Bond University is committed to the values of integrity, respect, accountability and continuous improvement in relation to all aspects of the University’s facilities, services and operations. Feedback from staff, students and the community, is essential to ensuring continuous improvement.
The Office of Integrity is here to receive and engage with feedback, whether positive or negative, and whether a response is required. We view grievances, including complaints, reviews and appeals as opportunities for improvement, and we recognise the important role that whistleblowers may play in ensuring accountability.
Your grievances and disclosures will be dealt with respectfully, fairly and in a timely manner. Your privacy and confidentiality will also be maintained, accepting that some degree of disclosure is likely to be required to process your grievance. This will be done in accordance with relevant University policies and procedures and applicable laws.
Navigate this page to learn more about how the Office of Integrity can assist you, and find links to helpful resources.
Make a complaint or provide feedback to Bond University
Grievances include complaints about the University's operations, services or facilities, as well as requests for reviews or appeals of University decisions. These are covered by the Complaints and Feedback Procedure and the Student Review and Appeal Procedure respectively.
View our FAQs below to learn more about grievances.
Please follow the link to our Feedback and complaints page, if you would like to learn more about how complaints are managed at Bond.
A grievance is defined by Bond as "a problem or concern raised by a student who considers that they have been negatively impacted because of an action, determination or omission within the control or responsibility of the University".
Only students may request a review or appeal of University decisions in terms of the Student Appeals and Reviews Procedure. However, anyone may submit a complaint.
All parties are to act honestly, fairly and reasonably while pursuing a grievance. In addition, acting in good faith requires a person not to undermine attempts to resolve the grievance. It does not mean that the person should set aside their own interests.
A frivolous grievance is one that has no substance to it, including those that are so trivial they are considered not to be worth pursuing. An example would be a grievance about the colour of a person’s shirt on any given day of the week.
Vexatious grievances are those which are solely intended to cause harm to another person or to harass or undermine another person; malicious intent is the hallmark of a vexatious grievance. There is generally no substance to a vexatious claim either.
Yes, however, the next step will depend on whether you have submitted sufficient, reliable information in relation to the grievance, for the University to proceed with addressing it.
If you choose to submit a grievance anonymously, the information you provide will be kept confidential, but if the matter concerns two people, then it’s more probable than not that the other person will know who reported, even if you have submitted anonymously.
Please also be aware that we will not be able to advise you of any progress made with the grievance or Bond’s response to it, if we do not have contact details for you.
The process will be conducted in terms of the University’s Privacy Policy and applicable law. This means that your privacy will be respected, and confidentiality will be maintained to the extent possible while resolving your concern/s.
Your personal information will only be shared by the University with University staff who are directly involved with its resolution
If you are unhappy with the outcome of your grievance at Bond University, there are a range of external agencies that may be able to assist you by conducting an external review. Which agency is best placed to do so will depend on the nature of your grievance, among other factors. For further details, see the FAQs on external reviews.
If you are unhappy with a decision you have received from Bond University, you can lodge an appeal or submit a request for review.
Visit our Reviews and appeals page for information about the process, informal resolution options, example processes and ineligible reasons for review.
If you are unhappy with the way your grievance or concern has been dealt with or you consider the outcome to be wrong, there are a number of external agencies that may be able to assist you.
Further information about these and the processes to follow is available on our external reviews page and in the External Review Procedure.
Bond University is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity at our Institution. We therefore welcome you to ‘blow the whistle’ on misconduct that you reasonably and honestly believe to be occurring at or in relation to Bond. Please ensure, however, that you do so in accordance with the Whistleblowing and Public Interest Disclosure Policy and Procedure.
In these FAQs, we respond to common questions about whistleblowing and public interest disclosures. However, disclosures will only be protected if they meet all requirements for the relevant type of protected disclosure. If you are unsure, we would encourage you to consult a legal professional prior to making the disclosure. Alternatively, you are welcome to contact the Office of Integrity for a confidential discussion, atintegrity@bond.edu.au.
Whistleblowing refers to alerting appropriate persons or authorities to wrongdoing that is or has been occurring, usually (but not necessarily) within the whistleblower’s organisation or workplace, or former organisation or workplace. The wrongdoing may relate to unlawful, unethical or improper conduct or to danger or potential danger to the health and safety of people or the environment.
Protected disclosures are disclosures of information about acts or omissions (reportable conduct) covered by the policy. To be protected, the disclosure must be made to an appropriate person or authority.
"Reportable conduct" includes serious misconduct by a Bond University staff member or official, threats to the environment or the health and safety of the Bond Community arising from Bond’s operations, and breaches of laws, regulations or Bond’s policies and procedures by the University or its staff. For a complete list, see Clause 4 of the policy.
For example, if you reasonably and honestly believe and therefore disclose that your manager is engaging in fraudulent conduct, you will be legally protected from being dismissed or disciplined in response to that disclosure.
You may make a disclosure anonymously. However, doing so may limit Bond University’s ability to investigate the disclosure and take action (where applicable) in relation to the disclosure. This is particularly true where additional information is required in relation to the disclosure for the investigation and/or other processes to progress.
Even if you choose to disclose the information anonymously, you are still required to meet the requirements of the University’s policy and procedure, including being an eligible person to make the disclosure. For example, only staff, former staff and contractors of the University and their family members are entitled to make certain types of disclosure.
To the extent possible, while conducting any necessary investigations and inquiries into the disclosure and responding to it, Bond will keep your disclosure confidential.
Please also be aware of your own obligations to maintain confidentiality in this process. For further information, see Clause 4.3 of the Procedure for Making a Protected Disclosure.
Examples include disclosures about offences or misconduct that the discloser reasonably suspects to have been committed by the University or an officer of the University (or by a related body corporate), under the relevant acts or in relation to the tax affairs of the University. For further details, see clause 4.3 of the Whistleblower and Public Interest Disclosure Policy.
In addition, disclosures may be made under the Public Interest Disclosure Act (2010) (Qld). Read the next FAQ for more details.
In all cases, disclosures must be made to an appropriate authority or person in terms of the Policy and Procedure. Please see clauses 4.3 and 4.4 of the policy for further details.
Note that disclosures about personal work-related concerns and grievances are not covered by the law or the policy. So, a disclosure to the effect that you were, for example, unfairly overlooked for promotion at work would not qualify as a protected disclosure in this context.
A public interest disclosure (or a general public interest disclosure under the Protected Disclosures Act, Queensland) may be made by anyone. For a disclosure to qualify as a public interest disclosure, it must concern one or more of the following:
Substantial and specific dangers to the health and safety of one or more people with a disability; or
Substantial and specific dangers to the environment; or
Reprisals in response to a disclosure being made under the relevant legislation.
In addition, University staff (public officers) may make disclosures about corrupt conduct, maladministration substantially affecting another person/s, substantial misuse of resources, and certain, significant dangers to the public’s health and safety or the environment.
This depends on the type of disclosure. For example, only staff members, current and former officers and University contractors and their families may make a disclosure under the Corporations Act concerning alleged misconduct at the University. However, certain types of public interest disclosure may be made by anyone.
We encourage you to consult the Whistleblower and Public Interest Disclosure Policy to determine whether you are eligible to make a disclosure. Alternatively, feel free to contact the Office of Integrity at integrity@bond.edu.au.
