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‘Silenced’: Aussie Unis Gag Students
The National Student Ombudsman found nearly half of universities use gag clauses affecting up to 770,000 students and recommends limiting their scope to complaints only.
- On Tuesday, the NSO released a report urging limits on confidentiality clauses after finding 21 of 44 universities used them, potentially gagging 770,000 students.
- 'Students should have the right to talk to others for support and seek external advice after they have made a complaint to their higher education provider,' Mr Anderson said.
- At the University of Technology Sydney, an external investigator found insufficient evidence and the student was later told she faced a preliminary assessment for allegedly breaching confidentiality, while James Cook University and the University of Newcastle were singled out for improperly applying confidentiality requirements.
- James Cook University and the University of Newcastle were given three months to update policies and release students after complaints and investigations had been finalised, with the ombudsman urging exceptions for psychological and legal support.
- The rapid demand for oversight was underscored when the NSO received more than 2,200 student contacts in its first six months, with the first complaint arriving within minutes of opening.
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Ombudsman warns confidentiality clauses may silence university students - The Indian Sun
Confidentiality clauses used by Australian universities may be restricting students from seeking support and discouraging them from making complaints, according to the first own motion investigation report released by the National Student Ombudsman. The report found that confidentiality clauses are commonly applied when a student lodges a complaint or when a complaint is made about them. These provisions can prevent students from speaking to any…
Coverage Details
Total News Sources13
Leaning Left8Leaning Right2Center1Last UpdatedBias Distribution73% Left
Bias Distribution
- 73% of the sources lean Left
73% Left
L 73%
R 18%
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