Something gone wrong with a course, a supervisor, or a staff member? Here is how University complaints work, the deadlines to watch, and who can help you through it.
If something has gone wrong with a course, a supervisor, or a staff member, the University has a process for sorting it out. This story explains how complaints work at the University, both informal and formal, the deadlines that apply, and where to get help with one.
AUSA’s Independent Student Advice team is free, confidential, and independent of the University. You can contact them at advice@ausa.org.nz or drop in to AUSA House, 4 Alfred Street.
Start Informal
Maybe your course isn’t being delivered the way it was meant to be. Maybe your supervisor has stopped replying. Maybe a staff member has spoken to you in a way that isn’t okay.
You don’t have to jump straight to a formal complaint. The University expects you to raise it informally first, where that’s safe and appropriate.
Who to go to: your class rep, the course director, your supervisor, the programme director, or academic head.
You can bring a support person.
Three Different Processes
Academic complaints
How a course is taught or assessed, learning resources, programme advice, research supervision.
Conduct complaints
Someone’s behaviour: bullying, harassment, discrimination.
Service complaints
The service you got from a University team.
Picking the wrong one is the most common reason a complaint stalls. If you’re not sure, ask us.
Formal Academic Complaints
If informal resolution doesn’t work, you can complain formally under the Student Academic Complaints Statute.
- In writing to the academic head of the department
- Clearly describe what happened, with supporting documents
- Put everything in the first time, because you generally can’t add to it later
- Students affected by the same issue can complain together
You have three months from the event, and you should raise it as soon as you reasonably can.
What Happens Next
- The academic head investigates, normally within 28 days
- You get a provisional determination within 7 days of the investigation finishing
- You then have 14 days to add comments to the provisional determination
- The Dean makes the final decision, normally within 14 days
- You can request the DVC (Education) to review the dean’s decision within 14 days, but only on limited grounds
What It Doesn’t Cover
The academic complaints process cannot be used to challenge:
- The marks you were given, or the academic merit of your work
- Admission or enrolment decisions
- Doctoral examination outcomes
- Academic standing decisions
Some of these matters have different complaint processes. Please contact us for further advice.
If It’s About Behaviour
Complaints relating to bullying, harassment and discrimination are dealt with differently.
In an emergency call 111 first, then Campus Security on 0800 373 7550.
Before You Lodge
- Put it in writing. Email, not text. You want a record with a date on it.
- Keep a timeline. What happened, when, who was there, what was said.
- Get advice before you lodge, not after. Once it’s in, it’s hard to change.
- Know what outcome you actually want. “An apology”, “a re-sit”, “a different supervisor”. Name it.
Contacts for Help
AUSA Independent Student Advice
advice@ausa.org.nz
Free, confidential and independent of the University. We can talk it through, help you draft it, and come with you.
Te Papa Manaaki | Campus Care
Free, confidential University support.
You are allowed to complain. Raising a concern is not being difficult. It’s how problems get fixed. If you have any questions about a complaint or appeal, email advice@ausa.org.nz or come to the AUSA House (4 Alfred Street) on city campus.