Academic Misconduct Appeals to the Academic Board
An appeal against a finding of Academic Misconduct may be lodged in accordance with Statute 13.1 – Student Discipline, section 13.1.9.
I wish to appeal against a decision made by the University. How do I do that?
Please read and follow the instructions below carefully.
Step 1 – Identify the grounds for your appeal
Appeals to the Academic Board arising from a finding of academic misconduct must be based on one or more of the following grounds:
- a procedural irregularity has occurred (which may include that the student has not received a fair hearing); and/or
- there is new information that could not reasonably have been provided at the time of the original decision, and that would probably have affected the decision or any penalty imposed; and/or
- the decision was manifestly wrong or not available in the circumstances; or
- the penalty imposed was manifestly excessive, harsh or inappropriate.
Step 2 – Draft a letter of appeal
If an appellant believes that he/she has grounds for an appeal, an appeal letter should be drafted which:
- states the grounds for appeal as outlined above,
- includes as much information and detail as possible, and
- where appropriate, provides relevant evidence supporting the grounds on which you wish to appeal against the decision. Evidence may include documents such as medical certificates, letters of support, email correspondence, travel documents, insurance documents etc.
We suggest that appellants use this template to help draft their Letter of Appeal.
Step 3 - Contact the Student Advocacy Service
The University has a single funded independent advocacy service , the Student Union Advocacy Service (SUAS), which is directly funded from the Student Services and Amenities Fee. The service is provided through the University of Melbourne Student Union (UMSU) and is available to all students: graduate and undergraduate, on or off the Parkville campus.
You are strongly advised to contact a student advocate as soon as possible.
Student Union Advocacy Service
T: +61 3 8344 6546
E: suashelp@union.unimelb.edu.au
Other services are also available and can be found on the University’s Student Services Finder:
http://services.unimelb.edu.au/finder
Step 4 - Submit your Letter of Appeal and supporting documents
Appeals to the Board must be lodged with the Academic Secretary in writing within twenty (20) working days of the decision or written notification of the outcome of a review of a decision. The appeal letter and supporting documentation may be lodged via email (link to acad-sec email) or be sent to the following address:
Academic Secretary
University Secretary’s Department
Level 6, Raymond Priestley Building
University of Melbourne
VIC 3010
Step 5 - Attend the Appeal Hearing
The appellant will be notified by the Secretary to the Academic Board Appeal Committee of the time, date and location of the appeal hearing. The appellant is welcome to bring a support person to the appeal hearing but must notify the Secretary at least 24 hours prior to the hearing that they have elected to do this.
The appeal panel will comprise three members of the Academic Board, and at least one member from the relevant faculty will also be present. In cases where a student is appealing against a charge of academic misconduct, a representative from the Student Union or GSA will be on the appeal panel.
The Academic Board will notify the appellant of their decision within five working days of the hearing.
For more information about the appeal process
Please refer to:Enquiries may be directed to the Academic Secretary on (03) 8344 7527.