Discipline Committee

15.1 Role

15.1.1 The role of the Discipline Committee is to investigate all charges of contraventions of the Guild rules or rules of any subsidiary council referred to under these Regulations, and to impose penalties described in these Regulations.

15.2 Membership

15.2.1 The Discipline Committee comprises:

(a) the President as Chair;

(b) the Secretary; and

(c) three Guild Councillors, at least one of whom must be a female.

15.2.2 The Secretary is the Executive Officer of the Discipline Committee.

15.3 General Regulations

15.3.1 The deliberations and decisions of the Discipline Committee are confidential.  

15.3.2 Subject to these Regulations, the Discipline Committee decides its own procedure and may determine that the submission of evidence may be confidential. 

15.3.3 Decisions of the Discipline Committee are subject to review by Guild Council.

15.3.4 Any person affected by a decision of the Discipline Committee may appeal to the Guild Council within fourteen days of the date of any decision.

15.3.5 Any subsidiary council or Guild committee which is granted power to make rules and impose fines for the breach of its rules or the Guild Rules, may refer any contravention of the rules to the Disciplinary Committee.

15.3.6 Before any investigation is commenced by the Discipline Committee, the executive officer must provide the person or persons charged with a contravention of the Guild rules with a notice in writing requiring the person or persons to appear before the Discipline Committee.

15.3.7 The notice required under clause 15.3.6 must include—

(a) details of the alleged contravention of the Guild rules;

(b) reference to the particular Guild rules allegedly contravened;

(c) the date, time and place that the person or persons are required to appear before the Discipline Committee; and

(d) a copy of the part of these Regulations concerning the Discipline Committee.

15.3.8 A person or persons served with a notice under clause 15.3.6 will attend and appear before the Discipline Committee as required or submit a written explanation in relation to the charges of contravention of the Guild rules to the executive officer of the Discipline Committee.

15.3.9 The Discipline Committee may proceed with the investigation notwithstanding the non-attendance of the person or persons charged if the Discipline Committee is satisfied that the notice to attend was duly served on the relevant person or persons.

15.3.10 The executive officer of the Discipline Committee may, by not less than four working days notice in writing, require any ordinary member or associate member to attend at a stated time before the Discipline Committee for the purposes of providing evidence.

15.3.11 An ordinary member or associate member served with a notice under clause 15.3.10.

15.3.12 All persons required to appear before the Discipline Committee are allowed representation.

15.3.13 The Discipline Committee may admit evidence by declaration made in the form provided by Regulation 25.1 and 26.1.2.

15.3.14 The Discipline Committee may permit persons who are not ordinary members or associate members to provide evidence to the Discipline Committee.

15.3.15 The Discipline Committee may permit any group of ordinary members or associate members (or both) or any University society, required to appear before the Discipline Committee, to appear by a representative.

15.3.16 An ordinary member or associate member whose conduct, in the opinion of the Discipline Committee, constitutes contempt of the Discipline Committee, is liable to the penalties applicable under clause 16.2.1.

15.3.17 Where a person is charged with persistent breaches of Guild Rules or has not paid any fine imposed by the Discipline Committee within the prescribed period, the Discipline Committee may recommend to the Guild Council that action be taken by the Guild Council in the terms of Regulation 16.2.2.

15.3.18 The Discipline Committee may exclude the person or persons concerned from the buildings occupied by the Guild until the Guild Council meets to consider the recommendation of the Discipline Committee.

15.3.19 As soon as practicable after the Discipline Committee has reached a conclusion in relation to any particular investigation and made a decision in relation to penalties to be applied, the executive officer of the Discipline Committee will serve notice of the particulars of the conclusion and decision on the—

(a) persons or University Society charged with contraventions of the Guild Rules; and

(b) disciplinary officer, subsidiary council, Guild committee or University society that referred the matter to the Discipline Committee for investigation.

15.3.20 If the Discipline Committee has imposed a fine, the notice required under clause 15.3.19 must also inform the persons or University society on which the fine has been imposed of the right of appeal under clause 16.2.11 to 16.2.15 and Chapter 17 inclusive, and must provide a copy of the part of these Regulations relating to appeals.