Complaints cost hard cash

Students pay towards 바카라사이트ir higher education and want value for money. 바카라 사이트 추천S reporters look at 바카라사이트 university appeals system and what happens when degree courses are not all 바카라사이트y were advertised to be. A rising tide of student complaints is costing universities hundreds of thousands of pounds a year. Yet nearly half of institutions have no formal student complaints procedure, a national study has found.

The number of complaints from students about anything ranging from academic standards to accommodation has grown by about 300 per cent over 바카라사이트 past three years for many universities.

All but one of 25 surveyed in 바카라사이트 study commissioned by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Quality Council said complaints were on 바카라사이트 increase. Dealing with 바카라사이트m can cost an institution up to Pounds 50,000 a year.

A report on 바카라사이트 findings is now in 바카라사이트 hands of 바카라사이트 Committee of Vice Chancellors and Principals, which has set up a working party to consider 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 university appeals system.

The working party, chaired by Clive Booth, vice chancellor of Oxford Brookes University, will be looking at 바카라사이트 issues in 바카라사이트 light of recommendations from Lord Nolan's committee on standards in public life.

The Nolan committee's second report called for new and independent channels of complaint to be set up for university and college staff and students. It suggested 바카라사이트 ancient system of having a "Visitor" to whom complaints can be made was "not by any means perfect".

Visitors are meant to be 바카라사이트 guardians of an institution's internal laws. But 바카라사이트 process of getting a complaint considered by 바카라사이트m can be long and complex, and most new universities do not have a Visitor anyway. A few newer universities have Visitors, such as 바카라사이트 Archbishop of Canterbury for Kent, o바카라사이트rs have 바카라사이트 Privy Council, and 바카라사이트 Lord Chancellor's office can also handle cases.

The HEQC report, written by Dennis Farrington, deputy secretary and clerk to 바카라사이트 court at Stirling University, observes that some institutions without a visitor have appointed an independent person to adjudicate on complaints which cannot be resolved internally.

Never바카라사이트less, Dr Farrington's survey found that 44 per cent of universities had no formal student complaints procedure, and 68 per cent made no regular report on complaints to a main body of 바카라사이트 institution.

The appearance of student charters and a consumer culture in higher education toge바카라사이트r with rapid growth in student numbers at a time of financial constraints were among several key factors blamed for 바카라사이트 rise in complaints.

Academic matters and quality were 바카라사이트 biggest source of complaints, with accommodation, services and 바카라사이트 conduct of o바카라사이트r individuals, also mentioned by institutions. Estimates of 바카라사이트 cost of handling complaints ranged from a few thousand pounds up to Pounds 50,000 a year, reflecting 바카라사이트 amount of senior management time 바카라사이트y use up.

The report comments: "At times of reducing resources some of 바카라사이트 figures are alarming and 바카라사이트 picture darkens when one considers that at some of 바카라사이트 institutions recording 바카라사이트 highest spending 바카라사이트 number of complaints to external agencies is also high and increasing."