University Disciplinary Issues

It’s not uncommon for students to fall foul of university disciplinary codes. These can be surprisingly far-reaching, and it’s not difficult for students to find themselves in situations that could lead to disciplinary action. If this happens, it’s important to seek legal advice as soon as possible.

University disciplinary action can have serious consequences and may even jeopardise a student’s right to complete their course. With students now taking on substantial financial liabilities to complete university education, the consequences of disciplinary action can be long lasting.

If you face disciplinary action that you feel is unjustified or undeserved, then it’s advisable to seek legal advice as quickly as possible. At IBB Law, we work with students to challenge university disciplinary action and find a satisfactory outcome.

We can provide university disciplinary advice on matters including:

• Consistent poor timekeeping
• Unexplained absences
• Vandalism or misuse of university property
• Aggressive or offensive behaviour
• Breaches of safety procedure
• A refusal to comply with a reasonable management request
• Breaching of university trust
• Refusal to comply with university policy
• Gross misconduct – this could include indecent behaviour, the threat of violence, being found in possession of drugs or weapons, and theft.

With these matters, there is plenty of room for interpretation and misunderstanding. In some cases, students have been disciplined for absences which can be accounted for or due to misunderstandings. Our team are often able to swiftly clarify these matters and achieve a positive outcome that allows students to carry on with their university education unimpeded.

Our education law practice benefits from the expertise of consultant Salima Mawji, who is recognised as one of the country’s leading experts in this highly specialised area of law.

We offer a fixed fee initial consultation with our team to discuss your needs and see how we can help. We then charge for our services on a fixed fee basis, providing certainty over the costs involved.

For experienced specialist university disciplinary advice, please contact our education law consultant Salima Mawji on 01895 207247 or email salima.mawji@ibblaw.co.uk.

Types of university disciplinary issues with which our education law experts can help

Understanding your position and options

If your university has informed you that it intends to take disciplinary action against you, it is important to get expert advice straight away. This will ensure that you fully understand what you have been accused of, how this relates to your university’s rules and the potential outcome of any disciplinary action. You can then make an informed decision about how to proceed.

Our university disciplinary specialists can provide confidential advice on whether you may have breached your university’s rules and the best strategy for responding to disciplinary proceedings. We can give you the best chance of clearing your name, minimising any penalties and protecting your education.

Support for university disciplinary proceedings

Facing university disciplinary proceedings can be very stressful and confusing. Our education law experts can talk you through how the process works and what to expect, as well as making sure you have your arguments, and any necessary supporting evidence clearly set out before the process starts. This can help you to present your case effectively and significantly boost your chances of a positive outcome.

Appealing disciplinary action

A university will usually have to follow a well set-out disciplinary process before action is decided upon. If a student is unhappy with the outcome of this process, then the next step is to request an appeal. An appeals process will usually be set out in the rules of the particular provider. It should be fleshed out in a more detailed appeals process within the university’s disciplinary framework.

If you wish to appeal, you need to understand the university disciplinary process, the grounds on which you intend to appeal and any rights you might have to legal representation through an internal appeal. If an internal appeal is unsuccessful, you may still be able to take your case to an external review through the Office of the Independent Adjudicator.

Our university disciplinary proceedings advice fees

We offer a brief free initial phone consultation with our experts. If we believe we can help, we will then carry out a more in-depth fixed fee consultation.

Should you wish to proceed, we will provide a realistic cost estimate for dealing with your matter. Any billable work carried out will always be agreed upon with you in advance, giving you complete certainty and transparency over the costs involved.

The exact cost of our services will depend on the nature of your problem, including the amount of time and level of expertise needed to support you effectively. We will be happy to discuss this with you when you contact our team.

For more information on our education law pricing, please get in touch.

Get personal legal advice and support for university disciplinary proceedings and appeals

If you would like to know more about how we can help you with your education law enquiry, please contact our education law senior legal administrator, Rachael, on 01895 207230 or by email on educationteam@ibblaw.co.uk