What is Individual Representation?
The service was set up in August 2021 with the aim to support students when going through a complaint or appeal, by providing them with independent, free and confidential advice and support. It can be a very scary and lonely time as a student if you have been accused of academic misconduct or plagiarism. You might not know what to do next or where to go to get advice. Individual Representation is here for that very reason. They are friendly, non-judgemental and can be there to make you feel less isolated. They can offer direct case support and have an excellent resource hub to help guide students through the complaint or appeals process.
Who can use Individual Representation?
Anyone who has an ongoing stage 2 complaint or appeal, stage 3 review or a Central Disciplinary Case can use the service. They can provide advice, guidance, and support throughout the complaint. This is done by assisting with preparation for the case, evidence collation and if required, accompanying students to any hearings or meetings. If the complaint or appeal hasn’t had a favourable outcome, then they can advise how to commence a review with the Office of Independent Adjudicator (OIA).
What is it like to be a Student Advisor for the Individual Representation service?
No two days are the same. One day could be talking about a plagiarism case with a student and liaising with the university. The next day could be at a central disciplinary case hearing to advocate on behalf of a student. Every case is different, and advice and information will be offered to help you make decisions on your complaint or appeal. The case will always remain your responsibility, but we’ll be here to provide you with support.
Amy Undrell, head of Individual Representation at the Students Association, says:
“I enjoy offering advice to students every day. Sometimes things don’t go quite to plan so helping to explore options together to help make decisions about the best way to go forward can be really important”.
If you need to talk to someone about an open case, or if you have any queries about a complaint or appeal, contact the Individual Representation team via the Association website.
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