THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITy

Discipline Rule 2021

 

I, Professor Brian P. Schmidt, Vice-Chancellor, make the following rule.

Dated 15 July 2021

 

Professor Brian P. Schmidt AC FAA FRS

Vice-Chancellor

 

 

Contents

Part 1— Preliminary

1 Name

2 Commencement

3 Authority

4 Application of instrument

5 Definitions

6 Sexual harassment and other forms of harassment

Part 2— Misconduct

7 Misconduct

Part 3— Consequences of misconduct

Division 3.1— Reporting misconduct

8 Reports of misconduct

9 Action for misconduct without report

Division 3.2— Respondent and complainant

10 Respondent and complainant in relation to conduct

11 Keeping complainant informed

Division 3.3— Action by prescribed authority

12 Decision whether to take action under this instrument: prescribed authority

13 Making decision whether to take action: prescribed authority

14 Effect of decision whether to take action: prescribed authority

15 Notice of decision to conduct inquiry: prescribed authority

16 Interim action by prescribed authority

17 Interim action by prescribed authority: procedure and review

Division 3.4— Action by Vice-Chancellor

18 Decision whether to take action under this instrument: Vice-Chancellor

19 Making decision whether to take action: Vice-Chancellor

20 Effect of decision whether to take action: Vice-Chancellor

21 Notice of decision to conduct inquiry: Vice-Chancellor

22 Interim action by Vice-Chancellor

23 Interim action by Vice-Chancellor: procedure and review

Part 4— Inquiries

Division 4.1— General

24 Conducting inquiry

Division 4.2— Inquiry process

25 Inquiry process: purpose of inquiry

26 Inquiry process: inquiry hearing

27 Inquiry process: remote participation by respondent etc.

28 Inquiry process: changes in person conducting inquiry

29 Inquiry process: changes in members of panel conducting inquiry

30 Inquiry process: conduct of inquiry generally

31 Inquiry process: matters for consideration

Division 4.3— Finding and action at completion of inquiry: prescribed authority

32 Application of Division 4.3

33 Finding at completion of inquiry: prescribed authority

34 Action by prescribed authority after finding of misconduct

Division 4.4— Finding and action at completion of inquiry: Vice-Chancellor

35 Application of Division 4.4

36 Finding at completion of inquiry: Vice-Chancellor

37 Action by Vice-Chancellor after finding of misconduct

Division 4.5— Notice at completion of inquiry

38 Notice at completion of inquiry

Part 5— Consequences of action taken for misconduct

39 Denial of access

40 Exclusion from assessment

41 Requirements, conditions and undertakings

42 Suspension of student

43 Immediate suspension of student: procedure and review

44 Liability to pay monetary penalty or compensation

45 Exclusion from University

Part 6— Failure to meet obligations

46 Failure to meet obligations by due date

47 Liability of persons financially supported by third parties

48 Sanctions against persons who fail to meet obligations

Part 7— Review and call in of decisions

Division 7.1— Review of decisions under Appeals Rule

49 Meaning of reviewable decision

50 Review of reviewable decisions under Appeals Rule

Division 7.2— Call in of decisions

51 Vice-Chancellor may call in certain decisions

Part 8— Miscellaneous

52 Joint, double or dual programs with other institutions etc.

53 Extension of time

54 Processes under other University legislation

Part 9— Repeal and transitional provisions

Division 9.1— Repeal

55 Repeal

Division 9.2— Transitional provisions

56 General application and savings

57 Transitional orders

58 Application of Legislation Statute, section 26

59 Transitional provisions additional

 

Part 1—Preliminary

complainant, in relation to conduct: see section 10(3) (Respondent and complainant in relation to conduct).

course means a subject of scholarly study, whether it is taught:

Dean, in relation to a student and:

discrimination includes unfair or inequitable treatment on the basis of a person’s race, colour, sex, sexual preference or orientation, marital status, pregnancy or potential pregnancy, status as carer, age, disability, ethnic or national origin, breastfeeding requirements, religious, political or union affiliation, or any other attributes applied by or set out in any Commonwealth, State, Territory or University legislation that applies in relation to a University activity.

engage in conduct means:

harassment: for forms of harassment that are not sexual harassment, see section 6(2) (Sexual harassment and other forms of harassment).

inquiry means an inquiry under Part 4 (Inquiries).

misconduct: see section 7 (Misconduct).

obligation includes:

prescribed authority means:

presiding officer, in relation to an inquiry, means:

(b)    in any other case—the person conducting, or who is to conduct, the inquiry.

property includes any form of real or personal property.

Example of property

Intellectual property, including intellectual property in any data or information.

respondent, in relation to conduct: see section 10(2) (Respondent and complainant in relation to conduct).

reviewable decision: see section 49 (Meaning of reviewable decision).

sexual assault includes any offence of a sexual nature committed on another person without the other person’s consent.

Examples of sexual assault

Conduct that is an offence against the Crimes Act 1900 (ACT), section 54 (Sexual intercourse without consent) or section 60 (Act of indecency without consent).

[Note: Sexual assault includes a range of behaviours, all of which are unacceptable and constitute a crime, whereby a person is forced, coerced or tricked into sexual acts against their will or without their consent, including when they have withdrawn their consent.]

sexual harassment: see section 6(1) (Sexual harassment and other forms of harassment).

student means a person who is or was enrolled in, or seeking enrolment in, a program or course offered by the University, or who is or was given permission by the University to audit a program or course offered by the University.

University premises means land or premises owned or occupied by the University, and includes, for example, any of the following:

University-related conduct means conduct that is connected with the University.

