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This guidance is intended to suggest a starting point for typical/simple breaches. Discretion will always rest with the Authorised Officer or Disciplinary Panel determining the sanction.

Formal written warnings will normally only be imposed where there is no other sanction and should be referred to as a ‘Formal Written Warning’. However, such warnings may be imposed alongside other sanctions where it is considered appropriate to warn a student of the likely consequences of being found to have committed a further breach. For example, where a student is found to have committed in breach by an Authorised Officer, they may be issued with a formal written warning (alongside a fine and/or any other sanction imposed) that if they are found to have committed a further, similar breach it is likely that it will be dealt with by a Student Disciplinary Panel, noting that the sanctions available to Panels are more far-reaching than those available to Authorised Officers, up to and including recommending to Senate that the student’s registration at the University should be terminated.  

Fines dispensed by Authorised Officers will be imposed in the following amounts:

• £25,
• £50,
• £75,
• £100,
• £125,
• £150,
• £175,
• £200,
• £225 and
• £250.

The starting point for fines dispensed by Student Disciplinary Panels will be £250 and will increase at increments of £25.

Where aggravating and mitigating factors are taken into account and are sufficient to alter a financial sanction, the effect will be to move one or more points up or down the scale (e.g. a fine of £75 might move down to £50 or up to £100, but not to £65 or £85).

Where a fine is paid within 10 working days of it becoming due (i.e. within 10 working days of notification, or, if an appeal is lodged, within 10 working days of notification of the outcome of the appeal), the amount of the fine will be reduced by 50%. Where a fine is not paid within 10 days, the full amount will be payable, and will be added to the student’s University account.

The maximum financial penalty that can be imposed for a single matter imposed by an Authorised Officer will be £250.

Whilst the Student Disciplinary Panel will have absolute discretion about the level of sanction imposed, matters considered by Panels are generally considered to be more serious than matters considered by Authorised Officers. Where a fine is being considered by a Panel, there will be a presumption that the starting point will be £250.

Students are expected to take full personal responsibility for the discharge of fines and costs imposed on them as sanctions under Ordinance XVII. Students who attempt to pass on the responsibility for discharging a financial sanction in a way which is inappropriate and/or has the potential to damage the reputation of the University (e.g. by coercion, or by the use of fundraising on social media) may be subject to further disciplinary action.

Normally, all financial sanctions will be immediate, with no part of any financial sanction to be suspended.

This does not prevent an Authorised Officer giving clear guidance as to the starting point for any future sanction in the event of further breaches.

Suspended non-financial sanctions may still be imposed – e.g. removal from halls, suspension of registration.

Suspended sanctions will not be activated unless the student is found to be in breach in respect of a new allegation.

A suspended termination is generally seen by a disciplinary panel as a very serious sanction, second only to termination of studies. A suspended termination would normally be accompanied by an additional penalty recognising the matter as deserving of an immediate, as well as a suspended sanction.

A Disciplinary Panel may judge that the matter is sufficiently serious that a student should not be invited to attend a graduation ceremony. In particular a Panel may wish to impose such a sanction where breaches are committed so close to graduation that there is no alternative effective sanction. An exclusion from a graduation ceremony may also be imposed on a suspended basis as a means of ensuring compliance with another disciplinary sanction (e.g. if a fine is not paid by a date prior to the graduation ceremony, the suspended exclusion will be activated).

Recent practice has been to relocate those found to be in breach on multiple occasions between halls, particularly in the case of repeated possession of drugs.

Wardens retain the authority to require a student to move rooms within a hall where it is felt that this is likely to help resolve an issue or minimise the likelihood of a recurrence.

Relocation to a different hall of residence will now only be considered in exceptional circumstances, for example where it appears necessary to reassure or protect a specific individual. It will not normally be used for those repeatedly in breach (see specific sanctions in subsequent pages).

Authorised Officers and Disciplinary Panels will take into account the impact on the victim(s) as a factor when determining sanctions.