Panel but does not meet the ground for appeal at Stage 3, then the appeal will have exhausted the University’s procedure and the student may request that a Completion of Procedures letter be issued in accordance with Section B paragraph 6.1.
  • 3.4.3 That one or more grounds for appeal have clearly been met and that the appeal should be upheld at Stage 2. Where it is not possible to implement the student's preferred outcome, an alternative outcome may be implemented or the student may be offered a choice of outcomes.  The Stage 2 outcome letter will set out the Partial AA Panel’s decision and reasoning, and will include details of the procedure to be followed by the student should they have grounds for submitting an appeal at Stage 3 as set down in Section B paragraph 4.1. If the student is not satisfied with the decision of the Partial AA Panel but does not meet the ground for appeal at Stage 3, then the appeal will have exhausted the University’s procedure and the student may request that a Completion of Procedures letter be issued in accordance with Section B paragraph 6.1.
  • 3.4.4 That one or more grounds for appeal may have been met and that a meeting of the Full AA Panel should be convened to decide the appeal.  The Stage 2 outcome letter will set out the Partial AA Panel’s decision and reasoning and will advise the student that they are entitled to attend the Panel meeting, are strongly advised to do so, and that they may be accompanied (as per the provisions of Section A paragraph 7.1).  The student will also be advised that the Panel reserves the right to proceed with the meeting if they do not attend.  The notification will also advise the student that they may submit additional evidence not previously considered at Stage 2, provided that it is related to the appeal factors raised at that stage and is received not later than 6 working days in advance of the date of the Panel meeting. 

3.5 Following a determination made under Section B paragraph 3.4.4, the CQA Team will convene a Full AA Panel comprising of the following members: 

  • 3.5.1 the two members of the Partial AA Panel;
  • 3.5.2 a senior member of the Faculty from the Faculty concerned. In the case of a student studying at another institution for an award accredited by, approved by or delivered by the University of Southampton, this member may be from the University of Southampton or the partner institution.

3.6 The Chair may also choose to co-opt onto the Full AA Panel: 

  • 3.6.1 an additional independent member of another School or Professional Service;
  • 3.6.2 an external representative of the relevant profession (where a programme of study is subject to accreditation or approval by an external professional body).

3.7 A representative from the student’s School will present the School’s case to the Full AA Panel.  In the case of a student studying at another institution for an award accredited by, approved by or delivered by the University of Southampton, the School’s Representative may be from the University of Southampton or the partner institution.  The CQA Team should advise the School’s Representative that they may submit additional evidence not previously considered at Stage 2, provided that it is related to the appeal factors raised at that stage and is received not later than 6 working days in advance of the date of the Panel meeting.  

3.8 A member of the CQA Team will act as Secretary to the Panel, attend the meeting and prepare the Full AA Panel Report for approval by the Chair.  The Report will be sent to the student with the outcome, and a copy will be sent to all Panel members and to the School’s Representative. 

3.9 The meeting of the Full AA Panel should normally be scheduled for a date not later than 10 working days of the date of the notification to the student under Section B paragraph 3.4.4.  Not less than 5 working days before the date of the meeting, the CQA Team will send the following to the student, the School’s Representative and the Full AA Panel members: 

  • The date, time and venue for the meeting. 
  • The name and role of each Panel member (including any co-opted members). 
  • The name and role of the School’s Representative.  
  • The Regulations Governing Academic Appeals by Students. 
  • The full appeal file as specified in Section B paragraphs 1.3 and 3.1. 
  • Any additional evidence received from the student and/or the School’s Representative.  

