Tutors/those supporting Students

The Office of Student Conduct, Complaints and Appeals (OSCCA) provides support for all collegiate University staff supporting students using University student complaint, student conduct or appeal procedures. You can access our published guides and useful contacts below:

Remember to browse the OSCCA webpages of the relevant procedure for further information about the procedure. If you are a staff member advising a student about a procedure and you are uncertain about something, just ask - you can email us at studentcomplaints@admin.cam.ac.uk.

Anonymous complaints mechanism for Graduate students

The University understands that there are additional barriers for postgraduate students to raise complaints about their University experience, particularly PhD students, because of the close relationships that they develop with staff and their reliance on individual staff members' good will. As a result, the University is currently conducting a pilot which enables postgraduate students to provide anonymous feedback through their College Graduate Tutors to the Office of Student Conduct, Complaints and Appeals (OSCCA), or directly through OSCCA, which will then be shared with the Department or Faculty. This will not be able to lead to direct formal investigation due to its anonymous nature. However, the Department and Faculty will be able to take it into account and reflect on the feedback and any change that this may require. To report a concern contact OSCCA@admin.cam.ac.uk. 

This pilot will be in place for 6 months, following which time OSCCA will report on the use and benefit of the system and will look to identify trends and take action in relation to these.

Briefing sessions

OSCCA offer briefing sessions for staff from time to time. The dates and times of our upcoming briefing sessions can be found here. If you would like a bespoke briefing session on any element of OSCCA's work, please get in touch. The briefing sessions we have run in the past and tend to run annually include:

  • Supporting students who have experienced sexual misconduct 

This workshop is delivered in partnership with the Harassment and Violence Support Service. The session will give you an opportunity to understand more about the prevalence and context of sexual misconduct, the effects and impacts experiencing this can have, the barriers to reporting and how to respond if a student discloses an experience to you. You will also be introduced to internal and external sources of support and the reporting options available within the University and beyond. The session is free for all University and College staff but booking is required. 

  • Briefing on University's Discipline Procedure (revised procedure from 1 October 2023 onwards)

This session provides an overview of the revised Student Discipline Procedure, new from 1 October 2023 onwards. The revisions to the Procedure include: changes to investigating and sanctioning academic misconduct; fast track processes for considering criminal convictions and fraudulent admissions information relating to current students; additional rights for reporting students; and clearer sanctions guidance. The session is free for all University and College staff but booking is required. 

  • Investigating and Sanctioning Academic Misconduct

This session provides an overview of the responsibilities of the Chairs of Examiners, Senior Examiners, Chairs of Degree Committee or delegates in investigating suspected academic misconduct and sanctioning academic misconduct where found. This session familiarises staff with the changes to investigating and sanctioning academic misconduct being implemented for assessment submissions from 1 October 2023 onwards. The session is free for all University and College staff but booking is required. 

  • University Student Complaint Procedure workshop 

This workshop will give you an opportunity to consider how complaints might be prevented and when complaints first arise how to respond to them appropriately and in line with the University's new Student Complaint Procedure. In addition to providing you with an overview of the Student Complaint Procedure, the workshop will include practical tips for investigating and taking action following complaints at a local level. The session will include a presentation and a series of case studies, giving you the opportunity to put the principles into practice. The session is free for all University and College staff but booking is required. 

  • University Examination Review Procedure workshop 

This workshop will provide you with an overview of the Examination Review Procedure, including: guidance on mark checks; how some matters might be dealt with at an Examiners’ Meeting; how an investigation is undertaken once a student raises a formal complaint regarding their results; and possible outcomes that Examiners may be required to undertake. This presentation will be followed by a series of case studies, giving you the opportunity to understand how the Examination Review Procedure works in practice. The session is free for all University and College staff but booking is required.