Examples of University-related conduct

1 Conduct that relates to the University, its activities, or its staff, or students, in their capacity as members of staff, or students, of the University.

2 Conduct that happens on or in, or in connection with, University premises.

3 Conduct engaged in using, or facilitated by, University information infrastructure or services or any other University resources, equipment or services.

4 Conduct that happens during, or relates to, the exercise of functions for the University.

5 Conduct that happens during, or in connection with, any function or event connected with the University (whether or not organised or approved by the University).

6 Conduct that happens when a person is representing the University in any capacity.

victimisation includes any unfavourable treatment, including adverse changes to a person’s work or study environment, denial of access to resources, work opportunities or training, or ostracism of a person as a consequence of the person’s involvement in a grievance under any grievance procedures applying in the University.

 

[Note: For definitions applying to University legislation generally, see the dictionary in the Legislation Statute. That dictionary defines terms relevant to this instrument, including the following:

[Note: This definition mirrors the definition of sexual harassment in the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cwlth), section 28A(1).]

conduct of a sexual nature includes making a statement of a sexual nature to, or in the presence of, a person, whether the statement is made orally or in writing.

Part 2—Misconduct

[Note 1: For the values set by the Council for the University, see the University’s Strategic Plan.]

[Note 2: For the responsibilities set by the University for students, see especially the Student Code of Conduct.]

Examples for paragraph (b)

Conduct that is an offence against the Crimes Act 1900 (ACT), section 61B (Intimate observations or capturing visual data etc), section 72C (Non-consensual distribution of intimate images) or section 72E (Threaten to capture or distribute intimate images).

[Note: An example in University legislation is not exhaustive and may extend, but does not limit, the meaning of University legislation (see Legislation Statute, section 11 (Examples in University legislation)).]

Part 3—Consequences of misconduct

3 The conduct is not University-related conduct.

[Note: For the service (however described) of notices and other documents, see the Legislation Statute, section 24.]

[Note: See section 25 (Inquiry process: purpose of inquiry).]

[Note: See also section 17 (Interim action by prescribed authority: procedure and review).]

[Note 1: For certain conduct in relation to information infrastructure or services, action may be taken under the Information Infrastructure and Services Rule.]

[Note 2: For the effect of a denial of access or exclusion from an assessment, see sections 39 (Denial of access) and 40 (Exclusion from assessment).]

3 The conduct is not University-related conduct.

(5)    If the Vice-Chancellor appoints a panel under subsection (3)(b), the Vice-Chancellor must, in writing, appoint one of the members of the panel as Chair of the panel.

[Note: For the service (however described) of notices and other documents, see the Legislation Statute, section 24.]

[Note: See section 25 (Inquiry process: purpose of inquiry).]

[Note: See also section 23 (Interim action by Vice-Chancellor: procedure and review).]

[Note 1: For certain conduct in relation to information infrastructure or services, action may be taken under the Information Infrastructure and Services Rule.]

[Note 2: For the effect of a denial of access or exclusion from an assessment, see sections 39 (Denial of access) and 40 (Exclusion from assessment).]

Part 4—Inquiries

[Note: If the respondent participates in the inquiry under a permission or requirement under section 27(2), the respondent is taken to have appeared in person at the inquiry (see section 27(5)).]

inquiry includes any part of the inquiry.

relevant person means:

Examples of methods of communication for remote participation

1 teleconference

2 videoconference

[Note: A function exercised by the delegate (or subdelegate) of a prescribed authority is taken to have been exercised by the prescribed authority (see Acts Interpretation Act, section 34AB(1)(c)).]

[Note: For the effect of a denial of access, see section 39 (Denial of access).]

[Note: See section 42 (Suspension of student).]

[Note: For conditions under paragraph (e), requirements under paragraph (f) or undertakings under paragraph (g), see section 41 (Requirements, conditions and undertakings).]

[Note: A function exercised by the delegate (or subdelegate) of the Vice-Chancellor is taken to have been exercised by the Vice-Chancellor (see Acts Interpretation Act, section 34AB(1)(c)).]

[Note: For inquiries conducted by a panel of person on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, see section 20(6) (Effect of decision whether to take action: Vice-Chancellor).]

[Note: For the effect of a denial of access, see section 39 (Denial of access).]

[Note: See section 42 (Suspension of student).]

[Note: For conditions under paragraph (e), requirements under paragraph (h) or undertakings under paragraph (i), see section 41 (Requirements, conditions and undertakings: finding of academic misconduct).]

[Note: See section 44 (Liability to pay monetary penalty or compensation).]

[Note: See section 45 (Exclusion from University).]

[Note: For the service (however described) of notices and other documents, see the Legislation Statute, section 24.]

Part 5—Consequences of action taken for misconduct

[Note: See section 43 (Immediate suspension of student: procedure and review).]

Part 6—Failure to meet obligations

Part 7—Review and call in of decisions

[Note: The decisions specified in this subsection are discipline decisions and reviewable decisions under the Appeals Rule (see Appeals Rule, sections 6 and 5).]

[Note: The Vice-Chancellor may not call in a reviewable decision if an application has been made under the Appeals Rule for review of the decision (see section 51(3)).]

[Note: The Appeals Rule provides that a student may, in accordance with that rule (including required time limits), apply for review of a reviewable decision affecting the student in the student’s capacity as a student (see Appeals Rule, section 9).]

[Note: See section 49 (Meaning of reviewable decision).]

Part 8—Miscellaneous

relevant University official means:

[Note: The time limit may be extended even though the relevant time has ended (see Legislation Statute, section 22 (Power to extend time)).]

Part 9—Repeal and transitional provisions