Rights & Responsibilities Academic Services Division

1. Rights & ResponsibilitiesAcademic Services Division Sam Kingston Academic Services Officer Theresa Pollard Academic Services Officer

2. Academic Appeals and Complaints

3. Academic Appeals • Appeal Policy and Procedure found in Quality Manual: www.nottingham.ac.uk/quality-manual/appeals/appeals.htm • Over 40 appeals received so far this academic year (09-10) • Approx 100 received in last academic year (08-09)

4. Process and Responsibilities for Students • What kind of decisions can students appeal against? • -Termination of course • -Conditions imposed on progression • -Degree classifications • -Failure to obtain degree

5. Process and Responsibilities for Students • Grounds for an appeal: • Procedural irregularity • 2. Error in calculating or recording marks • 3. ‘Manifestly unreasonable’ decision • 4. Evidence of prejudice or bias from examiners • NOT extenuating circumstances

6. Process and Responsibilities for Students • Submit appeal form to Academic Services Division • Deadline for student to appeal 30 days after receiving notification of decision • Students’ Union Education Advisers able to advise students

7. Process and Responsibilities for Academic Services Division • What happens when a student submits an appeal? • Initial review of appeal by staff • -reject due to lack of grounds, OR: • School response may be requested • Student’s case and School response sent to Vice-Dean • Hearing recommended, OR appeal rejected by Vice-Dean

8. Process and Responsibilities for Academic Services Division What happens at a hearing? • 3 members of Panel-2 Vice-Deans, 1 student rep • Student and School present their case • Panel make decision • Decision communicated to Student and School in writing within 2 working days

9. Process and Responsibilities for Academic Services Division • What next steps are available to dissatisfied students? • Review by Director of Academic Services • OIA-Office of Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education

10. Process and Responsibilities for Schools • Direct students to appeal procedure if appropriate • If requested, provide written response to appeal within 2 weeks • If required, send suitable staff representative(s) to hearing to present case and answer questions from panel

11. New contacts for appeals • Kate Packer Academic Services Officer Academic Services Division kate.packer@nottingham.ac.uk ext. 15752 • Kath Bowden Registry Services Manager   Academic Services Division kath.bowden@nottingham.ac.uk. Ext. 67791

12. Student Complaints • Code of Practice for Student Complaints found in Quality Manual: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/qualitymanual/appeals/complaints.htm. • Fewer student complaints compared to appeals (approx. 40 Level 2 Complaints since Jan 08) • If academic outcome sought, managed in similar way to appeal

13. Code of Practice for Student Complaints • Level 1: Attempt a resolution with the person directly concerned • Level 2: Head of School/Service review (Student must submit Form A) • Level 3: Review by a Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Student must submit Form B)

14. Data ProtectionGovernance and Logistics Team Academic Services Division

15. The Data Protection Act 1998 The Data Protection Act provides for the rights of individuals and the responsibilities of organisations in the handling of personal data.

16. What is personal data? Relating to a living individual who can be identified from the data, It includes any expression of opinion about the individual and any indication of the intentions of the data controller or any person in respect of the individual.

17. Definitions in the Data Protection Act Processing • Obtaining, recording or holding the information • Organising, adapting or altering the information or data • Retrieving or transmitting data, internally or externally • Deleting data Disclosure Allowing a third party to have access to personal data

18. Eight principles of data processing Personal data must be: • Fairly and lawfully processed • Processed for limited purposes • Adequate, relevant, and not excessive • Accurate and up to date • Not kept longer than is necessary • Processed in line with the rights of data subjects • Secure • Not transferred to other countries without adequate protection

19. Sensitive personal data • racial or ethnic origin • political opinions • religious beliefs or other beliefs of a similar nature • membership of a trade union • physical or mental health or condition • sexual life • commission or alleged commission of any offence, or • Any proceedings for any offence committed or alleged to have been committed by them, the disposal of such proceedings or the sentence of any court in such proceedings

20. Implications for the University All members of the University who handle personal information in either electronic or manual form are responsible for ensuring personal data is handled within the terms of the Data Protection Act.

21. New Penalties • Fine up to £500,000 for serious breach • Custodial sentences for reckless malpractice • Issue warrants for entry and inspection • Directors liable to prosecution for serious breach

22. Requests for personal data • Known as ‘Subject Access Requests’ • Right to all own personal data • Individual must give proof of identity • University charges £10 • Have 40 calendar days from receiving request to reply

23. Freedom of InformationAcademic Services Division

24. Freedom of Information Act 2000 The Freedom of Information Act gives the public a general right of access to information held by the University. The three main objectives under the Act are to: • Confirm or deny whether information held • Communicate the information on request either through our Publication Scheme (see ours at: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/asd/FOIpublicationscheme.htm) or by responding to individual requests • To advise and assist enquirers as to how to access information

25. Requirements of a Freedom of Information request A valid request must : • Be in writing (includes e-mail) • Legible • Identify the applicant’s name & address/e-mail address • Clearly describe the information requested Requests can be made to any member of the University, to any postal or e-mail address, at any time. IMPORTANT: The applicant is not obliged to tell you that the request is being made under the terms of the Act and they are not obliged to say why they want the information.

26. Responding to Freedom of Information requests Q. What do I do if I receive a request for information? If the request is for information which you would routinely provide, the information can be given as normal. • What if the request mentions the Freedom of Information Act or is for information we wouldn’t normally provide? If you are unsure about how to respond to a request for information, contact the Governance and Logistics Team for advice.

27. Responding to Freedom of Information requests • Freedom of Information requests must be responded to promptly and within 20 working days. The period starts the day after the request is received by the University. (Can charge for providing information in some circumstances, for example where a large amount of photocopying would be involved.)

28. When NOT to disclose information The Act contains 24 exemptions, including: -Information accessible by other means (s.21) -Personal data (s.40) -Prejudicing commercial interests of one or more parties (s.43) Contact Governance and Logistics for advice on applying exemptions in detail. The University can also refuse to provide information if dealing with the request would exceed the Appropriate Limit (defined as 18 hours of work.)

29. Further Information University of Nottingham: • Data Protection http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/asd/Data%20protection.htm. • Freedom of Information http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/asd/FreedomofInformation.htm. Information Commissioner’s: • Information Commissioner’s Website http://www.ico.gov.uk

30. Questions? Contacts: Samantha Kingston Samantha.kingston@nottingham.ac.uk Theresa Pollard theresa.pollard@nottingham.ac.uk Data Protection: data-protection@nottingham.ac.uk Freedom of Information: freedom-of-information@nottingham.ac.uk