Student administration/Student complaint handling, University of Glasgow

University of Glasgow

Student administration

Student complaint handling

Rector

Principal

Masters, professors and lecturers

Faculty

Senate

Court

In the early years of the University, student complaints appear to have been handled primarily by the Principal and masters. The ultimate responsibility, however, rested with the Rector, who, as the active head of the University, exercised jurisdiction over all its members. It is not clear whether many complaints were made. Student discipline was strict and statutes decreed that students had to be obedient to their teachers. The authority of the masters was firmly asserted and enforced.

After the evolution of the Senate and Faculty in the 1600s, these too became involved in dealing with student complaints.

With the passing of the Universities (Scotland) Act, 1858, the Faculty was abolished and responsibility for superintending and regulating the teaching and discipline of the University passed to the Senate subject to review by the University Court. The Senate now therefore became responsible for handling complaints from students. From at least 2002, there were both informal and formal procedures to be followed in the case of any complaint. The informal procedure, which had been in operation for many years previously, involved students raising complaints with a person as close to the source as possible so that, for example, complaints about courses and their delivery were raised at class or departmental level. Students in every class were represented by one or more class representatives who sat on a staff/student committee, the purpose of which was to convey matters of student concern to the head of department. A student could also take a complaint direct to the Head of Department if that was more appropriate. If the informal process failed to resolve the issue, then a more formal procedure was followed. The student had to submit a written statement to the Clerk of Senate who then referred the matter to the Senior Senate Assessor for Student Complaints. After consultation, the Assessor passed the matter to an Investigating Officer, either a Head of Department or a Faculty Dean or some other appropriate officer or body. For serious matters, he referred it to the Senate itself. On receipt of a report from the Investigating Officer, the Assessor recommended further action to the Clerk of Senate. A review by the University Court could be requested by either party to the complaint.

Faculty meeting minutes 1642-1859 ref: GB 0248 GUA 26621, 26626, 26631-26632, 26634-26635, 26647-26650, 26690-26703
 

University meeting minutes 1730-1770 ref: GB 0248 GUA 26639-26644
 

Minutes of Faculty of Medicine 1856-1996 Ref: GB 0248 GUA MED 1
 

Senate minutes 1858 to date Ref: GB 0248 GUA SEN 1/1
 

Senate meeting papers 1858-1998 Ref: GB 0248 GUA Senate papers
 

Court minutes 1860-1997 Ref: GB 0248 GUA C 1/1
 

Court papers 1861-1964 Ref: GB 0248 GUA C 1/4
 

Minutes, agendas and papers of Faculty of Arts 1862-1998 Ref: GB 0248 GUA ART 1
 

Minutes of Faculty of Divinity 1867-1980 Ref: GB 0248 GUA DIV 1
 

Indexes to Senate minutes 1873-1919 Ref: GB 0248 GUA SEN 1/2
 

Clerk of Senate's letter books 1876-1911 ref: GB 0248 GUA 17069-17098
 

Court letters (in and out) 1890-1973 ref: GB 0248 GUA 53984-55083, 56141-56276, 56359
 

Minutes, agendas and papers of Faculty of Science 1893-1996 Ref: GB 0248 GUA SCI 1
 

Court agendas 1894-1925 Ref: GB 0248 GUA C 1/3
 

Court camera minutes 1900-1944 Ref: GB 0248 GUA C 1/2
 

Minutes, agendas and papers of Faculty of Law and Financial Studies formerly Faculty of Law 1901-1998 Ref: GB 0248 GUA LFS 1
 

Court camera papers 1906-1944 Ref: GB 0248 GUA C 1/5
 

Senate out letter books 1913-1947 ref: GB 0248 GUA 58533-58571
 

Minutes, agendas and papers of Faculty of Engineering 1923-1985 Ref: GB 0248 GUA ENG 1
 

Minutes of School of Social Study and Training 1928-1943 Ref: GB 0248 GUA SST 1
 

Minutes of Faculty of Social Sciences 1964-1995 Ref: GB 0248 GUA SSC 1
 

Minutes, agendas and memoranda of Department of Politics 1968-1976 Ref: GB 0248 GUA POL 1
 

Minutes of Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering 1985-1989 Ref: GB 0248 GUA EE 1/1
 

Title of function/activity taken from Elizabeth Parker's Function Activity Model (report compiled for JISC). Function and activity description compiled according to GASHE's Standard for Creating Function and Activity Descriptions.