Student Conduct

A Student Conduct Case Manager will be assigned to your case and we’ll try to ensure that the person who initially advises you will continue to advise you, so that you don’t need to repeat the same information to different people.

We won’t make any assumptions about you and you’ll be treated fairly.

At all times we’ll exercise our duty of care to all students, apply the principles of natural justice, comply with equality legislation and uphold human rights.

We’ll help you to get support from University Support Services, such as the Safeguarding team and Counselling and Psychological Services. If you have a disability or other health issue (including mental health), we’ll take this info account and make reasonable adjustments for you.

You can view an outline of the Non-Academic Misconduct process here.

If the allegations suggest that you might present a potential risk to the wellbeing and safety of students and staff, we can convene a Risk Assessment Group to decide if precautionary measures are required. This means that we might restrict or prohibit contact with the reporting student and any witnesses, or restrict the times you can be on campus. In some cases we might suspend you from the University while the case is being investigated (whether through University or criminal processes). This action is precautionary, not a penalty. It does not suggest we think you are guilty of the alleged offence.

You can find more information on the Risk Assessment Group in the Code of Student Conduct, section 33.80 - 33.87

If criminal processes are involved, in most cases, we won’t take any further action under University processes until the criminal process has been concluded. We don’t want to interfere with the criminal process, which takes priority.

As a result of a Risk Assessment, you might be suspended for many months, as criminal processes can take a very long time. This is beyond our control. We review all suspensions monthly.

If you’re convicted, we will use that finding to inform our conduct process.

If you’re acquitted or the charge is dropped, we might still consider the matter under conduct processes if there’s enough evidence to establish that a breach of the Code of Student Conduct has been committed. We can’t make any finding that a criminal offence has been committed – only a court can do that.

If allegations lead to action being taken against you following the procedures in the Code of Student Conduct, we may share information with respect to those procedures and outcomes with the police and other relevant third parties where it is deemed necessary by the University for reasons of public interest or safety, or where we are obliged by law to do so.

There is more information on Misconduct and Criminal Law in the Code of Student Conduct, section 33.23 - 33.27

This will depend on many things, for example, your stage of study, degree programme, what the allegations are, if a Risk Assessment Group has been held.

If you’re suspended, we may allow you to submit assessment online and sit examinations with special arrangements (e.g., in a separate room). This option won’t be available in all cases and if it is not possible, we will explain why not.

You should speak with your Advisor of Studies or Supervisor (where relevant) to discuss the potential impact on your studies and to find out what is possible.

The Students’ Representative Council (SRC) Advice Centre can provide guidance throughout the process and have experience of supporting students with conduct matters.

You are allowed to be accompanied, assisted or represented at Student Conduct meetings by ONE of the following: a parent or a guardian; a fellow student or other friend; an adviser of the SRC Advice Centre; a member of the University staff; or any other person.

The Code of Student Conduct and its related processes are University procedures, not legal ones. Therefore, you do not need any legal representation. However, if you wish to take legal advice or have a lawyer accompany you, you have the right to do so, though we do not encourage this and suggest an SRC Adviser would be more helpful. If you do wish to bring a legal representative, the University will also engage legal representation so you will be required to give us sufficient notice - at least five working days. You will not be permitted to bring legal representation without giving the required notice. The University will not fund any legal representation for students.

The University will not generally investigate reports that have been made anonymously, but the information shared may be used to inform understanding of current issues and shape future work, such as campaigns and resourcing (section 33.78, Code of Student Conduct)

Yes - the Students' Representative Council can help, or you can speak with someone in the Safeguarding team.

You can also make a brief report via the online reporting tool, and a trained staff member of the University's Student and Academic Services team will be in touch to talk to you and get more details. 

If you’ve been subjected to behaviour by another student that is unacceptable, you are encouraged to inform the University – even if the allegation might also be a criminal offence.

We understand that it can be difficult to come forward, especially if you haven’t yet decided what you want to do about it. Reporting it to the University doesn’t mean you have to pursue the matter – you can simply speak to us about your options, and get some advice. We won't make contact with the student you're reporting until you've decided you definitely want to proceed.

We’ll never pressure you into choosing a particular course of action. There may be circumstances in which we have to contact or provide information to the police without your consent - for example, in cases involving suspected terrorist activity or money laundering (which we are legally required to report), or where we believe reporting the matter is necessary to protect you and/or others from immediate harm or to prevent a further crime from taking place. If we believe we must make a report we will let you know this, and will fully explain the reasons. We may be able to make a report without identifying you, in some cases. We can advise you about this.

Otherwise, if you decide not to go to the police, or to take any further action through any route, that’s your choice and we will respect it. We can still help you and give you advice. If you do go to the police, we can offer support in doing that.

If you decide not to go to the police, we can investigate the allegations through the University’s conduct process. We’re more limited in what we can do, and we can’t make a finding that a criminal act has taken place - only a breach of our Code of Student Conduct. We can’t conduct the same investigations as the police/courts and can’t compel witnesses to give evidence. However, we can apply conditions to the accused student (such as prohibiting them from contacting you, and suspending or expelling them in some cases). We can also take precautionary action while the investigation is ongoing.

To report something to us, please email student-conduct@glasgow.ac.uk.

You can also use the online reporting tool - the information you provide in that form will be sent to Student & Academic Services, who may refer it to us. If so, we will get in touch with you to ask if you want us to take action under the Code of Student Conduct.

Once a decision has been reached on a case, the Reporting Individual will normally be informed that the matter was dealt with under the University Code of Student Conduct and noting whether the Responding Student was found to have committed misconduct. 

Parties, such as alleged victims and witnesses, may be informed of the sanction imposed where the University considers that it is of direct interest for them to be informed (by way of example, in cases of violence, sexual violence, bullying or harassment, it may be appropriate for the alleged victim to be informed of any sanction relating to restrictions on attendance on campus, approaching named individuals, etc). See section 33.31, Code of Student Conduct.