Discipline

Many offences will only be dealt with by an authorised officer but more serious offences will progress to a Discipline Committee.

You can find examples of unacceptable behaviour on pages 26 and 27 of the Discipline Code of Practice.

Please note, if your case is being investigated by the police the university will not investigate until the police have finished their investigation. However, the university could still suspend you from parts of campus or from the university in the meantime - see the Risk Assessment Panel section below.

Stage 1 - Investigating Officer

An Investigating Officer is appointed by the university to investigate your case - you can request a list of these officers by emailing discipline@keele.ac.uk.

Investigations may be dealt with through informal resolutions, such as an Education First approach or Mutual Resolution. Mutual Resolution is a voluntary, no-fault process, where both parties agree to specific conditions in a signed agreement - more information is on pages 28-31 of the Code of Practice.

If it is decided that a formal investigation is needed, you will be sent an emailing explaining the allegation against you. You will have the opportunity to respond to this, and you can choose to attend a pre-process meeting with the investigator to find out about the investigation process.

The investigation will then proceed, and as part of this you will be invited to attend an investigation meeting, where you can give your version of events. There may need to be follow-up meetings while the case continues to be investigated. ASK can help prepare you for meetings and attend with you if you would like support.

The investigation is supposed to be impartial and you can put forward evidence and witness names. The Investigating Officer will write a report at the end of the investigation, and the University will then decide whether the case can be concluded at this stage and, if so, whether any penalties will be applied (see the list of penalties below). All decisions will be confirmed to you in writing.

If the University decides the allegation is more serious and an Investigating Officer penalty would not be appropriate, then your case may go to Discipline Committee to consider whether the allegation is proven and, if so, to apply an appropriate penalty. However, if there is not sufficient evidence, then the case may instead be dismissed, or if you have admitted to the allegation then a penalty may be decided by a Discipline Committee chair, without the need for a hearing.

Stage 2 - Discipline Committee

You can read full information about the Discipline Committee stage on pages 15-18 of the Discipline Code of Practice.

The Investigating Officer will present their investigation to a Discipline Committee.

You are invited to attend the committee, normally with 14 days notice, and are asked to submit a statement and any evidence beforehand. You can also call witnesses to speak to the committee. You will have the chance to put forward your version of events and question the Investigating Officer about their investigation.

You will be given the committee's decision in writing - see below for a list of potential penalties the committee can impose.

ASK can help you prepare for the committee, advise you on what to expect on the day, and attend with you if you would like support.

You can read about this process in full in the Discipline Code of Practice on pages 6 and 7, and see a list of potential restrictions on pages 24 and 25.

During the discipline investigation you may have restrictions imposed on you as a temporary measure if the university thinks there is a threat of harm to yourself, other students and/or members of the university or to university property. These restrictions can include limited access or a total ban from areas of campus or from the entire university. Failing to comply with restrictions is a disciplinary offence.

This is done under a separate process, but is still under the discipline regulation B1. These temporary measures do not indicate that you have committed an offence; they are put in place as a precaution while the university investigates.

You will initially receive a letter outlining any restrictions that are immediately in place. You are then invited, but are under no obligation, to attend a Risk Assessment Panel that will discuss these restrictions, review them and decide whether they should remain as they are or whether they should be relaxed or  extended. You will also have the opportunity to describe any impact the restrictions are having on you. Please note, the panel is not part of the discipline investigation and their decision will not have any bearing on the final discipline outcome.

Restrictions will continue to be reviewed during your investigation, though you would not normally be asked to attend another RAP.

The Discipline Committee will decide at the end of the case whether the Risk Assessment Panel restrictions need to be kept or can be lifted.

You will be given penalties if the university decides the allegation against you is proven. This is decided on a case-by-case basis and the greater penalties will only be applied if they are suitably serious or if there have been multiple offences during your time at Keele.

Stage 1- Investigating Officer

If your case is decided at Stage 1 there will be limits on the penalties you can get.

Potential penalties at this stage include:

• Written warning, to be held on your university record.
• A formal apology letter.
• A reflective statement of at least 500 words.
• A restitution payment to cover the costs of any damage you caused.
• A fine of up to a maximum of £250 - please note this fine would be separate to any restitution payment.
• A suspended fine of up to £100.
• Attendance at an appropriate training activity, e.g. if you tampered with fire equipment you would be required to attend a Fire Safety Awareness Workshop.

Stage 2 - Discipline Committee

Committees have greater powers, including excluding or suspending you from the course or parts of campus. In addition to the penalties listed above, they can also impose:

• A fine, or a suspended fine, of up to £500.
• Exclusion from certain areas of the University - either for a specified period, at certain times in the week, or permanently. This can include buildings such as Halls of Residence, the library and the SU.
• Exclusion from the University - either a suspension for a specified period or a permanent withdrawal.
• A ban from attending your graduation ceremony.

ASK can:

• Read your statement and offer feedback on areas that don’t make sense or where your meaning is unclear.
• Advise you on how the meeting will be conducted.
• Advise on the regulations and guidance that govern the meeting.
• Attend the meeting with you to assist you in presenting your case. Please note, you are expected to answer the Committee's questions yourself.
• Support you in asking questions of the Investigating Officer and any witnesses.
• Read a pre-prepared statement on your behalf.
• Seek clarification on any procedural matters.
• Make notes on any procedural irregularities to support a potential appeal.
• Help you to understand the outcome and its implications.
• Offer advice and support in any appeal application.

ASK will not be able to:

• Attend the meeting if you are not present (either in person or via Teams).
• Answer questions about the allegations on your behalf.
• Offer professional legal advice.
• Argue your case on your behalf.
• Predict what the outcome of your meeting will be.

Some allegations may, separately, also constitute a criminal offence - ASK are not able to provide legal advice on criminal law. Please visit this website to find a solicitor.

You can submit an appeal against a discipline decision at either stage if you have grounds. The grounds are:

• Procedural irregularity in the conduct of the case;
• There is new evidence that can be substantiated, including exceptional circumstances, which was not known at the time, and may have affected the outcome had it been known to the Authorised Officer / Discipline Committee and that there is a valid reason for not making it known at the time. 

You must submit the appeal within 10 days of the date on the decision letter and use the correct form.

Full details about the appeal process, including a link to the form.

ASK can help you with an appeal.