While the legislation permits disclosures to be made to external bodies as well as authorised persons at the University, at Bond, we encourage you to approach the University first. This is likely to result in the most efficient and effective response to your disclosure. It will also allow Bond to ensure that reprisals and victimisation are prevented.
To do so, please contact the Office of Integrity at integrity@bond.edu.au. If the matter concerns the Vice Chancellor, please submit the information to the Chair of the Audit, Risk & Safety Committee at governance@bond.edu.au.
There is no required list of information or details to provide when making a disclosure. However, please ensure that you have objectively reasonable grounds supporting the information you are disclosing, that you are disclosing the information honestly, and that the information is clear and as factual as possible.
Bond suggests you include at least the following information in any disclosure made to the University:
the nature of the wrongdoing
the name, job title and workplace address of the subject of the disclosure
when and where the disclosure occurred
events surrounding the issue
if the discloser did anything in response to the wrongdoing
others who also know about the wrongdoing and have allowed it to continue
if the discloser is concerned about possible reprisal as a result of making the disclosure
names of others who may be able to support the disclosure or any other evidence to support the disclosure
steps already taken to report the matter internally should also be included, if relevant (see Clause 4.2 of the procedure)
Try to avoid including irrelevant information, and please do not submit misleading or inaccurate information where you know this to be the case.
Upon receiving the disclosure, the Chief Integrity Officer will assess the information to determine whether it qualifies as a protected disclosure. If it does qualify, the Chief integrity Officer will decide whether the matter should be dealt with by the University or referred to an external agency. If the matter is referred to an external agency, you will be notified of this. She will also consider the need, if any, for immediate action to be taken in relation to the information disclosed.
Where an investigation is to be undertaken, it will be done in accordance with the requirements of natural justice and any applicable legislation. Following the investigation, if the disclosure points to the need for further action, appropriate action will be taken. A report will also be provided to the Vice Chancellor who will determine whether further action is required.
Throughout the process, you will be kept informed of how it is progressing. Wherever possible, given confidentiality and privacy considerations, you will be advised in full or in part of the outcome. You are also entitled to ask for any decision taken in relation to the disclosure to be reviewed. This must be done within 28 days of receiving the reasons for the decision in writing. You may submit your review request to the Vice Chancellor who will appoint a delegate to conduct the review.
Following the review, a decision will be taken to overturn or confirm the original determination. You will be advised of this decision (including reasons) in writing. Where there is an opportunity for internal and/or external review of this decision, you will also be notified of that.
Bond University recognises that being the subject of or named in a disclosure may be a worrying and stressful experience.
If you have been named in or are the subject of a disclosure, you are entitled to have representation from a fellow staff member, a legal representative or an alternative support person. In addition, your rights to be presumed innocent until proven otherwise, for the information disclosed to be kept confidential as far as possible (accepting that some disclosure will be necessary for the investigative process to proceed) and to be protected from adverse treatment purely because of the disclosure, will be protected.
Bond will ensure that:
The disclosure will be dealt with ‘impartially, fairly and reasonably’ and in line with natural justice. Natural justice means that you will be given an opportunity to have your say (‘be heard’) and that the parties involved in investigating and making decisions about the disclosure will be impartial and free from conflicts of interest.
The disclosed allegations remain no more than allegations until the authorised decision maker/s has received sufficient evidence and information to substantiate them (if that information and evidence is present at all).
You are kept informed of your rights and the progress and outcomes of any investigations made into the disclosure and/or action taken.
You are referred Bond University’s employee assistance program (if applicable).
All Bond services that are available to you currently (such as the medical clinic, employee assistance program and security services) will remain available to you throughout the process and for as long as you are a staff member at Bond.
If you have made a disclosure that complies with the policy, you are protected by law and in terms of the policy from any administrative, civil or criminal liability which might otherwise have arisen as a result of you making the disclosure.
This protection extends to employment-related reprisals such as dismissal or disclosure. However, you are not protected from discipline or dismissal if you have committed misconduct that is exposed during the course of investigations. Taking reasonable management action (as provided in Clause 5 of the policy) also remains available to the University.
Rest assured that all protected disclosures will be treated appropriately, seriously and confidentiality (as far as possible). Anyone who reports wrongdoing is entitled to support and protection from victimisation and potential reprisals.
The Chief Integrity Officer will conduct a risk assessment and develop a risk management plan (in consultation with you) to mitigate any risks of reprisal and victimisation and to ensure that your health, safety and wellbeing are not at risk.
These protections also apply to other people who participate in the investigation process.
You are also very welcome to make use of the various services available to the Bond community, including the Medical Clinic and security services. For a more comprehensive list, view our help guide under the resources tab.
There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to responding to grievances at Bond. However, we offer the following pointers to those who are unsure of where to begin.
The manner in which you handle a grievance will depend on various factors, including:
The nature of the matter (such as whether it is a complaint, a review or an appeal, its complexity and its subject matter), the number of parties involved and the urgency of the case. This is not an exhaustive list;
Confidentiality and privacy concerns;
Your authority and role in the process;
Relevant federal or state legislation as well as the policies and procedures of the University; and
Any other relevant factors
As a starting point, make sure you are familiar with any processes or procedures prescribed by the University (or your faculty) that apply to the matter. Questions about these are best referred to the contact officer listed at the top of each policy or procedure.
While you have the right to conduct a hearing if you believe it will assist you, the grievance can also be determined on the basis of the documentation that was submitted and any other information held by the University.
Throughout the process, please keep the following in mind:
Your obligation — both legally and in terms of Bond’s policies and procedures — to maintain confidentiality and the privacy of the parties as far as possible must be upheld. Please revisit the University’s training module on your privacy responsibilities or the Privacy Policy if you are unsure what these entail.
As a University decision-maker, the principles of natural justice will generally apply. This means that:
You should not be afflicted by any conflict of interest, and you must act free of bias or partiality. If you are concerned that you may not be able to do so, please let us know as soon as possible. We can therefore reassign the matter to another appropriate member of staff.
Where there is a respondent in any given grievance, they and the aggrieved person have the right to be heard. In some cases, this may be done on paper while in others, it may be more appropriate to invite them to a meeting or to call a hearing. Where this does occur, the parties should be given sufficient notice of the meeting or hearing and be advised that they may bring a support person with them.
Once you have reached your decision, taking account of all relevant factors and disregarding irrelevant ones, you will need to notify the affected parties. That notice should include:
reasons that are sufficiently comprehensive for the recipient to understand the process that was followed in reaching the decision;
factors that the decision was based on (including both the evidence and the applicable policies, procedures or laws); and
any other relevant considerations.
Where you are deciding a matter involving misconduct or where the outcome of the matter has negative implications for someone other than the person who lodged the grievance, the information about the outcome of the case that you disclose to the aggrieved person will generally need to be limited. This will ensure that the privacy rights of the implicated individual are protected.
If the matter concerns sexual harm, we encourage you to engage with the Office of Integrity about handling these types of matters. Our Office can guide you in avoiding the re-traumatisation of persons affected by sexual harm and maintaining an appropriately sensitive approach to the matter, which takes proper and lawful account of confidentiality and privacy requirements while respecting natural justice. Where witnesses are involved, or you are unsure of how the presumption of innocence applies, we can also help you with this. Please have a look at the Sexual Harm Policy, the Student Support Policy and any related and relevant policies and procedures.
