Source · SPSO (Scottish Public Services Ombudsman)

The Robert Gordon University

SPSO (Scottish Public Services Ombudsman) Not Upheld Reference 201502859 Sector Education Category welfare Decided 01 July 2016

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Full decision

Summary

Miss C complained that her university did not support her after she returned from suspension of studies, and about the university's handling of her academic appeal.

We considered the information provided by Miss C and the university. We found that the university, in good faith, accepted certification from Miss C's GP that she was fit to return to study, and that Miss C had given the university no reason to question this until she appealed against the decision to withdraw her from study. The university provided evidence of email exchanges between Miss C and staff from after she returned from suspension and they reiterated that Miss C was certified by her GP as fit to study and that she did not inform the university of any problem at the time. They also said that there were no procedures relating to specific support in a situation where a student was returning from suspension of studies having been declared fit to return. We also found that the university dealt with Miss C's appeal in line with their procedures.

On the matter of Miss C's academic appeal, we saw no evidence that the university's handling of the appeal was inadequate and we therefore did not uphold this aspect of her complaint.

We were in no doubt that Miss C had health issues that had a significant impact on her, and the university were also aware of this. However, we found no evidence that the university failed to follow their procedures and, therefore, we did not uphold Miss C's complaints.

Related reading

View Decision Report 201502859 as a PDF (11.23 KB) Updated: March 13, 2018

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