Student policies and procedures
Download the TAFE Queensland student rules and regulations publication [PDF 234kb].
Disciplinary procedures
Section 70 of the Vocational Education, Training and Employment Act 2000 provides for action against employees (a term which also includes apprentices) considered "on reasonable grounds" to have engaged in misconduct.
Depending on the trainee's history and the seriousness of the alleged offence/s, misconduct can result in cancellation or suspension of the training agreement and/or imposition of a fine of up to $300 and/or a reprimand of the employee.
Actions constituting misconduct are detailed within Section 96 and include instances where the trainee:
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wilfully disobeys a lawful order of the employer
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is dishonest or guilty of gross misbehaviour
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is absent from work without the employer's consent or the authority of the act
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fails to attend college in accordance with the act
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fails to make adequate progress with theoretical and/or practical aspects of their training
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fails to maintain a training record book or to produce it on demand.
Grievance
A grievance may arise if you believe that an incorrect decision or inappropriate behaviour has adversely affected your rights.
Informal appeal process
You should first try to achieve resolution of any grievance (academic and nonacademic) through an informal approach to the staff member or person responsible for the action. Alternatively, you can provide feedback to the Institute by completing TAFE Open Learning's 'Have Your Say' form.
Formal appeal process
If you have been unable to resolve your grievance through an informal process, you have the right to submit a written complaint to the relevant Institute Director. That Institute Director will notify the relevant staff member (or supervisor) of the grievance and, depending on the nature of the complaint, will decide on appropriate action to resolve the grievance. The Director will respond to you within seven days of receiving your written complaint.
Non-academic appeals
If you consider the response to a disciplinary or misconduct decision is unsatisfactory you have the right to appeal to the Institute Misconduct Review Panel. A date for the Misconduct Review Panel meeting will be set as quickly as possible and you will be notified of the time, date and venue in writing. If required, the Institute will provide an interpreter to assist you during the meeting.
You have the right to be accompanied by a representative and you may call witnesses, or you can provide a written submission instead of attending the meeting. You can ask the Institute Counsellor to support you through this process.
If you do not attend the meeting or provide a written submission, the panel may assess the matter and, where necessary, impose a penalty as if you had participated. The panel will advise you in writing of the decision within two working days of the date of the decision. The decision of the Misconduct Review Panel shall be final. Note: If you are an apprentice or a trainee, your appeal must be lodged in accordance with the Vocational Education, Training and Employment Act 2000.
Academic appeals
If you decide to appeal your final result of assessment, you will need to retain all your assessment pieces and return them to the Institute within the appeal period. TAFE Open Learning's appeal period is 28 days from the Result of Assessment leaving the Institute. If you consider that the response to an academic decision is unsatisfactory, you have the right to appeal to the Institute Academic Appeals Committee.
The Academic Appeals Committee shall:
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review the circumstances of a dispute or question relating to the academic processes or procedures adopted in arriving at, or reaching, an academic decision and shall make a determination in the matter
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give the student notice in writing not less than five days before the date of the hearing of the time and place of the hearing
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have the chairperson at any meeting ensure a recording is kept of the proceedings at that meeting, containing a fair summary of the evidence submitted to, or obtained by, the committee and such other minutes of its proceedings as will fairly show the manner in which it conducted the inquiry
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immediately after reaching its decision, communicate that decision to the institute director and the student.
Privacy
Personal information collected as a result of your enrolment will be used by the Department of Education, Training and Employment for general student administration, vocational education and training administration and regulation, as well as departmental planning, reporting, communication, research, evaluation, auditing and marketing. Only authorised departmental officers have access to this information.
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Your personal information may be disclosed to Commonwealth and State Government authorities and agencies.
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Your personal information may be shared with other Queensland TAFE Institutes in which you enrol or apply to enrol, as stated in the TAFE Student Rules.
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If you are a school-based apprentice or trainee, your personal information, attendance details, progress and results will be disclosed to your school and the Queensland Studies Authority.
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Your results may be disclosed to the Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre.
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If you are an apprentice/trainee, your personal information, attendance details, progress and results will be disclosed to your employer or host employer.
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If you are under the age of 18 years your personal information, attendance details, progress and results may be disclosed to your parent/guardian.
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If you are studying at a Queensland Institute of TAFE towards your secondary education, your personal information, attendance details, progress and results will be disclosed to your school, and to the Queensland Studies Authority as authorised by the Youth Participation in Education and Training Act 2003.
No further access to your enrolment information will be provided to any other organisation or persons without your consent unless authorised or required by law, in accordance with the Information Privacy Principles in Information Standard 42.