What may a complaint be about?

A student may wish to complain if they are unhappy about an aspect of their course, University service, facility or anything a student feels is unsatisfactory and needs to be addressed.

Who can complain?

A current student, a previously registered student, a student studying with a partner institution, a recent graduate or an applicant to the University.

How can you put in a complaint?

The University of Derby has a complaints procedure which requires students to follow certain stages to help resolve their complaint:

STAGE 1 –
Speak with the relevant member of staff/department involved in your complaint to try and resolve the issue. You may wish to contact them in person or via telephone or email. The Source would recommend email as you will have evidence of completing Stage 1 and what the outcome was.

If you are not satisfied with the response you get at Stage 1, you may progress to Stage 2 of the complaints procedure

STAGE 2 -
If you are dissatisfied with the response you received at Stage 1, you should then discuss the matter with a senior manager for the relevant course/department. The senior manager will then INFORMALLY investigate your complaint and you will receive a response in writing about their findings.
If after the informal investigation, you feel that the complaint has still not been resolved then you may continue with your complaint and complete Stage 3 of the procedure.

STAGE 3 -
Complete a Formal Complaint Form, this can be accessed at http://www.derby.ac.uk/files/formal_complaint_form2.pdf or by contacting The Source on 01332 591590 or http://thesource@udsu.co.uk
If you would like support in completing the form, book an appointment with one of our advisors. The complaint will then be investigated by University Management who may request a face to face meeting with you to gain a better understanding of your complaint. When the investigation has been completed, you will receive a written response (normally 20 days after the form was submitted).
THE RESPONSE FROM A FORMAL INVESTIGATION WILL NORMALLY BE FINAL.

STAGE 4 -
If you are still dissatisfied you may write to the Departmental Services Unit and ask that the investigation be reviewed. THIS MUST BE DONE WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THE WRITTEN NOTIFICATION FROM STAGE 3.
Your complaint will then be investigated by the Pro Vice Chancellor, who may decide the complaint should be re-looked at or uphold the findings.

If you still feel that your complaint has not been resolved you may request an independent review by the Office of Independent Adjudicator (OIA) by completing their Scheme Application Form which can be found at http://www.oiahe.org.uk