We understand that sometimes additional support may be needed in submitting feedback, lodging a grievance or making a disclosure, or you may have a question, the answer to which is not readily apparent from this site. Those who are witnesses to or the subjects of a grievance may also require assistance and support. You are also welcome to contact the Office of Integrity for advice at integrity@bond.edu.au.
The services below may also be able to offer you additional support:
The Bond University Academic Staff Association (BUASA) may be contacted through its president Ian Stevens at iasteven@bond.edu.au or by phone on 07 5955 2068.
The Bond University Professional Staff Association (BUPSA), also known as the Bond University General Staff Association (BUGSA), may be contacted through its president Joel Mason at jmason@bond.edu.au or by phone on 07 5955 1441.
Bond expects all parties to the grievance process to be respectful, responsive, honest and fair.
We will keep you informed on a regular basis as to the progression of a matter.
Your cooperation and provision of all relevant information as early as possible will assist us in addressing the matter as effectively, fairly and efficiently as possible.
Where an individual fails to maintain respectful behaviour towards Bond staff or students or engages in unreasonable conduct during the processing of a grievance, the University may limit that individual’s access to its grievance system. Where this occurs, the individual will be notified in writing that Bond will not be processing the grievance any further.
Reports
In 2022, Bond University established a taskforce to oversee the implementation of strategies designed to strengthen our university’s response to sexual harm.
Bond University is committed to transparency in our response to this critically important issue. Public reporting fosters a culture of accountability and education which assists in minimising behaviours which lead to sexual harm.
We strongly encourage the Bond community to be familiarised with Bond University’s policies and procedures. Certain policies and procedures will provide an understanding of how you can resolve grievances, or find assistance to do so.
As a Bond student, you are expected to comply with the University’s standards of behaviour when interacting with other students, staff, and members of the community. This includes adhering to the Student Charter, the Student Code of Conduct, University Policies and Procedures and State and Federal Legislation.
Learn more about staff and student academic misconduct education and awareness at our Academic Integrity page.
1. The Bond University Student Charter sets out the expectations which you may have during your education at Bond and, in turn, outlines what we can expect of you including recognition that ethical and honest behaviour and treatment underpins the relationship between the University and each student. It is important that you familiarise yourself with the Student Charter which was developed in consultation with the Bond University Student Association.
The University expects students to behave in a way that: a) promotes the proper use of University equipment, facilities, information, and the property of other persons on its sites. b) recognises that the pursuit of academic excellence is a key aim of the University and that proper student assessment and research procedures are essential in achieving that aim; c) allows reasonable freedom to others to pursue their studies, research, duties, and other lawful activities at the University and on its sites and participate in the life of the University;
2. Misconduct by a student is any violation of the Student Code of Conduct, whether inadvertent or deliberate, and can arise from a single act or omission or pattern of behaviour. It constitutes prohibited behaviour by a student, or an attempt to commit prohibited behaviour, that: a) impairs the reasonable freedom of others to pursue their studies, researches, duties, and other lawful activities at the University or on the site of a partner or affiliate organisation, or to participate in the life of the University; or b) hinders the pursuit of academic excellence by circumvention of proper procedures in relation to student assessment or research; or c) amounts to improper use of University equipment, facilities or information, or improper use of the property of others on the University site; or d) amounts to improper use of the student’s role, responsibility, or authority during placement with a partner or affiliate organisation; or e) is otherwise instanced in the Student Code of Conduct.
Academic misconduct is misconduct by a student that occurs in relation to the student’s academic endeavours. Without limiting the effects of this clause or the objectives of the Academic Integrity Policy, instances of academic misconduct are set out as follows:
All forms of academic dishonesty or misrepresentation, including but not limited to cheating, or doing anything which may assist a person to cheat, in relation to assessment. For example:
plagiarising the work of another person, including a fellow student, by adapting or incorporating it in a piece of assessment without due acknowledgement; plagiarising the ideas of an author of a text by incorporating them in a piece of assessment without due acknowledgement;
collaborating with another student about assessable work and representing that as individual work;
fabricating, falsifying or mis-stating results, records of attendance, measures of performance or tasks completed, which are reported in or relied on for the purposes of a piece of assessment;
submitting the same or a similar piece of work twice, unless prior approval has been obtained from the lead educators of both subjects; submitting the same or a similar piece of work when repeating a subject unless prior approval has been obtained from the lead educator of that subject;
possessing, accessing or using unauthorised material or information in any location during an examination.;
removing or endeavouring to remove from the examination any question or answer paper, other paper provided for use by the student during the examination, or other material that is the property of the University, unless authorised.
engaging in any type of fraud or misrepresentation, including impersonating another student or allowing another person to impersonate them, for the purpose of completing an examination, assessment task or online activity.
using or negotiating (or attempting to negotiate) to use a website to obtain or purchase (or to seek to obtain or purchase) services or documentation to complete or to contribute to a piece of assessable work. This provision applies even if the specified services or documentation are not utilised in the work completed for assessment. However, it does not apply to obtaining research material, such as published journal articles, books, book chapters or other research outputs, used to complete assessable work with due acknowledgement.
providing or using contract cheating/ghost writing services (i.e. work submitted by a student is completed by another person, including a fellow student, irrespective of the other person’s relationship with the student and whether they are paid or unpaid).
using artificial intelligence tools to complete or contribute to assessable work in a subject unless this has been authorised by the lead educator of that subject
selling, publishing, distributing or bartering (or attempting to sell, publish, distribute or barter), without permission, Bond University subject materials (such as handouts, presentation slides or assessment questions), or student study notes or assessment responses based on such materials, or any other Bond University intellectual material.
General misconduct is misconduct by a student that occurs when the student engages in, or attempts to engage in, any instance of the following behaviours, acts or omissions by any means, including by use of digital technologies:
a) Creating a disturbance or disruption, or being disorderly or obstructive, in relation to University or University-affiliated activities, including but not limited to classroom-related activities, studying, teaching, research, intellectual or creative endeavour, recreational sport, administration, service, placement with a partner or affiliate organisation, or the provision of communication, computing, or emergency services.
b) Fraudulent behaviour in connection with the University, including misrepresenting oneself or an organisation as an agent of the University.
c) Knowingly providing advice, assistance or services outside of the student’s authority during placement with a partner or affiliate organisation.
d) Harassment based on any of the prohibited grounds of discrimination set out in the AntiDiscrimination Act 1991 (Qld), for example: i. sexual harm of a person; or ii. harassment based on an imbalance of power, or on a person’s age, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, disability, national origin, race, religion, intersex status, or sexual orientation.
e) Engaging in any sexual offence defined in the Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, Assault and Harassment Policy, including but not limited to sexual exploitation, sexual harm, public sexual indecency or indecent exposure.
f) Bullying, threatening, endangering, assaulting or causing harm to any member of the University community or member of the public, or causing reasonable apprehension of such harm, either directly or by other means, including using insulting, threatening or obscene language.
g) Engaging in conduct that results in a conviction, a finding of guilt or a fine for a serious criminal offence, whether or not a formal conviction is recorded, that is detrimental to the reputation of the University wherever the conduct that resulted in that conviction, finding of guilt or a fine occurs.
h) Making a false, vexatious, malicious, or frivolous complaint regarding inappropriate behaviour of others.
i) Engaging in any conduct, whether within or outside the University, that is prejudicial to the good order and management of the University or brings the University into disrepute.
a) Intentionally damaging or disrespecting, or wrongfully dealing with, the University site or environs, or any property of the University. For example:
i. littering;
ii. vandalism;
iii. lighting a fire without permission;
iv. public urination;
v. injuring or frightening birds or other wildlife;
vi. defacing, or affixing a notice to, part of the University site;
vii. damage to, theft of, or failing to return Library material or information technology equipment.
b) Unauthorised access to, or use of, or assisting another person to gain unauthorised access to University property, resources or facilities.
c) Unauthorised access to, disclosure of, or use of any:
i. University document, record or identification;
ii. confidential or privileged information available during placement with a partner or affiliate organisation, including confidential patient records accessed during placement in a healthcare facility.
d) Forgery, falsification, unauthorised alteration, or misuse of University, or University-related, records, identification or documents (e.g. medical certificates and/or other documentation submitted in relation to deferred examinations or appeals), including admissions fraud.
e) Knowingly disclosing information relating to any University matter which is of a confidential nature and which the student has no right to divulge.
f) Recording by audio and/or visual means any class, consultation or discussion with a teacher or member of staff, or transmitting such a recording to any other person, without the prior express consent of those recorded.
g) Misuse of information technology facilities (including software) or communication facilities of the University. For example:
i. using a facility for unauthorised purposes;
ii. unauthorised modification, transfer or deletion of any hardware, software, or data;
iii. unlawful copying of software using a University facility or installing software on a University facility without authorisation;
iv. downloading, viewing and/or distribution of illegal, pornographic or extremely violent material.
h) Misuse, theft, misappropriation, destruction, damage, or unauthorised use, access or reproduction, of property, data, records, equipment or services belonging to the University or any other person or entity.
a) Unlawfully possessing, using, supplying, manufacturing, distributing or selling illicit, restricted or controlled substances, including but not limited to alcohol, poisons, drugs or drug paraphernalia.
b) Smoking (using smoking products or electronic cigarettes as defined in the Smoking on Campus Procedure) on any Bond University campus in all indoor and outdoor areas except for Designated Smoking Areas.
c) Possessing, using or storing any weapon, dangerous instrument, explosive device, fireworks or dangerous chemical.
a) Breaching policies and procedures of the University.
b) Failing to comply with workplace health and safety or induction requirements and processes of the University, or a partner or affiliate organisation.
c) Failing to comply with directions from authorised officers in the performance of their duty, including providing false information, such as false identification, or failing to provide information to the University or to authorised officers in the performance of their duty.
d) Disobeying a reasonable direction of an authorised officer to promote the good order and management of the University. For example:
i. refusing to leave a building or part of a building when directed to do so by a security officer;
ii. failing to comply with a direction by a member of academic staff not to record by audio and/or visual means any class, or to refrain from passing recordings of classes to others;
iii. failing to comply with or obstructing a member of staff (including security officers) or officers of the public emergency services acting in performance of their duties.
e) Not satisfactorily complying with an order made by the University Disciplinary Board or other decision maker
When on-line behaviour is unprofessional (or unlawful), it can lead to potential legal and ethical dilemmas. Bond’s Social Media Policy informs staff and students of expected net-etiquette and consequences of breaches.
Bond University is serious about its responsibility in protecting students and staff from sexual misconduct on campus or during a Bond University run off-campus activity. The University will act in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct Policy and Sexual Exploitation, Assault, Abuse & Harassment Policy when a formal report of an incident has been submitted. Bond has specialist staff trained in responding to serious incidents.
Important links:
To read about Safety | Respect | Care | Consent, click here.
This advice is for students who may be responding to allegations of sexual misconduct. Being accused of sexual misconduct is a serious matter and can be a traumatic experience. The University’s Duty of Care applies to all parties named in complaints related to sexual misconduct.
You can download the 'Advice for students accused of sexual misconduct' PDF resource here.
You are responsible for the integrity of your academic work. This includes properly acknowledging and referencing your sources, and accurately representing your own work. If you are found guilty of engaging in academic misconduct (such as cheating, acts of plagiarism, acts of fabrication, recycling content, colluding, falsifying data or ghost writing/contract cheating), depending on the severity of misconduct, you may receive a reduced mark, a fail grade for the assessment piece or the subject or you may even be suspended or expelled from the University. Visit the page on academic misconduct for more information.
Follow the link below to make a report in relation to student misconduct.
Grievances include complaints about the University's operations, services or facilities, as well as requests for reviews or appeals of University decisions. These are covered by the Complaints and Feedback Procedure and the Student Review and Appeal Procedure respectively.
View our FAQs below to learn more about grievances.
Please follow the link to our Feedback and complaints page, if you would like to learn more about how complaints are managed at Bond.
A grievance is defined by Bond as "a problem or concern raised by a student who considers that they have been negatively impacted because of an action, determination or omission within the control or responsibility of the University".
Only students may request a review or appeal of University decisions in terms of the Student Appeals and Reviews Procedure. However, anyone may submit a complaint.
All parties are to act honestly, fairly and reasonably while pursuing a grievance. In addition, acting in good faith requires a person not to undermine attempts to resolve the grievance. It does not mean that the person should set aside their own interests.
A frivolous grievance is one that has no substance to it, including those that are so trivial they are considered not to be worth pursuing. An example would be a grievance about the colour of a person’s shirt on any given day of the week.
Vexatious grievances are those which are solely intended to cause harm to another person or to harass or undermine another person; malicious intent is the hallmark of a vexatious grievance. There is generally no substance to a vexatious claim either.
Yes, however, the next step will depend on whether you have submitted sufficient, reliable information in relation to the grievance, for the University to proceed with addressing it.
If you choose to submit a grievance anonymously, the information you provide will be kept confidential, but if the matter concerns two people, then it’s more probable than not that the other person will know who reported, even if you have submitted anonymously.
Please also be aware that we will not be able to advise you of any progress made with the grievance or Bond’s response to it, if we do not have contact details for you.
The process will be conducted in terms of the University’s Privacy Policy and applicable law. This means that your privacy will be respected, and confidentiality will be maintained to the extent possible while resolving your concern/s.
Your personal information will only be shared by the University with University staff who are directly involved with its resolution
If you are unhappy with the outcome of your grievance at Bond University, there are a range of external agencies that may be able to assist you by conducting an external review. Which agency is best placed to do so will depend on the nature of your grievance, among other factors. For further details, see the FAQs on external reviews.
Information about grievances submitted to the University will be recorded according to Bond’s policy and relevant laws.
If you are unhappy with a decision you have received from Bond University, you can lodge an appeal or submit a request for review.
Visit our Reviews and appeals page for information about the process, informal resolution options, example processes and ineligible reasons for review.
If you are unhappy with the way your grievance or concern has been dealt with or you consider the outcome to be wrong, there are a number of external agencies that may be able to assist you.
Further information about these and the processes to follow is available on our external reviews page and in the External Review Procedure.
