Feedback and complaints | UniSC | University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia

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Feedback and complaints

As a student, staff member, or a community member, there may be times that you need to bring matters to our attention. UniSC welcomes this feedback, and it helps identify areas that are doing well and other areas that may need to be improved.

Our complaints, feedback and grievance processes provide a simple way for you to give us the information needed so that we can respond to, or act upon, what you have to say with a view to finding resolution.

In all matters, UniSC will act and make decisions in a way compatible with human rights, as defined in the Human Rights Act 2019  (Qld).

UniSC collects and uses personal information about its students, staff and others, in order to operate effectively in compliance with the Information Privacy Act 2009  (Qld). Please see our Privacy webpage for further information.

Student grievances

Grievances may relate to UniSC institutional decisions that affect students directly or are matters students are concerned about which may include services, teaching and behaviours of other students or staff.

Our Student Grievance Resolution – Governing Policy provides a framework within which to manage and resolve these grievances.

Visit Student Grievances for more information.

Student compliments

If you have had a great interaction with a staff member, or a positive experience on campus that you would like to share, please complete the online form.

Staff complaints

Staff conduct: All staff are required to adhere to the expected standards of behaviour as outlined in USC's Staff Code of Conduct – Governing Policy. Staff are encouraged to report the behaviour of other staff, should they feel it falls below these expected standards as soon as possible. Further information for staff is available on MyUniSC (staff login required).

Student conduct: Staff can report student conduct concerns via the Student Misconduct – Procedures.

Sexual assault, sexual harrassment

There is no greater priority than the safety and security of our students, staff and community. If you have been sexually assaulted or sexually harassed, we encourage you to report this to the police and seek support.

If you have just experienced a sexual assault or are in immediate danger

  • Get to a safe place
  • Phone 000 (Triple Zero)
  • If on UniSC campus grounds, call the SafeUSC team on 07 5430 1168 (24/7)
  • 24/7 confidential assistance Statewide Sexual Assault Helpline (1800 010 120)

Students: Information on the reporting options and support available for students impacted by sexual assault or sexual harassment is available on our web page.

Staff: For more information refer to MyUniSC (staff login required).

Community: If members of the community are concerned about a student or a staff member, or have experienced sexual assault or sexual harassment on campus, they can report the matter to SafeUSC. Community members completing the online form can choose to provide their details or remain anonymous.

Students, staff members and the community can also report anonymously to UniSC through SafeUSC.

Child protection and complaints

As per our Working with Vulnerable People (including Child Protection) - Procedures, complaints can be made via our online form.

Vulnerable people can also make confidential disclosures through the Counselling team within Student Wellbeing at studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au or by telephoning +61 7 5430 1226.

USC Clinics feedback and complaints

Our clinics are committed to providing the highest quality service while providing an excellent learning environment for students.

USC Clinics include:

To provide the Thompson Institute with your complaint, compliment or feedback, please use this online form.

To provide UniSC with feedback or complaints regarding our other USC Clinics, please submit a Clinic Feedback form.

Research integrity complaints

If you have concerns about inappropriate research conduct, you may seek advice from a Research Integrity Advisor, a departmental head, a Dean of School, or the Office of Research ethics and integrity team.

If you want to raise a complaint, you may choose to:

  • Refer the matter directly to the person against whom the complaint is made.
  • Refer the matter directly to a person in a supervisory capacity for resolution at the school or departmental level.
  • Submit the complaint to the designated officer via researchintegrity@usc.edu.au.

For further information on how UniSC manages research integrity complaints, please review the Managing and Investigating Breaches of Responsible Research Conduct – Procedures.

Community complaints, compliments and feedback

Perhaps you have had a great interaction with a staff member, a positive experience on campus that you would like to share, or you have an idea/improvement that you would like to suggest.

To submit your complaint, compliments and feedback please use our online form.

Privacy

Information on how your information is collected and managed, and details on how to raise a privacy complaint is available on our Privacy webpage.

Public Interest Disclosures

As a public sector agency, the University also has obligations under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2010  (Qld) (the PID Act). This legislation is designed to encourage and provide protection to those who speak out about wrongdoing in the public sector. The University’s commitment and processes for managing PIDs is outlined in its Public Interest Disclosure Management Program, Public Interest Disclosure - Governing Policy and Public Interest Disclosure - Procedures.

Further information for staff on the reporting and managing of a public interest disclosure is available on MyUniSC (staff login required).

Any questions relating to the reporting of a public interest disclosure can be made to the PID Coordinator at pid@usc.edu.au.

External review

If you have exhausted all options for internal review or appeal and remain dissatisfied with our response to your complaint or grievance, you may refer the matter to the appropriate external authority.

Examples of external authorities include, but are not limited to: