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COURSE RESOURCES

Complaints and appeals

Understand Holmesglen's complaints and appeals process. 

Our complaints and appeals processes are an important part of student feedback and help us improve our service to students.

Complaints

Our complaints process is designed to assist you in making a complaint to the Institute and to make sure we handle it in a fair and courteous manner and within established time frames. We are committed to:

1.    Confidentiality: Your complaint is treated with the utmost confidentiality, and we ensure that your privacy is maintained throughout the process.

2.    Timely updates: We believe in keeping you informed. You will receive regular updates on the progress of the investigation into your complaint, ensuring transparency every step of the way.

3.    Non-discrimination: You will not be victimised or discriminated against because you lodge a complaint. Your pursuit of a resolution will be respected and protected.

In the first instance, speak with the Head of Department or Manager responsible for the area of which your complaint relates.

Unsure who to contact?

If you are unsure who is responsible for the matter you want to complain about, or feel uncomfortable to contact the responsible Head of Department or Manager, please contact the Institute’s Complaints and Appeals Coordinator, by email complaints@holmesglen.edu.au or phone on 9564 2046

If your complaint is unable to be resolved informally, you can submit a formal complaint. To do this:

1.     Download the complaint submission form

2.     Email the completed form to: complaints@holmesglen.edu.au or return by mail to Complaints and Appeals Coordinator, PO Box 42, HOLMESGLEN, VIC, 3148

Make sure you complete the form fully and attach any supporting documentation. If you have any questions regarding the complaints process, contact the Complaints and Appeals Coordinator on 9564 2046.

Your complaint should be clear and to the point. Summarise in a couple of sentences precisely what your complaint is about. Do not give excessive detail and set it out in a logical order. Your complaint should include:

  • Date
  • Your name, Student ID, address, and day-time telephone number
  • A description of the incident or problem
  • Relevant dates, places, and times
  • Relevant details of any telephone conversations and meetings
  • Any explanations you think are important
  • Copies of relevant documents
  • The result you are seeking – explain what action you think should be taken to resolve your complaint.

You may also like to refer to our:

  1. Acknowledgement: The Complaints and Appeals Coordinator will send you a written acknowledgement within five working days of receiving your complaint.
  2. Investigation: The responsible manager will initiate and finalise an investigation into your complaint within 10 working days of receiving your complaint. If more time is required, you will be promptly informed by the responsible manager. The manager may also need to contact you to seek further information about the complaint. You may also be invited to a meeting to discuss your complaint.
  3. Resolution: The responsible manager will inform you of the outcome of their investigation in writing. Should there be a reason for the findings not being released, you will be advised of the decision and the basis on which that decision was made. You will also be informed how to seek a review of the decision through our appeals process.

The Institute's Privacy Policy details how we handle your personal and health information and how you can access and correct it.

If you are concerned that we may have breached our privacy obligations or our policy, first contact the area that you initially provided your personal information to. If you are not satisfied with the response, email privacy@holmesglen.edu.au giving as much detail as possible in relation to your concern. If you are not satisfied with how we handle your privacy complaint, you can refer it to the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner or the Health Complaints Commissioner (for health information).

Appeals

We are committed to providing learners with a supportive, fair and positive learning experience. As part of this commitment, we recognise that we may make decisions that have an adverse effect on learners and that learners who are dissatisfied with such decisions may wish to appeal.

At all times during the appeal process, Holmesglen is committed to ensuring:

  1. Privacy and confidentiality
  2. Timely resolution at the earliest possible stage
  3. Transparency and consistency
  4. Impartiality, fairness and equity

Appeals may be lodged against decisions made under certain Holmesglen policies or procedures. This includes:

  • Final assessment outcomes for a unit or subject
  • Withdrawal, exclusion or cancellation of enrolment due to unsatisfactory progress or assessment performance, including performance on placement
  • Outcomes of complaints
  • Outcomes from discipline/general misconduct and academic misconduct process
  • Credit, advanced standing, exemptions, deferment or intermission (where available)
  • International student enrolment decisions (including non-payment of fees, unsatisfactory progress and attendance or misconduct)

You must be able to demonstrate that either there:

  • is new evidence that was not known or available at the time of the original decision and is likely to have affected the outcome of that decision
  • is evidence that Institute procedure was not followed in recommending or making the original decision and that procedural irregularity has materially disadvantaged the learner, including that the original decision-making process lacked procedural fairness
  • is evidence that the outcome determined by the original decision maker was manifestly wrong, excessive, inappropriate or not available given the context and circumstances of the original decision
  • was a bias or a conflict of interest on the part of the original decision makers.

  1. Download the appeal application form  
  2. Email the completed form to: complaints@holmesglen.edu.au or return by mail to Complaints and Appeals Coordinator, PO Box 42, HOLMESGLEN, VIC, 3148

Your appeal application must be made within 20 working days of the date you received notification of the original decision. The application should include all required supporting documentation, including evidence of the grounds for appeal. If you have any questions regarding the appeals process, contact the Complaints and Appeals Coordinator on 9564 2046.

You may like to refer to:

You should include:

  • The decision or outcome that you are appealing. This must be a reviewable decision as listed on the appeal application form.
  • A description of the original decision you are appealing.
  • Evidence of your grounds for appeal.
  • The reasons for your appeal application and any evidence you want us to consider.
  • What outcome you want.
  • Your name, student ID number, address, and day-time telephone number
  • Your signature and the date you submit the appeal.

What happens next?

  1. Acknowledgement: The Complaints and Appeals Coordinator will send you a written acknowledgement, within two business days of receiving your appeal. If you need to provide further information or clarify anything, the Complaints and Appeals Coordinator will work with you to make your appeal valid.
  2. Determination of appeal: The responsible manager will initiate an investigation and notify you with 10 business days of what we will do to review your decision. If the appeal is accepted, then we will finalise it within 20 business days. If more time is required, or your appeal will be heard by a Leaner Appeals Committee, then you will be informed in writing. You may also be invited to a meeting to discuss your appeal.
  3. Notification: The Complaints and Appeals Coordinator will inform you in writing of the outcome of your appeal. You can seek an external review of the appeal by a relevant authority such as the Victorian Ombudsman (see ombudsman.vic.gov.au or phone 9613 6222).