Bond University is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity at our Institution. We therefore welcome you to ‘blow the whistle’ on misconduct that you reasonably and honestly believe to be occurring at or in relation to Bond. Please ensure, however, that you do so in accordance with the Whistleblowing and Public Interest Disclosure Policy and Procedure.
In these FAQs, we respond to common questions about whistleblowing and public interest disclosures. However, disclosures will only be protected if they meet all requirements for the relevant type of protected disclosure. If you are unsure, we would encourage you to consult a legal professional prior to making the disclosure. Alternatively, you are welcome to contact the Office of Integrity for a confidential discussion, atintegrity@bond.edu.au.
Whistleblowing refers to alerting appropriate persons or authorities to wrongdoing that is or has been occurring, usually (but not necessarily) within the whistleblower’s organisation or workplace, or former organisation or workplace. The wrongdoing may relate to unlawful, unethical or improper conduct or to danger or potential danger to the health and safety of people or the environment.
Protected disclosures are disclosures of information about acts or omissions (reportable conduct) covered by the policy. To be protected, the disclosure must be made to an appropriate person or authority.
"Reportable conduct" includes serious misconduct by a Bond University staff member or official, threats to the environment or the health and safety of the Bond Community arising from Bond’s operations, and breaches of laws, regulations or Bond’s policies and procedures by the University or its staff. For a complete list, see Clause 4 of the policy.
For example, if you reasonably and honestly believe and therefore disclose that your manager is engaging in fraudulent conduct, you will be legally protected from being dismissed or disciplined in response to that disclosure.
You may make a disclosure anonymously. However, doing so may limit Bond University’s ability to investigate the disclosure and take action (where applicable) in relation to the disclosure. This is particularly true where additional information is required in relation to the disclosure for the investigation and/or other processes to progress.
Even if you choose to disclose the information anonymously, you are still required to meet the requirements of the University’s policy and procedure, including being an eligible person to make the disclosure. For example, only staff, former staff and contractors of the University and their family members are entitled to make certain types of disclosure.
To the extent possible, while conducting any necessary investigations and inquiries into the disclosure and responding to it, Bond will keep your disclosure confidential.
Please also be aware of your own obligations to maintain confidentiality in this process. For further information, see Clause 4.3 of the Procedure for Making a Protected Disclosure.
Examples include disclosures about offences or misconduct that the discloser reasonably suspects to have been committed by the University or an officer of the University (or by a related body corporate), under the relevant acts or in relation to the tax affairs of the University. For further details, see clause 4.3 of the Whistleblower and Public Interest Disclosure Policy.
In addition, disclosures may be made under the Public Interest Disclosure Act (2010) (Qld). Read the next FAQ for more details.
In all cases, disclosures must be made to an appropriate authority or person in terms of the Policy and Procedure. Please see clauses 4.3 and 4.4 of the policy for further details.
Note that disclosures about personal work-related concerns and grievances are not covered by the law or the policy. So, a disclosure to the effect that you were, for example, unfairly overlooked for promotion at work would not qualify as a protected disclosure in this context.
A public interest disclosure (or a general public interest disclosure under the Protected Disclosures Act, Queensland) may be made by anyone. For a disclosure to qualify as a public interest disclosure, it must concern one or more of the following:
Substantial and specific dangers to the health and safety of one or more people with a disability; or
Substantial and specific dangers to the environment; or
Reprisals in response to a disclosure being made under the relevant legislation.
In addition, University staff (public officers) may make disclosures about corrupt conduct, maladministration substantially affecting another person/s, substantial misuse of resources, and certain, significant dangers to the public’s health and safety or the environment.
This depends on the type of disclosure. For example, only staff members, current and former officers and University contractors and their families may make a disclosure under the Corporations Act concerning alleged misconduct at the University. However, certain types of public interest disclosure may be made by anyone.
We encourage you to consult the Whistleblower and Public Interest Disclosure Policy to determine whether you are eligible to make a disclosure. Alternatively, feel free to contact the Office of Integrity at integrity@bond.edu.au.
While the legislation permits disclosures to be made to external bodies as well as authorised persons at the University, at Bond, we encourage you to approach the University first. This is likely to result in the most efficient and effective response to your disclosure. It will also allow Bond to ensure that reprisals and victimisation are prevented.
To do so, please contact the Office of Integrity at integrity@bond.edu.au. If the matter concerns the Vice Chancellor, please submit the information to the Chair of the Audit, Risk & Safety Committee at governance@bond.edu.au.
There is no required list of information or details to provide when making a disclosure. However, please ensure that you have objectively reasonable grounds supporting the information you are disclosing, that you are disclosing the information honestly, and that the information is clear and as factual as possible.
Bond suggests you include at least the following information in any disclosure made to the University:
the nature of the wrongdoing
the name, job title and workplace address of the subject of the disclosure
when and where the disclosure occurred
events surrounding the issue
if the discloser did anything in response to the wrongdoing
others who also know about the wrongdoing and have allowed it to continue
if the discloser is concerned about possible reprisal as a result of making the disclosure
names of others who may be able to support the disclosure or any other evidence to support the disclosure
steps already taken to report the matter internally should also be included, if relevant (see Clause 4.2 of the procedure)
Try to avoid including irrelevant information, and please do not submit misleading or inaccurate information where you know this to be the case.
Upon receiving the disclosure, the Chief Integrity Officer will assess the information to determine whether it qualifies as a protected disclosure. If it does qualify, the Chief integrity Officer will decide whether the matter should be dealt with by the University or referred to an external agency. If the matter is referred to an external agency, you will be notified of this. She will also consider the need, if any, for immediate action to be taken in relation to the information disclosed.
Where an investigation is to be undertaken, it will be done in accordance with the requirements of natural justice and any applicable legislation. Following the investigation, if the disclosure points to the need for further action, appropriate action will be taken. A report will also be provided to the Vice Chancellor who will determine whether further action is required.
Throughout the process, you will be kept informed of how it is progressing. Wherever possible, given confidentiality and privacy considerations, you will be advised in full or in part of the outcome. You are also entitled to ask for any decision taken in relation to the disclosure to be reviewed. This must be done within 28 days of receiving the reasons for the decision in writing. You may submit your review request to the Vice Chancellor who will appoint a delegate to conduct the review.
Following the review, a decision will be taken to overturn or confirm the original determination. You will be advised of this decision (including reasons) in writing. Where there is an opportunity for internal and/or external review of this decision, you will also be notified of that.
Bond University recognises that being the subject of or named in a disclosure may be a worrying and stressful experience.
If you have been named in or are the subject of a disclosure, you are entitled to have representation from a fellow staff member, a legal representative or an alternative support person. In addition, your rights to be presumed innocent until proven otherwise, for the information disclosed to be kept confidential as far as possible (accepting that some disclosure will be necessary for the investigative process to proceed) and to be protected from adverse treatment purely because of the disclosure, will be protected.
Bond will ensure that:
The disclosure will be dealt with ‘impartially, fairly and reasonably’ and in line with natural justice. Natural justice means that you will be given an opportunity to have your say (‘be heard’) and that the parties involved in investigating and making decisions about the disclosure will be impartial and free from conflicts of interest.
The disclosed allegations remain no more than allegations until the authorised decision maker/s has received sufficient evidence and information to substantiate them (if that information and evidence is present at all).
