Student conduct

Your responsibilities at University

Macquarie University's Student Code of Conduct outlines your rights and responsibilities within Macquarie’s cultural and structural framework and explains in detail what happens when a complaint is made.

My responsibilities at University

Macquarie is committed to providing a fulfilling and rewarding learning experience to help you achieve your full academic potential. Our Student Code of Conduct is supported by Student Discipline Rules and the expectation that all students share the responsibility for maintaining a safe, ethical, harmonious and tolerant environment.

Misconduct

Students are accountable for their misconduct. Any misconduct may be subject to disciplinary action by the University under its student disciplinary rules.

Code of conduct

It is a student’s responsibility to be familiar with this code of conduct and other behaviour standards required by the University.

Compliance with the Student Code of Conduct is binding on all students.

Sources of student conduct standards

Macquarie has a range of policies, codes and procedures that govern student conduct.

• Student Code of Conduct
• Academic Integrity Policy
• Acceptable Use Policy
• Discrimination, Bullying and Harassment Prevention Policy
• Student Discipline Procedure [PDF 1.1MB]

The University may commence applicable disciplinary procedures if a student is alleged to have breached an expected standard of conduct.

Student misconduct definition

Misconduct is when a student breaches a University policy or regulation. There are two types of student misconduct – academic and general:

• Academic misconduct is an attempt to gain an unfair advantage in an assessment by breaching the principles of the Academic Integrity policy.
• General misconduct is where a student or student organisation breaches principles in the Student Code of Conduct, or any other University regulation.

Making a misconduct allegation to the University

To make a misconduct allegation, please use the Complaint and Misconduct Reporting Portal.

[Please note your identity (as the ‘notifier’) may be available to the student respondent during any investigation phase and/or Discipline Committee process unless the University determines that it is not appropriate in the circumstances. Generally, the University will not respond to anonymous misconduct allegations but may do so at its discretion].

You are reminded of obligations under the Student Discipline Procedure including that the University can request any information provided by an Macquarie student or Macquarie staff notifier to be verified by statutory declaration [Note: a statutory declaration is a type of written statement that allows a person to declare something to be true. If a person intentionally makes a false statement in a statutory declaration, that person can be charged with a criminal offence].

Having notified the University of the alleged inappropriate conduct by an Macquarie student, your on-going involvement in the handling and resolution of the allegation may be limited to providing additional supporting material requested by the University (ie if needed as part of an internal or external investigation and/or Discipline Committee process).

Your notification will alert the University to alleged student conduct that may require action by the University as the alleged conduct may breach the University’s expected standard of student conduct as outlined in a University Regulation.

Please note that the University itself progresses any allegation of inappropriate conduct against a student respondent on behalf of the University community.

Consistent with the student respondent’s right to privacy, any action taken by the University against the student respondent for a breach of a University Regulation is confidential, subject to any relevant provisions of the Student Discipline Procedure [PDF 1.1MB].

Handling of student misconduct allegations

In considering a possible referral of a misconduct allegation to a Discipline Committee for determination, the University assesses the following:

• the nature of the alleged conduct and the supporting material provided; and
• whether the alleged conduct, if shown, would breach an expected standard of student conduct as outlined in a University Regulation.

Following this consideration, one of the two following recommendations can be made by the University:

• the University will make a Discipline Committee meeting available, as a stakeholder, to allow the student respondent to respond to all or some of the allegations and to apply a sanction should the student be found responsible for the alleged conduct; or
• the University will not refer the allegation(s) to a meeting of a Discipline Committee for determination. Such a recommendation shall not preclude informal action by way of an agreed outcome, caution or otherwise as appropriate.

Should the University make a Discipline Committee meeting available, it will determine what happened and apply a sanction if a student is found responsible for the alleged misconduct.*

As outlined below, there are two types of Discipline Committees:

• Faculty Discipline Committee considers Academic Misconduct concerning most alleged breaches of the Academic Integrity Policy.
• University Discipline Committee considers allegations of General Misconduct breaching the Student Code of Conduct, the most serious alleged breaches of the Academic Integrity Policy and cases whereby the student has previously breached University Regulations.

*Alternatively, the Student Discipline Procedure provides some limited scope for a student to pre-accept responsibility and a prescribed sanction for some lower-level alleged breaches (prior to a possible Discipline Committee determination). Should a student accept responsibility and a prescribed sanction, the Discipline Committee may approve the application of the prescribed sanction at its next meeting and the student would be sent a letter confirming this outcome.

Notification of student misconduct allegation

You will receive official correspondence outlining the nature of the alleged misconduct, the available supporting material and how the University intends to handle and resolve the matter.

All correspondence is sent to your official Macquarie student email account.

Contact Student Advocacy and Support for independent support and assistance.

Need more information? See the Student Discipline Procedure [PDF 1.1MB].

Contact us

Student Advocacy and Support Service is available to provide support and assistance.

Should a matter involve allegations of sexual misconduct (sexual assault, sexual harassment), you are also encouraged to access the dedicated support services and reporting avenues available at mq.edu.au/respect.