QUT GUILD's UNIVERSE MAGAZINE Universe_Sem1_FINAL PRINT | Page 35

STUDENT RIGHTS TOTAL CASES 1500 1200 953 1263 1312 1292 2014 2015 2016 1038 900 600 300 certificates even if their illness is legitimate. Welcome to the land of bureaucracy, if you’re in doubt that you will need to provide official documentation, then you probably do. Get a certificate from your GP as soon as you feel as though your illness could hinder your academic performance. QUT counselling services: Don’t feel as though visiting the free QUT counsellor is raising the white flag of defeat. Visiting the counsellor regarding mental illness, unforeseen personal circumstances and domestic disputes are all legitimate reasons for deficient grades. Getting an extension for your work instead of rushing and copying off the internet is always the better option. If you feel as though you need the extra time, get it. Students often don’t think they will be eligible for these services and don’t try – trust me, the alternative is potential to fail a heavily weighted assessment, fail the unit, or even suspension from the university for a semester. Ultimately these decisions made in panic do nothing but get you into trouble with the university, increase your HECs debt and ultimately increasing your course duration. Don’t play yourself, get some help. Common misconduct misconceptions What a lot of students fail to recognise is that, although the misconduct committees and boards take into consideration the personal circumstances of each case, there is little the committee can do once your case has hit their desk. It will become apparent once reviewing the case material that the student has more times often than 0 189 189 2012 2013 not, failed to access the QUT help services. These include, counselling, disability planning, course tutor’s consultation times and online lectures. Our Goals The committee has very little flexibility of penalty. We see too often letters asking for minimisation of penalty, referring to unfortunate personal circumstances that unless considered by a QUT or private counsellor, cannot be used to waive penalty. Where does the Guild fits in all of this? The QUT Guild is heavily involved in dealing with a wide range of advocacy cases ranging from special consideration applications and misconduct representation to course complaints and assessment extension disputes. Our wingman who has dealt with approximately 6,100 advocacy cases since 2011 offers service in educating and coaching students regarding special considerations, enrolment etc. The Guild also sources students to sit on these university boards and committees to provide a students’ opinion in the deliberation process when verdict is reached. 2017 KPI s (Key Performance Indicator) • • • • Have at least 15 classrooms open for students to study while unoccupied Establishing the tax and legal help services hub • Creating a Q&A segment on our site • Clear avenues and regular pit stops for legal and tax help workshops Begin to see decreasing levels of misconduct (relating to mental illness) by second half of semester 2 Establish educational media to inform students about QUT services available HOW TO GET IN CONTACT 24 HR HOTLINE 0421 486 937 • EMAIL [email protected] 35