Flowchart/s
1.1 Individual students or groups of students are encouraged to raise issues or matters of concern. In these circumstances, the student should contact their classroom teacher and/or their course coordinator.
1.2 Where the grievance is made directly to a staff member, every reasonable effort should be made by the staff member and the aggrieved student to resolve the matter. It is expected that, in most circumstances, resolution of the grievance should be achieved within two weeks from the date of lodgement of the grievance.
1.3 The staff member must keep a record (diary entry/note) in case the issue is escalated at a later stage.
1.4 The student(s) may seek advice and assistance at any time from the following:
Student Counsellor;
Disability Liaison Officer;
Student Information Officer
Counsellors cannot act as a third party, attend meetings, represent complainants or respondents at meetings called during the grievance process. An informal response will generally be given verbally by the staff member.
1.5 If the matter is unresolved within two weeks or the student is dissatisfied with the response, the student may submit details of the complaint using the Formal Feedback process. This must be done in writing (refer to Stage 2).
2.1 Where a concern could not be resolved using an informal approach or where the customer seeks to make formal feedback this needs to be put in writing and should contain at least the following details:
Customer’s name and contact details
A description of the issue, including where, when and who was involved
A description of the steps already taken to try to resolve the issue
An indication of the customer’s desired outcome.
The customer may use the Formal Customer Feedback Form however, in the interests of making the process as accessible as possible, this form is not mandatory.
2.2 Receiving Formal Customer Feedback:
Formal Customer Feedback received by staff member (All staff members are responsible for receiving feedback);
Customer Feedback Boxes will be checked at every Bendigo TAFE Campus by designated staff on a weekly basis. Any feedback received in a Customer Feedback Box must be stamped by the designated staff member with a Campus stamp to identify the Bendigo TAFE Campus where the feedback was received.
Formal Customer Feedback will be forwarded to the Quality Officer (Organisational Development) immediately for processing.
2.3 Quality Officer:
2.3.1 Scans and photocopies Formal Customer Feedback Form, uploads scanned Formal Customer Feedback to Customer Feedback SharePoint site (restricted access only) and places original Formal Customer Feedback in Formal Customer Feedback folder;
2.3.2 Categorises the severity of the issue, categorises the area/type of issue and records feedback on Bendigo TAFE Compliance Database;
2.3.3 Prepares Acknowledgement Letter, makes two photocopies and sends original to customer within 5 working days of receipt indicating that the feedback has been received and has been forwarded to the relevant Unit Manager/Head of School for consideration.
2.3.4 Saves an electronic copy of the Acknowledgement Letter on the Customer Feedback SharePoint site (restricted access only) and places the photocopy in Formal Customer Feedback folder;
2.3.5 Prepares two copies of Formal Customer Feedback Action Sheet and places one copy in Formal Customer Feedback folder.
2.4 Formal Customer Feedback severity is categorised as:
2.4.1 Minor:
2.4.1.1 Quality Officer attaches the Formal Customer Feedback Action Sheet to a copy of the Formal Customer Feedback and a copy Acknowledgement Letter and forwards to relevant Unit Manager/Head of School (in a red Customer Feedback Wallet) for follow up;
2.4.1.2 Relevant Unit Manager/Head of School liaises with relevant Teaching Department Manager, relevant staff and customer to ensure the issue is resolved;
2.4.1.3 Relevant Unit Manager/Head of School responds in writing to customer within 20 working days from when the formal feedback was received by Bendigo TAFE.
2.4.2 Moderate, major or extreme:
2.4.2.1 Quality Officer attaches the Formal Customer Feedback Action Sheet to a copy of the Formal Customer Feedback and a copy Acknowledgement Letter and forwards to relevant Unit Manager/Head of School (in a red Customer Feedback Wallet) for follow up and sends copy to relevant Executive Director for information;
2.4.2.2 Relevant Unit Manager/Head of School liaises with relevant Executive Director, relevant Teaching Department Manager, relevant staff and customer to ensure the issue is resolved (any correspondence to be sent to the customer must be signed off by the relevant Executive Director prior to sending to customer);
2.4.2.3 Relevant Unit Manager/Head of School responds in writing to customer within 10 working days from when the formal feedback was received by Bendigo TAFE.
Notes:
The customer must be provided with a written response within 20 working days from when the formal feedback was received by Bendigo TAFE if feedback is categorised as minor and within 10 working days from when the formal feedback was received by Bendigo TAFE if feedback is categorised as moderate, major or extreme. The customer (and Quality Officer and relevant Executive Director) should be kept informed of the progress if there are any delays in the resolution process.
Written response will include the outcome of the complaint, reasons for the decision, any changes which have resulted from the complaint, an apology where appropriate, and information about the option to appeal against the decision and with whom. And that any appeal must be received in writing by Quality Officer within 10 working days of the customer receiving the response letter.