3.10 The Chair will conduct the Panel meeting in accordance with Section B paragraphs 1.6 to 1.8. 

3.11 The Stage 2 outcome should normally be notified to the student within 5 working days of the Full AA Panel meeting and a copy of the Full AA Panel Report should accompany the outcome.  The outcomes available to the Full AA Panel are as follows: 

  • 3.11.1 That one or more grounds for appeal have clearly been met, the appeal should be upheld at Stage 2 and the outcome sought by the student implemented.  The Stage 2 outcome letter will set out the Full AA Panel’s decision and reasoning, and will be appended with the Full AA Panel Report.  The letter will include details of the procedure to be followed by the student should they have grounds for submitting an appeal at Stage 3 as set down in Section B paragraph 4.1.  If the student is not satisfied with the decision of the Full AA Panel but does not meet the ground for appeal at Stage 3, the appeal will have exhausted the University’s procedure and the student may request that a Completion of Procedures letter be issued in accordance with Section B paragraph 6.1. 
  • 3.11.2 That one or more grounds for appeal have clearly been met, the appeal should be upheld at Stage 2 and an alternative outcome should be implemented or a range of outcomes should be offered to the student.  The Stage 2 outcome letter will set out the Full AA Panel’s decision and reasoning.  The Full AA Panel Report should be appended to the outcome letter.  The letter will include details of the procedure to be followed by the student should they have grounds for submitting an appeal at Stage 3 as set down in Section B paragraph 4.1.  If the student is not satisfied with the decision of the Full AA Panel but does not meet the ground for appeal at Stage 3, the appeal will have exhausted the University’s procedure and the student may request that a Completion of Procedures letter be issued in accordance with Section B paragraph 6.1. 
  • 3.11.3 That the grounds for appeal have not been met and the appeal should be rejected.  The Stage 2 outcome letter will set out the Full AA Panel’s decision and reasoning.  The Full AA Panel Report should be appended to the outcome letter.  The letter will include details of the procedure to be followed by the student should they have grounds for submitting an appeal at Stage 3 as set down in Section B paragraph 4.1.  If the student is not satisfied with the decision of the Full AA Panel but does not meet the ground for appeal at Stage 3, the appeal will have exhausted the University’s procedure and the student may request that a Completion of Procedures letter be issued in accordance with Section B paragraph 6.1. 

4. Stage 3: Senate Appeals (SA) Panel

4.1 A student may appeal to the SA Panel against the decision of the Partial or Full AA Panel only on the ground that there has been a significant failure of due process in relation to Stage 2 of the Academic Appeals Procedure. 

4.2 The student should submit a Stage 3 Form (Appendix C) and copies of all documentation from the previous stages, to the Head of Academic Appeals and Student Complaints within 5 working days of the date of the Stage 2 outcome letter. 

4.3 The Head of Academic Appeals and Student Complaints will normally act as Secretary and will convene and provide all documentation and evidence received to a Partial SA Panel, consisting of: 

  • 4.3.1 the President and Vice-Chancellor or nominee (the Chair); and
  • 4.3.2 the President of the Students' Union or nominee.

4.4 The Partial SA Panel will consider the appeal on the written evidence only. 

4.5 The Stage 3 outcome should normally be notified to the student within 15 working days of receipt of the Stage 3 appeal submission.  The outcomes available to the Partial SA Panel are as follows: 

  • 4.5.1 That the ground for appeal has not been met and that the appeal should be rejected. The Stage 3 outcome letter will set out the Partial SA Panel’s decision and reasoning and will advise the student that the appeal has exhausted the University’s procedure and that a Completion of Procedures letter will be issued in accordance with Section B paragraph 6.1. 
  • 4.5.2 That the ground for appeal appears to have been met at Stage 3 and that the matter should be referred back to Stage 2 of the procedure for a new, differently constituted, Full AA Panel meeting to decide the appeal. In such circumstances the newly constituted Full AA Panel should be provided with a copy of the Stage 3 outcome letter but the original Stage 2 outcome will not form part of the documentation provided to the newly constituted Panel. For the avoidance of doubt, the School’s Representative must also be different at the new Full AA Panel meeting if the appeal was previously heard at a Full Academic Appeal Panel.  The student and the School will be invited to submit an additional updated statement and any further evidence that has come to light in respect of the appeal factors already raised, but only if it can be demonstrated that there is good reason why this was not previously available.  Any such evidence will be considered at the discretion of the Chair of the Full AA Panel. No further evidence may be introduced or placed before the Full AA Panel Meeting which will otherwise be conducted in accordance with the provisions of Section B paragraph 3.5 to 3.10 
  • 4.5.3 That the ground for appeal at Stage 3 appears to have been met and that a meeting of the Full SA Panel should be convened to decide the appeal.  The Stage 3 outcome letter will set out the Partial SA panel’s decision and reasoning and will advise the student that they are entitled to attend the Panel meeting, are strongly advised to do so, and that they may be accompanied (as per the provisions of Section A paragraph 7.1).  The student will also be advised that the Panel reserves the right to proceed with the meeting if the student does not attend.  The notification will also advise the student that they may submit additional evidence not previously considered at Stage 2, provided that it is related to the appeal factors raised at that stage and is received not later than 6 working days in advance of the date of the Panel meeting. 