You are kept informed of your rights and the progress and outcomes of any investigations made into the disclosure and/or action taken.
You are referred Bond University’s employee assistance program (if applicable).
All Bond services that are available to you currently (such as the medical clinic, employee assistance program and security services) will remain available to you throughout the process and for as long as you are a staff member at Bond.
If you have made a disclosure that complies with the policy, you are protected by law and in terms of the policy from any administrative, civil or criminal liability which might otherwise have arisen as a result of you making the disclosure.
This protection extends to employment-related reprisals such as dismissal or disclosure. However, you are not protected from discipline or dismissal if you have committed misconduct that is exposed during the course of investigations. Taking reasonable management action (as provided in Clause 5 of the policy) also remains available to the University.
Rest assured that all protected disclosures will be treated appropriately, seriously and confidentiality (as far as possible). Anyone who reports wrongdoing is entitled to support and protection from victimisation and potential reprisals.
The Chief Integrity Officer will conduct a risk assessment and develop a risk management plan (in consultation with you) to mitigate any risks of reprisal and victimisation and to ensure that your health, safety and wellbeing are not at risk.
These protections also apply to other people who participate in the investigation process.
You are also very welcome to make use of the various services available to the Bond community, including the Medical Clinic and security services. For a more comprehensive list, view our help guide under the resources tab.
We've compiled some helpful information and links so you can learn more about Bond University's processes, policies and reports.
Guides
Click on each of the guides below to learn more about the University's processes, support and expectations.
There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to responding to grievances at Bond. However, we offer the following pointers to those who are unsure of where to begin.
The manner in which you handle a grievance will depend on various factors, including:
The nature of the matter (such as whether it is a complaint, a review or an appeal, its complexity and its subject matter), the number of parties involved and the urgency of the case. This is not an exhaustive list;
Confidentiality and privacy concerns;
Your authority and role in the process;
Relevant federal or state legislation as well as the policies and procedures of the University; and
Any other relevant factors
As a starting point, make sure you are familiar with any processes or procedures prescribed by the University (or your faculty) that apply to the matter. Questions about these are best referred to the contact officer listed at the top of each policy or procedure.
While you have the right to conduct a hearing if you believe it will assist you, the grievance can also be determined on the basis of the documentation that was submitted and any other information held by the University.
Throughout the process, please keep the following in mind:
Your obligation — both legally and in terms of Bond’s policies and procedures — to maintain confidentiality and the privacy of the parties as far as possible must be upheld. Please revisit the University’s training module on your privacy responsibilities or the Privacy Policy if you are unsure what these entail.
As a University decision-maker, the principles of natural justice will generally apply. This means that:
You should not be afflicted by any conflict of interest, and you must act free of bias or partiality. If you are concerned that you may not be able to do so, please let us know as soon as possible. We can therefore reassign the matter to another appropriate member of staff.
Where there is a respondent in any given grievance, they and the aggrieved person have the right to be heard. In some cases, this may be done on paper while in others, it may be more appropriate to invite them to a meeting or to call a hearing. Where this does occur, the parties should be given sufficient notice of the meeting or hearing and be advised that they may bring a support person with them.
Once you have reached your decision, taking account of all relevant factors and disregarding irrelevant ones, you will need to notify the affected parties. That notice should include:
reasons that are sufficiently comprehensive for the recipient to understand the process that was followed in reaching the decision;
factors that the decision was based on (including both the evidence and the applicable policies, procedures or laws); and
any other relevant considerations.
Where you are deciding a matter involving misconduct or where the outcome of the matter has negative implications for someone other than the person who lodged the grievance, the information about the outcome of the case that you disclose to the aggrieved person will generally need to be limited. This will ensure that the privacy rights of the implicated individual are protected.
If the matter concerns sexual harm, we encourage you to engage with the Office of Integrity about handling these types of matters. Our Office can guide you in avoiding the re-traumatisation of persons affected by sexual harm and maintaining an appropriately sensitive approach to the matter, which takes proper and lawful account of confidentiality and privacy requirements while respecting natural justice. Where witnesses are involved, or you are unsure of how the presumption of innocence applies, we can also help you with this. Please have a look at the Sexual Harm Policy, the Student Support Policy and any related and relevant policies and procedures.
We understand that sometimes additional support may be needed in submitting feedback, lodging a grievance or making a disclosure, or you may have a question, the answer to which is not readily apparent from this site. Those who are witnesses to or the subjects of a grievance may also require assistance and support. You are also welcome to contact the Office of Integrity for advice at integrity@bond.edu.au.
The services below may also be able to offer you additional support:
The Bond University Academic Staff Association (BUASA) may be contacted through its president Ian Stevens at iasteven@bond.edu.au or by phone on 07 5955 2068.
The Bond University Professional Staff Association (BUPSA), also known as the Bond University General Staff Association (BUGSA), may be contacted through its president Joel Mason at jmason@bond.edu.au or by phone on 07 5955 1441.
Bond expects all parties to the grievance process to be respectful, responsive, honest and fair.
We will keep you informed on a regular basis as to the progression of a matter.
Your cooperation and provision of all relevant information as early as possible will assist us in addressing the matter as effectively, fairly and efficiently as possible.
Where an individual fails to maintain respectful behaviour towards Bond staff or students or engages in unreasonable conduct during the processing of a grievance, the University may limit that individual’s access to its grievance system. Where this occurs, the individual will be notified in writing that Bond will not be processing the grievance any further.
Reports
In 2022, Bond University established a taskforce to oversee the implementation of strategies designed to strengthen our university’s response to sexual harm.
Bond University is committed to transparency in our response to this critically important issue. Public reporting fosters a culture of accountability and education which assists in minimising behaviours which lead to sexual harm.
We strongly encourage the Bond community to be familiarised with Bond University’s policies and procedures. Certain policies and procedures will provide an understanding of how you can resolve grievances, or find assistance to do so.
As a Bond student, you are expected to comply with the University’s standards of behaviour when interacting with other students, staff, and members of the community. This includes adhering to the Student Charter, the Student Code of Conduct, University Policies and Procedures and State and Federal Legislation.
Learn more about staff and student academic misconduct education and awareness at our Academic Integrity page.
1. The Bond University Student Charter sets out the expectations which you may have during your education at Bond and, in turn, outlines what we can expect of you including recognition that ethical and honest behaviour and treatment underpins the relationship between the University and each student. It is important that you familiarise yourself with the Student Charter which was developed in consultation with the Bond University Student Association.
The University expects students to behave in a way that: a) promotes the proper use of University equipment, facilities, information, and the property of other persons on its sites. b) recognises that the pursuit of academic excellence is a key aim of the University and that proper student assessment and research procedures are essential in achieving that aim; c) allows reasonable freedom to others to pursue their studies, research, duties, and other lawful activities at the University and on its sites and participate in the life of the University;
2. Misconduct by a student is any violation of the Student Code of Conduct, whether inadvertent or deliberate, and can arise from a single act or omission or pattern of behaviour. It constitutes prohibited behaviour by a student, or an attempt to commit prohibited behaviour, that: a) impairs the reasonable freedom of others to pursue their studies, researches, duties, and other lawful activities at the University or on the site of a partner or affiliate organisation, or to participate in the life of the University; or b) hinders the pursuit of academic excellence by circumvention of proper procedures in relation to student assessment or research; or c) amounts to improper use of University equipment, facilities or information, or improper use of the property of others on the University site; or d) amounts to improper use of the student’s role, responsibility, or authority during placement with a partner or affiliate organisation; or e) is otherwise instanced in the Student Code of Conduct.