2.5 Feedback is resolved or withdrawn:
2.5.1 Yes:
2.5.1.1 Relevant Unit Manager/Head of School forwards copy of all documentation to Quality Officer for filing nd updating of Bendigo TAFE Compliance Database.
2.6 If the student is dissatisfied with this decision they can submit their appeal in writing to the relevant Executive Director (refer to Stage 3).
2.7 International Students: If an international student is not satisfied with the solution resulting from Stage 2, he/she will be offered the option of either proceeding to Stage 3, or of using (at minimal or no cost to the student) a mediation/conflict resolution service external to Bendigo TAFE. The Manager, International Programs has contact details for the Services with whom Bendigo TAFE has an agreement.
3.1 The relevant Executive Director will convene an Appeals Committee within five working days of receiving the formal appeal.
3.2 Membership of the Appeals Committee will comprise:
The relevant Executive Director or Bendigo TAFE nominee;
Head of School, Teaching Department Manager, Regional Manager, Unit Manager or Bendigo TAFE nominee;
The Student Information Officer or Bendigo TAFE nominee.
Note: members of the committee must be from outside of the School/Unit/Region against which the grievance is lodged.
3.3 The Appeals Committee will determine its own processes although the student appealing will be given the opportunity to present a case orally and in writing.
3.4 Other people, staff or students, may be called to give evidence to the Appeals Committee.
3.5 All parties may be accompanied and/or supported by a support person (not a legal practitioner) to the Appeals Committee meeting.
3.6 The Appeals Committee will reach a decision within the spirit of consensus. Should consensus not be achieved then a decision will be made on a majority vote.
3.7 The decision will be communicated with reasons and full explanation, in writing to all parties directly involved in the grievance, and to the relevant Executive Director within five working days of the Appeal. All documentation must be forwarded to the Quality Officer (Organisational Development) for recording on the Bendigo TAFE Compliance Database.
Note: Stage 4 Appeal can only be on procedural grounds
4.1 If an appellant believes that due process has not been followed in Stage 3, he/she may appeal to the CEO.
4.2 The appeal will be in writing and will identify the processes/procedures in question from Stage 3.
4.3 The appeal will be lodged within 7 working days after 3.7 has been done.
4.4 The CEO will respond within 5 working days. All documentation must be forwarded to the Quality Officer (Organisational Development) for recording on the Bendigo TAFE Compliance Database.
4.5 The CEO’s decision is final.
There are no charges relating to internal Grievance Processes.
If a student who is, or would be, entitled to VET FEE-HELP assistance, is not satisfied with the solution resulting from Stage 2, he/she will be offered the option of either proceeding to Stage 3, or of using (at the student’s expense) a mediation/conflict resolution service provided by the Administration Appeals Tribunal. Contact details for the Administration and Appeals Tribunal are provided at the end of this document.
All reports resulting from an external process will be provided to the relevant Executive Director for information and/or action as appropriate.
All files relating to Student Grievance procedure will be maintained as Confidential.
Records of Student Grievances will be held for a minimum of 5 years.
Parties to the complaint will be provided appropriate access to these records in accordance with the Institute’s privacy policy and procedures.
This procedure will be published via the Bendigo TAFE public website and the Bendigo TAFE intranet.
Changes to procedures are notified through Teaching Department/Unit meetings, staff induction, and where required training is provided through regular Institute-wide development days.
Proc124 Customer Feedback Procedure
Proc704 Harassment Procedure
Pol106 Information Privacy Policy
FQA001 Formal Customer Feedback Form
For suggestions and improvements: quality@britafe.vic.edu.au
Not applicable.
Administrative Appeals Tribunal
Contact details:
Administrative Appeals Tribunal,
Level 16, HWT Tower, Southgate
40 City Road
Southbank VIC 3006
Telephone (03) 9282 8444 (metropolitan area) / 1300 366 700 (country areas)
Fax (03) 9282 8480
Online www.aat.gov.au
If you are deaf or have a hearing impairment or speech impairment call through the National Relay Service (NRS):
TTY users phone 133 677 then ask for 1300 366 700
Speak and Listen (speech-to-speech relay) users phone 1300 555 727 then ask for 1300 366 700
Internet relay users connect to the NRS (see www.relayservice.com.au for details) and then ask for 1300 366 700
Translating and Interpreter Service - 13 14 50
Application fees - If you apply to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal for review of a decision, you may have to pay an application fee of $777. Your application cannot proceed until you pay the application fee or the fee has been waived. The application fee is refunded when the review is completed if the AAT decides that it is finalised in your favour. (This information is correct at time of writing for further information please contact the AAT directly.)
Warning – Uncontrolled when printed. The current version of this document is kept on the BMS.
Authorised by: Executive Management Committee Original Issue: 20/08/2002
Maintained by: Manager Quality and Compliance Current Version: 08/09/2010
Review Date: 09/2013 Procedure No. Proc505