4.6 Following a determination made under Section B paragraph 4.5.3, the Secretary will convene a Full SA Panel comprising of the following members: 

  • 4.6.1 the two members of the Partial SA Panel;
  • 4.6.2 a Dean or nominee from outside the Faculty concerned, other than those concerned in the original appeal;
  • 4.6.3 a member of academic staff from outside the Faculty concerned and who is also a member of Senate.

4.7 The Chair may also choose to co-opt onto the Full SA Panel: 

  • 4.7.1 an additional independent member of another Faculty or Professional Service;
  • 4.7.2 an external representative of the relevant profession (where a programme of study is subject to accreditation or approval by an external professional body).
  • 4.7.3 a representative of the partner institution, in the case of a student studying at another institution for an award accredited by, approved by or delivered by the University of Southampton.

4.8 The student may present additional evidence not previously considered at Stage 3, provided that it is related to the appeal factors raised at that stage and is received not later than 6 working days in advance of the date of the Panel meeting.   

4.9 A representative from the student’s School will present the School’s case to the Full SA Panel.  In the case of a student studying at another institution for an award accredited by, approved by or delivered by the University of Southampton, the School’s Representative may be from the University of Southampton or the partner institution.  The Secretary should advise the School’s Representative that they may submit additional evidence not previously considered at Stage 3, provided that it is related to the appeal factors raised at that stage and is received not later than 6 working days in advance of the date of the Panel meeting.  

4.10 Any additional evidence submitted by the student or the School’s Representative will be considered at the discretion of the Chair of the Full SA Panel.  No further evidence may be introduced or placed before the Full SA Panel meeting which will otherwise be conducted in accordance with the provisions of Section B paragraphs 3.5 to 3.10.  

4.11 The Secretary will attend the Panel meeting and prepare the Full SA Panel Report for approval by the Chair.  The Report will be sent to the student with the outcome, and a copy will be sent to all Panel members and to the School’s Representative. 

4.12 The meeting of the Full SA Panel should normally be scheduled for a date not later than 15 working days of the date of the notification to the student under Section B paragraph 4.5.3).,  Not less than 5 working days before the date of the meeting, the Secretary will the following to the student, the School’s Representative and the Full SA Panel members: 

  • The date, time and venue for the meeting. 
  • The name and role of each Panel member (including any co-opted members). 
  • The name and role of the School’s Representative. 
  • The Regulations Governing Academic Appeals by Students. 
  • The full appeal file as specified in Section B paragraphs 1.3, 3.1 and 4.2. 
  • Any additional evidence submitted by the student and/or the School’s Representative (subject to the Chair’s discretion as specified in Section B paragraph 4.10). 

