The short window for English universities to deal with free speech issues before the Office for Students’ new scheme kicks in risks creating a “hierarchy of complaints” and “perversely incentivising” institutions to deal with these types of grievances over any others, according to sector leaders.
Institutions have just 30 days to resolve free speech complaints internally before the matter can be taken up by the regulator under the terms of the proposed scheme, which mission groups say is “unrealistic” and should be trebled to 90 days in line with the practices of the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA), which has the power to rule on other student complaints.
“This is simply not enough time in most cases for a provider to investigate a complaint, particularly in view of the high level of complexity that free speech-related complaints often entail,” says the Universities Alliance in its response to the consultation on the complaints scheme, which has now closed.
“It is likely to lead to the OfS being inundated with claims that have been partially investigated, which is not a good use of public money.”