Academic misconduct is misconduct by a student that occurs in relation to the student’s academic endeavours. Without limiting the effects of this clause or the objectives of the Academic Integrity Policy, instances of academic misconduct are set out as follows:
All forms of academic dishonesty or misrepresentation, including but not limited to cheating, or doing anything which may assist a person to cheat, in relation to assessment. For example:
plagiarising the work of another person, including a fellow student, by adapting or incorporating it in a piece of assessment without due acknowledgement; plagiarising the ideas of an author of a text by incorporating them in a piece of assessment without due acknowledgement;
collaborating with another student about assessable work and representing that as individual work;
fabricating, falsifying or mis-stating results, records of attendance, measures of performance or tasks completed, which are reported in or relied on for the purposes of a piece of assessment;
submitting the same or a similar piece of work twice, unless prior approval has been obtained from the lead educators of both subjects; submitting the same or a similar piece of work when repeating a subject unless prior approval has been obtained from the lead educator of that subject;
possessing, accessing or using unauthorised material or information in any location during an examination.;
removing or endeavouring to remove from the examination any question or answer paper, other paper provided for use by the student during the examination, or other material that is the property of the University, unless authorised.
engaging in any type of fraud or misrepresentation, including impersonating another student or allowing another person to impersonate them, for the purpose of completing an examination, assessment task or online activity.
using or negotiating (or attempting to negotiate) to use a website to obtain or purchase (or to seek to obtain or purchase) services or documentation to complete or to contribute to a piece of assessable work. This provision applies even if the specified services or documentation are not utilised in the work completed for assessment. However, it does not apply to obtaining research material, such as published journal articles, books, book chapters or other research outputs, used to complete assessable work with due acknowledgement.
providing or using contract cheating/ghost writing services (i.e. work submitted by a student is completed by another person, including a fellow student, irrespective of the other person’s relationship with the student and whether they are paid or unpaid).
using artificial intelligence tools to complete or contribute to assessable work in a subject unless this has been authorised by the lead educator of that subject
selling, publishing, distributing or bartering (or attempting to sell, publish, distribute or barter), without permission, Bond University subject materials (such as handouts, presentation slides or assessment questions), or student study notes or assessment responses based on such materials, or any other Bond University intellectual material.
General misconduct is misconduct by a student that occurs when the student engages in, or attempts to engage in, any instance of the following behaviours, acts or omissions by any means, including by use of digital technologies:
a) Creating a disturbance or disruption, or being disorderly or obstructive, in relation to University or University-affiliated activities, including but not limited to classroom-related activities, studying, teaching, research, intellectual or creative endeavour, recreational sport, administration, service, placement with a partner or affiliate organisation, or the provision of communication, computing, or emergency services.
b) Fraudulent behaviour in connection with the University, including misrepresenting oneself or an organisation as an agent of the University.
c) Knowingly providing advice, assistance or services outside of the student’s authority during placement with a partner or affiliate organisation.
d) Harassment based on any of the prohibited grounds of discrimination set out in the AntiDiscrimination Act 1991 (Qld), for example: i. sexual harm of a person; or ii. harassment based on an imbalance of power, or on a person’s age, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, disability, national origin, race, religion, intersex status, or sexual orientation.
e) Engaging in any sexual offence defined in the Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, Assault and Harassment Policy, including but not limited to sexual exploitation, sexual harm, public sexual indecency or indecent exposure.
f) Bullying, threatening, endangering, assaulting or causing harm to any member of the University community or member of the public, or causing reasonable apprehension of such harm, either directly or by other means, including using insulting, threatening or obscene language.
g) Engaging in conduct that results in a conviction, a finding of guilt or a fine for a serious criminal offence, whether or not a formal conviction is recorded, that is detrimental to the reputation of the University wherever the conduct that resulted in that conviction, finding of guilt or a fine occurs.
h) Making a false, vexatious, malicious, or frivolous complaint regarding inappropriate behaviour of others.
i) Engaging in any conduct, whether within or outside the University, that is prejudicial to the good order and management of the University or brings the University into disrepute.
a) Intentionally damaging or disrespecting, or wrongfully dealing with, the University site or environs, or any property of the University. For example:
i. littering;
ii. vandalism;
iii. lighting a fire without permission;
iv. public urination;
v. injuring or frightening birds or other wildlife;
vi. defacing, or affixing a notice to, part of the University site;
vii. damage to, theft of, or failing to return Library material or information technology equipment.
b) Unauthorised access to, or use of, or assisting another person to gain unauthorised access to University property, resources or facilities.
c) Unauthorised access to, disclosure of, or use of any:
i. University document, record or identification;
ii. confidential or privileged information available during placement with a partner or affiliate organisation, including confidential patient records accessed during placement in a healthcare facility.
d) Forgery, falsification, unauthorised alteration, or misuse of University, or University-related, records, identification or documents (e.g. medical certificates and/or other documentation submitted in relation to deferred examinations or appeals), including admissions fraud.
e) Knowingly disclosing information relating to any University matter which is of a confidential nature and which the student has no right to divulge.
f) Recording by audio and/or visual means any class, consultation or discussion with a teacher or member of staff, or transmitting such a recording to any other person, without the prior express consent of those recorded.
g) Misuse of information technology facilities (including software) or communication facilities of the University. For example:
i. using a facility for unauthorised purposes;
ii. unauthorised modification, transfer or deletion of any hardware, software, or data;
iii. unlawful copying of software using a University facility or installing software on a University facility without authorisation;
iv. downloading, viewing and/or distribution of illegal, pornographic or extremely violent material.
h) Misuse, theft, misappropriation, destruction, damage, or unauthorised use, access or reproduction, of property, data, records, equipment or services belonging to the University or any other person or entity.
a) Unlawfully possessing, using, supplying, manufacturing, distributing or selling illicit, restricted or controlled substances, including but not limited to alcohol, poisons, drugs or drug paraphernalia.
b) Smoking (using smoking products or electronic cigarettes as defined in the Smoking on Campus Procedure) on any Bond University campus in all indoor and outdoor areas except for Designated Smoking Areas.
c) Possessing, using or storing any weapon, dangerous instrument, explosive device, fireworks or dangerous chemical.
a) Breaching policies and procedures of the University.
b) Failing to comply with workplace health and safety or induction requirements and processes of the University, or a partner or affiliate organisation.
c) Failing to comply with directions from authorised officers in the performance of their duty, including providing false information, such as false identification, or failing to provide information to the University or to authorised officers in the performance of their duty.
d) Disobeying a reasonable direction of an authorised officer to promote the good order and management of the University. For example:
i. refusing to leave a building or part of a building when directed to do so by a security officer;
ii. failing to comply with a direction by a member of academic staff not to record by audio and/or visual means any class, or to refrain from passing recordings of classes to others;
iii. failing to comply with or obstructing a member of staff (including security officers) or officers of the public emergency services acting in performance of their duties.
e) Not satisfactorily complying with an order made by the University Disciplinary Board or other decision maker
When on-line behaviour is unprofessional (or unlawful), it can lead to potential legal and ethical dilemmas. Bond’s Social Media Policy informs staff and students of expected net-etiquette and consequences of breaches.