4.13 The Chair will conduct the meeting in accordance with the provisions of Section B paragraphs 1.6 to 1.8. 

4.14 The Stage 3 outcome should normally be notified to the student within 5 working days of the Full SA Panel meeting and a copy of the Full AA Panel Report should accompany the outcome.  The outcomes available to the Full SA Panel are as follows: 

  • 4.14.1 That the student’s appeal should be upheld and the outcome they are seeking should be implemented.  The Stage 3 outcome letter will set out the Full SA Panel’s decision and reasoning, and the Full SA Panel Report should accompany the letter.
  • 4.14.2 That the student’s appeal should be upheld and an alternative outcome to that which they are seeking should be offered.  The Stage 3 outcome letter will set out the Full SA Panel’s decision and reasoning and the Full SA Panel Report should accompany the letter.
  • 4.14.3 That the student’s appeal should be rejected. 

4.15 The Full SA Panel may, where considered appropriate, make recommendations for a change in the School, Faculty, or University procedures. 

4.16 The decision of the Full SA Panel is final. At this point, the academic appeals procedures of the University of Southampton have been completed.   In the case of a decision made in Section B paragraph 4.13.3, a Completion of Procedures letter will be issued in accordance with Section B paragraph 6.1. However, the student may also request a Completion of Procedures letter if the academic appeal has been upheld or partially upheld. 

5. Suspension or Termination of an Appeal

5.1 If a student's appeal overlaps with other University regulations or policies, advice should be sought from the Head of Academic Appeals and Student Complaints about how to progress the appeal under these Regulations, if at all. The progress of an appeal through any stage of the procedure may be suspended for a reasonable period to deal with this issue. 

5.2 The University may, in exceptional circumstances, terminate an appeal at any stage of the procedure where a student's behaviour is unacceptable or disruptive, and/or the appeal is malicious or vexatious as described in Section A paragraph 6.4. The University may also invoke the Regulations Governing Student Discipline. 

6. External review: Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIA)

6.1 A Completion of Procedures letter signifies to the student that the University's academic appeals procedure has been completed and will provide information about bringing a complaint to the OIA. The letter should normally be sent to the student within 28 days of the University's final decision. 

6.2 Information about the OIA's procedures may be found at http://www.oiahe.org.uk/ or in the OIA leaflet 'Introduction to the OIA for Students’. Students wishing to submit a complaint to the OIA must do so within the timeframe set down in the OIA Scheme Rules which is normally 12 months from the date of the Completion of Procedures letter. A complaint must be made in writing using the MyOIA secure online portal or the OIA Complaint Form. 

6.3 Where a student requests a Completion of Procedures letter more than one calendar month following the date of the outcome letter, the deadline for bringing a complaint to the OIA will normally be 12 months from the date of the University’s final decision, rather than the date of the Completion of Procedures letter. 

6.4 Contact details for the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education are: 

Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education  
Second Floor, Abbey Wharf 
57-75 Kings Road 
Reading RG1 3AB

Telephone: 0118 959 9813 

Email: enquiries@oiahe.org.uk    

7. List of appendices and guidance

Appendix A: Notice to Appeal Form

Appendix B: Stage 2 Form

Appendix C: Stage 3 Form

Appendix D: Summary of the Appeals Process

Appendix E: Contact Information

Students' Union Guidance for Students

Guidance for students and staff (including templates)

 

1Where the Chair is a Dean or Associate Dean, they shall be from outside the Faculty concerned.

Academic Appeals will be dealt with in accordance with the regulations in force at the time the appeal was received. Appeals may only be dealt with under regulations in force at the start of your programme if you can prove substantial disadvantage. Please see the guidance notes at http://www.calendar.soton.ac.uk/sectionIV/student-appeals-appendixa.pdf for more information.

Reviewed in June 2016; changes approved by AQSC in June 2016 and by Senate in July 2016

Reviewed in June 2017; no changes made

Reviewed in May 2018; changes approved by AQSC in May 2018 and by Senate in June 2018

Reviewed in June 2019; no changes made

Reviewed in May 2021: changes approved by AQSC in May 2021 and by Senate in June 2021

Reviewed in May 2022: no changes made

Reviewed in May 2023: changes approved by AQSC in May 2023 and Senate June 2023