Stage Three: Review

A complaint must have been considered at Stage Two before it can be escalated to the review stage.

After receiving the outcome of Stage Two you should read through the decision and also the permitted grounds for requesting a Stage Three review. If you have any questions about the decision or about asking for a review, please email complaints (@gold.ac.uk).

A request for review can only be considered if it is based on one or more of the following grounds:

• There were procedural irregularities in the investigation of the complaint
• Fresh evidence can be presented which could not reasonably have been made available with submission of the Stage Two Form
• The outcome of the investigation was not reasonable in all the circumstances. The review stage will not usually consider the issues raised in the Stage Two appeal afresh or involve a further investigation

The key questions that will be considered are:

• Were the relevant procedures followed during the formal stage?
• If new material evidence has been provided, has the student given valid reasons for not supplying this earlier? (We will not always be able to consider evidence that is provided after the investigation has been completed)
• Was the outcome reasonable in all the circumstances?
• Has the student received clear reasons why the complaint was rejected at the formal stage?

Review process

The Student Casework team will check that your request for review is in time and that it sets out potential grounds for reviewing the Stage Two decision. In order to complete the review stage, the Student Casework team may need to consult with senior staff within the College – depending on the type of complaint. 

The outcome of the review may be that there is no reason to change the existing decision – so the Stage Two decision will be upheld and this will be the final decision of the College.

In other cases, the student may have provided evidence or other information to indicate that the decision at Stage Two may not be a fair and reasonable outcome. The Student Casework team will set out the revised decision or remedy on behalf of the College. The Stage Three outcome letter will explain why the decision has changed and this will be the final decision of the College.

Alternatively, if the Complaints Officer carrying out the review feels it necessary, a Complaints Committee may be convened so that the issues in the complaint can be considered in more detail. This shall be constituted of a Pro-Warden together with two senior members of the academic staff, none of whom shall have had prior involvement in the case.

A hearing will follow the procedure for the conduct of student hearings – the Investigating Officer will explain how they reached their conclusions, and the student will have the opportunity to introduce any new evidence or to explain their concerns about the decision made.

The Complaints Committee will reach a decision – to uphold the Stage Two decision or to set out a revised decision or remedy on behalf of the College and the decision of the Complaints Committee will be the final decision of the College.

Independent ombudsman

When the College has reached a final decision on any complaint we will issue a Completion of Procedures Letter (CoP).

If you do not accept that outcome and are still unhappy with the College’s decision, this letter will explain how to seek a review by the independent ombudsman service, of the outcome of the College complaints process.

The College complaint process is a fair procedure and aims to reach a reasonable decision on every complaint – and the Complaints Team follows OIA guidance at all stages.

The complaint should be submitted to the OIA within twelve months of the date of the Completion of Procedures Letter and if you feel your case is urgent – for example if the issues are affecting your studies or your wellbeing, you should ask the OIA to give priority to your complaint. The College co-operate with the OIA and will explain how the decision on your complaint was reached.

Advice and support

You are strongly encouraged to contact the Goldsmiths SU advice service before submitting a complaint. 

Goldsmiths' Wellbeing Service offers support to students who are finding it difficult to engage with their studies. The Service offers email support as well as face-to-face counselling sessions.

Advice on student appeals and complaints can also be sought from the Student Casework team by emailing complaints (@gold.ac.uk).

Students will have the right to be accompanied, assisted or represented by another member of Goldsmiths (a currently enrolled student, or a member of staff of the College, or a member of staff or elected officer of the Students’ Union), at any stage of the Student Complaints Procedure.

Goldsmiths will not enter into discussions about student complaints with third parties without explicit written permission from the student.