Bond University is serious about its responsibility in protecting students and staff from sexual misconduct on campus or during a Bond University run off-campus activity. The University will act in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct Policy and Sexual Exploitation, Assault, Abuse & Harassment Policy when a formal report of an incident has been submitted. Bond has specialist staff trained in responding to serious incidents.
Important links:
To read about Safety | Respect | Care | Consent, click here.
This advice is for students who may be responding to allegations of sexual misconduct. Being accused of sexual misconduct is a serious matter and can be a traumatic experience. The University’s Duty of Care applies to all parties named in complaints related to sexual misconduct.
You can download the 'Advice for students accused of sexual misconduct' PDF resource here.
You are responsible for the integrity of your academic work. This includes properly acknowledging and referencing your sources, and accurately representing your own work. If you are found guilty of engaging in academic misconduct (such as cheating, acts of plagiarism, acts of fabrication, recycling content, colluding, falsifying data or ghost writing/contract cheating), depending on the severity of misconduct, you may receive a reduced mark, a fail grade for the assessment piece or the subject or you may even be suspended or expelled from the University. Visit the page on academic misconduct for more information.
Follow the link below to make a report in relation to student misconduct.
Bond University has a "no wrong door" approach to sexual harm. You can contact the Office of Integrity at integrity@bond.edu.au to find assistance, or if you would like to discuss whether your matter involves sexual harm.
Bond has a range of services available to support you if you have experienced sexual harm and/or would like to report an incident of sexual harm. All sexual harm matters are dealt with sensitively, supportively, respectfully, responsibly and confidentially. These values are applied to all parties involved in the investigation and processing of sexual harm matters.
Sexual harm refers to "any unwanted behaviour of a sexual nature including sexual assault, sexual exploitation, sexual harassment, and any other unwanted sexual behaviour, whether online or in person including image-based abuse. The harm may result in a person feeling uncomfortable, frightened, distressed, intimidated, or harmed either physically or psychologically", according to the University’s Sexual Harm Policy.
In short, sexual harm covers a wide range of behaviours that are unwelcome and sexual in nature. If you would like to discuss whether your matter involves sexual harm, please feel free to contact the Office of Integrity at integrity@bond.edu.au. We are here to help.
Bond’s "no wrong door" approach to sexual harm means that you are entitled to help, regardless of where you start or to whom you first disclose or report.
Disclosure means telling someone about what has happened so that together, you can make sure you've got the care and support you need to understand and cope with what has happened. These could include priority access to health services, assessment extensions or specialised safety plans.
It is important to know that disclosure won't result in holding a perpetrator to account, but you can seek other outcomes, like arranging your timetable to avoid seeing someone.
Reporting means making a statement to the university for them to consider in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct and the Sexual Harm procedure. It may be used in any action the university chooses to progress against a Bond University student or staff member.
This process automatically includes a range of supports to assist you through this process.
However, the University is not legally authorised to investigate or take action against members of the public who are not part of the Bond community. We can, however, assist you with reporting the matter to the Queensland Police Service.
If you are under 18, Bond is obliged by law to report the incident to the police (once the University becomes aware of it), regardless of whether you wish to do so.
You may choose to receive medical, well-being and mental health assistance from qualified providers at the University. Our counsellors can also help you decide whether to report the matter to the police; or
You may lodge the matter as a disclosure, meaning that in addition to receiving medical, mental health and well-being support, you can receive other assistance from the University. This may include, for example, granting you a leave of absence or moving your assessment submission dates; or
You may report the matter formally. This means that in addition to receiving the various types of assistance referred to above, the University will respond to your report in accordance with its policies and procedures. This may include, for instance, investigating and instituting a case of student or staff misconduct.
Please feel free to contact the Office of Integrity if you would like to discuss your options further at integrity@bond.edu.au.
Generally, the first step in sexual harm matters is that the Chief Integrity Officer (for students) or the Director of HR (for staff) will conduct an inquiry into whether there is sufficient evidence to proceed. This may include asking you to attend a meeting, in which case you are welcome to bring a support person.
If there is sufficient evidence to support a case of misconduct against the respondent, the respondent will be asked to attend a disciplinary meeting. They will receive the allegation/s and access to relevant evidence before this meeting. The respondent will also be given the opportunity to bring a support person (not acting as a lawyer) to the meeting.
After the inquiry and meeting, the decision maker will reach a decision, which may include issuing one or more penalties if the respondent is found guilty.
If you are over 18, you may choose whether the matter is reported to the Queensland Police Service. Bond cannot force you to do so. However, if the evidence suggests that the safety of the Bond community is at risk, Bond’s duty of care requires it to report the matter to the Queensland Police Service.
If you are under 18, Bond is legally required to report the matter to the Police, in which case, contact with the Police will be managed through Bond Security services.
Regardless of your age, Bond can help you report the matter to the police if you would like assistance.
In addition, where the matter is formally reported to the police and the University, Bond may be obliged to provide any evidence it has gathered to the police. Investigations that the police conduct will otherwise be a separate process from the proceedings conducted by the University.
Where the respondent is found guilty of sexual harm, one or more penalties may be imposed on them. The type of penalty will depend on the circumstances and the nature of the sexual harm. This may range from an apology or a warning to expulsion (where the respondent is a student) or dismissal (where the respondent is a staff member). A full list of penalties available in case of student respondents is provided in Schedules C and D to the Student Code of Conduct Policy.
The privacy laws in Queensland do not allow the University to disclose the details of the decision, including the outcome and any penalty/ies imposed on the respondent, to you. However, you will be advised when the case has been closed, and you will be given as much information about the outcome as possible, especially in terms of the impact (if any) it may have on your ongoing safety and wellbeing.
Where possible, the University will take precautionary measures to prevent you from encountering the respondent in University classes, accommodation or elsewhere on campus. This will be an ongoing process reviewed and monitored by the University in discussion with you.
If you make a disclosure to the University in relation to sexual harm, the matter will be considered by the Safer Community Team. That group consists of three trained, trauma-informed senior University staff (Director of Success and Wellbeing, Manager of Security, and the Chief Integrity Officer) who will organise the response to you, ensuring that the confidentiality of what you have shared, and your security are paramount.
Disclosure outside that group will depend upon what services you are seeking to access — medical, psychological, etc. Where you are seeking an assessment extension based on a sexual harm incident, this team will coordinate the extension for you without you having to explain to each educator. The University has special processes to account for this.
If you make a formal report against a student or staff member, then some of the information that you disclose will need to be shared with the respondent to meet the requirements of procedural fairness. The Chief Integrity Officer will work individually with you on what will be disclosed.
Yes, you may withdraw your complaint or report at any point, up until allegations are provided to the respondent.
Respect
We undertake to manage your grievance respectfully and fairly. Please endeavour to do the same when dealing with us and any others involved in your grievance.
Unreasonable, offensive, belittling, derogatory, abusive or threatening conduct will not be tolerated.
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