Is my report confidential?
Yes. Student Services take confidentiality as a highest priority. The only time confidentiality will be broken is if you want us to or there is a safeguarding concern.
What happens if I report anonymously?
Reporting anonymously means that the University will not be able to identify you or anyone that you are reporting. This means that we will not be able to contact you to offer any support or initiate an investigation into the concerns you have raised.
We understand that not everyone wants to report giving their personal details and anonymous reporting provides you with the opportunity to tell the University what has happened without taking it further. Although we cannot act on your report, the University uses the information from anonymous reports to better understand what is happening in our community and to inform our proactive, preventative and support work.
What happens if I report with personal details?
Your report will be assigned to someone in the Student Life team and they will contact you by email. They may offer you an appointment to talk about what happened, or sometimes may need to ask a few questions to make sure you have access to the most appropriate support.
The Student Life team can offer practical advice and support and can explain the formal University Discipline reporting process if you have been impacted by the behaviour of someone else at UEA.
Will you investigate what happened as soon as I make a report?
Submitting a report does not automatically initiate the formal University Discipline process. In most cases, we would not be able to proceed with an investigation into what happened without clear, informed consent from the reporter.
If you would like your report to proceed to the formal University Discipline process, the Student Life adviser who contacts you will be able to explain the next steps.
There may be certain situations where we are always required to proceed with an investigation, in line with safeguarding and professionalism concerns. We will endeavour to provide reporters with as much as information as possible in these circumstances.
I’m not sure about submitting a report – can I talk to someone and get help before making a decision?
There is nothing to worry about by making a report. Submitting a report means an adviser can contact you and offer an appointment. In the appointment you will have access to advice, support and options of what you can do next. You can take as much time as needed to think about what you'd like to do, and don't need to decide during the appointment.
Please feel confident in making a report as a way to purely access support, and not initiate the University Discipline process.
For more information, please see What happens when I report
Can I make a report on behalf of someone else?
Yes you can. However we would want to contact the person you are reporting for to give them the support they need, so it's important to consider how they would feel about you making the report on their behalf.
What happens if I report to the police?
Depending on what has happened, one option can be reporting to the police. If you do decide to report to the police and they take the report forward as a criminal investigation, the University cannot continue with any internal investigations until the police investigation, and any resulting court cases, have been closed.
An adviser will be able to explain more and will be able to support you through any decision you make. Any appropriate risk assessments and support mechanisms to manage your safety will still be carried out.
Will my parents / my school be told?
No. The only time we would tell your parents or school is if there is a safeguarding concern about you or others. This includes if you are on a professional course, such as training to become a doctor, nurse or teacher.
What happens if I’m reporting another student?
If your report is about the behaviour of another student that may constitute a breach in the University's General Regulations for Students (General Regulations - University Governance - About (uea.ac.uk), your Student Life adviser can help make a referral to the Student Misconduct Investigation Team. The team can investigate the details of your report and submit their findings to the Disciplinary Officer to make a decision.
For more information, please see What happens when I report
There can be a range of outcomes and it will depend on each individual case. They can range from a fixed monetary penalty to cases going to the Senate Student Discipline Committee (SSDC) which could lead to a suspension or expulsion.
If your report is about the behaviour of another student that is unlikely to meet the threshold for a referral to the Student Misconduct Investigation Team or does not indicate a breach of the General Regulations for Students, you are still entitled to access support and information from the Student Life team, and there may also be external support services that can help.
Will the person I’ve reported know what I have said?
If you submit a report with personal details through Report & Support the person being reported will not be automatically notified, unless there are significant safety concerns related to safeguarding or professional misconduct that requires the University to undertake an immediate investigation. A Student Life advisor will let you know if that is the case.
The person being reported will also not be notified if you have a meeting with a Student Life advisor to talk about what happened, or if you access any support from Student Services.
If you give consent for a disciplinary referral to be made and if the referral to the Student Misconduct Investigation Team is accepted for investigation, then the person who has been reported will have access to the investigation report, all evidence and any statements made. This means that they will know who has made the report but will not be given any personal details like your address or contact details.
Your Student Life adviser can talk to you about risk assessments and support mechanisms if you are concerned about your safety during an investigation.
How long does a University investigation take?
From the point of referral to the Student Misconduct Investigation Team, investigations usually take a maximum of 60 days. However, this can vary depending on several factors including the complexity and severity of the allegations and the number of students involved.
Please note that cases referred to the Senate Student Discipline Committee can take longer.
Will I see the person I’ve reported at a meeting?
During investigation meetings with the Student Misconduct Investigation Team, you will not see the person you have reported.
The most serious cases may result in a Senate Student Discipline Committee hearing and, in this event, you may encounter the person you’ve reported if you are asked to give evidence.
Your Student Life advisor can discuss any concerns you may have about safety as a result of this.
Can I bring a friend or my parents with me to an investigation meeting or hearing?
You may bring one person with you to a meeting or hearing, known as your ‘companion’. This can be a friend or relative, or you can contact the Students Union for advice and representation at the meeting.
Will I know the outcome of a University investigation?
In most cases, a reporting student is informed that the case has concluded and whether the Disciplinary Officer found a breach in the General Regulations for Students, but no additional information.
Universities are unable to share the outcomes of investigations and disciplinary processes with third parties.
Can I make a report of misconduct with no evidence?
Yes, but without evidence it may not be possible to initiate an investigation.
What if I am not happy with the outcome of an investigation?
If you are not happy with the outcome, you can submit a Non-Academic Complaint. More information on the Non-Academic Complaints procedure can be found MyUEA and the Students Union can support students during this process.
Can I discuss the investigation with others?
You can discuss the investigation with a Student Life advisor or Students’ Union representative, but it is advised that you do not discuss the investigation with anyone else.
You should not discuss the investigation with any other person involved in the investigation.
I was reported – what if I am not happy with the outcome of an investigation?
When you receive the outcome letter from the Disciplinary Officer, this will explain how you can appeal the decision and what the grounds for appealing are. Visit Non-Academic Disciplinary Appeals for more information.