LCBA provides students with avenues to make complaints or academic appeals about matters that concern them. This guide helps explain the processes for complaints and academic appeals and gives some tips about how to present your issues so that they can be clearly and fully understood.

The first step is to determine whether you want to make a complaint or an academic appeal.

Complaint or Appeal?

You may make a complaint when you have a problem, issue, grievance or concern about anything – including a person, the services LCBA provides, the conduct of our staff or your course. You can make a complaint in relation to LCBA and/or its delivery partners.

You may make an academic appeal when you want to dispute an academic decision LCBA has made. You can make an academic appeal on these grounds:

1. you believe that the academic decision was not consistent with LCBA Policy
2. you want to provide substantial and relevant information to support your appeal that was not available to LCBA when the academic decision was made.

I think I want to make a complaint.

I think I want to appeal a decision.

• I want to make a complaint

  LCBA willingly accepts complaints and treats complaints seriously because they help us identify things we can improve. If you make a complaint, please be reassured that you will not be disadvantaged in any way. LCBA will acknowledge complaints promptly, and handle complaints fairly and sensitively with due regard to confidentiality. Where possible, complaints are resolved through discussion with the persons concerned as soon as possible after an incident or situation has occurred.

  Before you make a formal complaint, talk to Student Services about your concerns. They may be able to help you resolve the issue quickly. You should also be familiar with the Complaints and Appeals Policy.

  LCBA follows a three stage complaints process.

   

  Stage 1 – Informal Complaint

  At this stage you are encouraged to talk to the person concerned and see if the issue can be resolved at a local level.

  People involved in the issue or close to a source of a complaint are often the best people to help resolve a complaint quickly. We recommend you send an email to the relevant staff member and include these points:

  • Explain what your complaint is. Is it about a staff member, a service or something else about your course?
  • What is it that you think is unfair or wrong? Give your reasons for the complaint.
  • How would you like the complaint to be resolved? What outcome would you like to see?

  Relevant staff may include:

  • Campus administration staff (delivery partner)
  • Program Manager or Head Teacher
  • Industry Engagement staff
  • Student Services staff

  If you like, you can talk to Student Services for your campus (see email addresses below), who can help you with resolving the complaint near its source.

  Studentservicesadelaide@cordonbleu.edu

  Studentservicesbrisbane@cordonbleu.edu

  Studentservicesmelbourne@cordonbleu.edu

  Studentservicessydney@cordonbleu.edu

   

  Stage 2 – Formal Complaint

  This stage is for more serious or complicated complaints, or complaints that can’t be resolved in Stage 1 at the local level. Your complaint will be received by the Academic Registrar of LCBA who will oversee an investigation into the matter and keep you informed of progress.

  When you complete the Complaint Form, you should include all the information you provided in Stage 1, plus any additional any evidence that supports your complaint, such as emails from Stage 1 or notes of discussions.

  Submit a Formal Complaint

   

  Stage 3 – Escalate

  If you believe that the outcome of a complaint process at an earlier stage was unfair or incorrect, you may lodge an appeal. When you lodge your appeal, be sure that you explain why you think you have grounds (good reason) to appeal.  Usually the grounds for an appeal relate to whether the previous stages of the complaints process were conducted fairly. Section 6.3.3 of the Complaints and Appeals Policy sets out the possible grounds for an appeal.

  You can lodge your appeal by email to Student Services at your campus:

  Studentservicesadelaide@cordonbleu.edu

  Studentservicesbrisbane@cordonbleu.edu

  Studentservicesmelbourne@cordonbleu.edu

  Studentservicessydney@cordonbleu.edu

   

  External Appeal

  A complainant dissatisfied with the outcome of a Stage 3 complaint process may appeal to an external agency. External agencies include:

  International Students

  Commonwealth Ombudsman

  Email: ombudsman@ombudsman.gov.au

  Phone: 1300 362 072

  Website: https://www.ombudsman.gov.au/complaints

   

  All Students

  Australian Human Rights Commission

  Email: infoservice@humanrights.gov.au

  Phone: 02 9284 9888

  Website: www.humanrights.gov.au

  Resolution Institute*

  Email: nominations@resolution.institute
  Phone: 02 9251 3366
  Website: https://www.resolution.institute

  *LCBA will meet 50% of the costs of mediation through the Resolution Institute.

• I want to appeal a decision

  You may make an academic appeal when you disagree with an academic decision LCBA has made. When you appeal,  the Academic Appeals Committee will consider the matter and make a judgement about whether the original decision was correct. You can make an academic appeal on these grounds:

  1. you believe that the academic decision was not consistent with LCBA Policy
  2. you want to provide substantial and relevant information to support your appeal that was not available to LCBA when the academic decision was made.

  You must appeal within 20 working days of receiving notification of the academic decision. If you choose to appeal, you should be reassured that you will not be disadvantaged in any way. LCBA will acknowledge academic appeals promptly and handle academic appeals fairly.  

  Before you lodge an academic appeal, you should be familiar with the Complaints and Appeals Policy.

  When you lodge your appeal be sure to provide information about why you are appealing, including:

  • Details of the decision you are appealing, including key dates, names of staff involved, your understanding of the decision and how it was made
  • What is it that you think is unfair or wrong? Give your reasons for the appeal
  • How would you like the appeal to be resolved? What outcome would you like to see?

  You should include any evidence that supports your appeal, such as medical certificates, bereavement notices, bank statements, emails, notes of discussions, assessment pieces or marks.

  Submit an Academic Appeal

   

  External Appeal

  A complainant dissatisfied with the outcome of the academic appeal process may appeal to an external agency, such as an Ombudsman. External agencies include:

   

  International Students

  Overseas Students Ombudsman

  Email: ombudsman@ombudsman.gov.au

  Phone: 1300 362 072

  Website: www.oso.gov.au

   

  All Students

  Australian Human Rights Commission

  Email: infoservice@humanrights.gov.au

  Phone: 02 9284 9888

  Website: www.humanrights.gov.au

  Resolution Institute*

  Email: nominations@resolution.institute
  Phone: 02 9251 3366
  Website: https://www.resolution.institute

  *LCBA will meet 50% of the costs of mediation through the Resolution Institute.