The School is committed to providing a fair and equitable process to all students whereby you may have your grievance or appeal resolved in a timely manner.
1) Internal Grievance and Appeals
Procedures
1) If you have a grievance relating to the School you should in the first instance in an attempt to resolve your grievance informally consult your class lecturer and discuss your grievance with them.
2) If your class lecturer cannot resolve your grievance, you will then consult with either the Head of Culinary Arts or Head of Academic Studies who will then also attempt to resolve your grievance with you.
3) If your Head of Department is unable to resolve your grievance, he/she will then refer you to the Student Services Manager.
4) The Student Services Manager will also attempt to resolve your grievance directly with you and may consult with your Head of Department and/or lecturer.
5) If your grievance is still unable to be resolved, you must make a written statement, addressed to the Student Services Manager, outlining the details of your grievance.
6) The Student Services Manager will then table your written statement at the School’s Management Committee Meeting who will meet within seven (7) working days of receipt of your statement.
7) Once the Management Committee has reviewed your grievance you will be advised of the decision in writing including reasons for the decision within ten (10) days of the receipt of your written statement.
8)Your enrolment status will be maintained until a final decision has been made.
9) Your Enrolment status will be maintained during the internal process until a final decision has been made.
10) Should you remain unhappy with the decision of the Management Committee you will be advised of your right to an External Appeal of the decision.
11) All written grievances and responses will be kept on your student file for future reference.
12) The Department of Education Services offers a free mediation/conciliation service through the International Student Conciliator. The Conciliator attempts to resolve disputes between international students and institutions, as part of the institution's internal complaints and appeals procedure. For example, a student may be dissatisfied with some aspect of the education that is being offered by the institution.
If either a student or a member of staff at an institution would like to discuss a particular case with an independent person, they can contact the Conciliator, Ms Anne Duncan either by telephone 08 9441 1953, facsimile 08 9441 1950 or email anne.duncan@des.wa.gov.au.
The Conciliator is able to discuss issues of concern at any stage of the internal complaints and appeals procedure, however, will not become actively involved in the case until the parties have attempted to resolve the dispute themselves and that attempt has failed.
Note: All students may at any time nominate a representative to attend with them or take their place at any stage of the grievance process.
2) External Grievance Mediation and Appeals Procedures
The School is committed to providing you with an independent external mediation and appeals process which may be accessed directly by you should the need arise.
If after having exhausted the Internal Grievance and Appeals procedure as outlined above, and you have been provided the schools decision in writing and you are not satisfied with the schools decision, you may appeal, in writing, through the External Grievance Mediator and Appeals process as follows. The external appeals process is to consider whether the School has followed its policies and procedure, it is not to make a decision in place of the School. The school reserves the right to exclude the student from his /her education service during the external appeals process. DIAC may be notified prior to the outcome of the external appeals. The school reserves the right to exclude the student from his/her education service during the external appeals process. DIAC may be notified prior to the outcome of the external appeal.
Procedures
1) Your appeal must be submitted in writing to the External Grievance Mediator and you are required to attach a copy of the School’s written decision.
2) The external mediation and appeals process will commence within fourteen (14) working days of receipt of your appeal.
3) The School is obligated to provide the External Grievance Mediator with all relevant documents pertaining to your original grievance.
3) The decision of the External Grievance Mediator will be documented in writing and supplied to you and the school within twenty (20) days from the date of lodging your external grievance appeal.
4) The External Grievance Mediator will provide a written response outlining the findings and reasons for the decision.
5) If the External Grievance Mediators decision supports the student, the School will immediately implement any decision of the Mediator and any corrective or preventative action to avoid the situation arising in the future.
External Grievance Mediator and Appeals contacts
a. ELICOS Students - Grievances through Eurocentres
External Grievance Mediator - Ms. Robynne Walsh
Phoenix English Language Academy
Phone: 9881 5538
Email: rwalsh@phoenixacademy.com.au
b. Vocational Qualifications (Certificate or Diploma levels)
External Grievance Mediator - Ms. Janelle Dawson
Sterling Business College
Phone: 9221 0000
Email: principal@sterlingcollege.com
c. Southern Cross University Qualifications
WA Ombudsman
Phone: 9220 7555
Website: www.ombudsman.wa.gov.au
Please refer also to the Grievance and Appeals Procedure chart in the appendix of your Student Handbook and also available online.
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