Living Black at University Commission Report 2022/23 Living Black at University Commission Report 2022/23 4.2 RECOMMENDATION 8 Ensure there are clear and accessible policies and procedures (including anonymous reporting) that deal explicitly with racism in accommodation. Identi昀椀ed issues Good practice tips Self-assessment questions • Complaints processes are not always well Jo Nuckley, Head of Outreach & Insight at the Does your organisation have clear signposting to Does your organisation share examples of complaint signposted or explained, meaning that Black O昀케ce of the Independent Adjudicator: your complaints process? processes and outcomes on your website? students may be unclear on how to submit • Reframe how complaints are viewed within your Is it clear on your university’s website that Is there a process in place in your organisation to or escalate a complaint about their experience organisation – complaints are proof that students complaints processes are not solely for academic signpost complainants to student support services? in student accommodation complaints? feel safe to disclose their concerns; a lack of Does your university work with neighbouring • They may also be reluctant to submit a complaint complaints doesn’t mean a lack of issues Does your website explain to students that their universities to resolve complaints involving in case it leads to further negative outcomes within • Explore data around complaints to see recurring complaint will only be shared with people who students from di昀昀erent institutions? their accommodation, particularly where the issues, which issues make it through the process need to know about it? complaint involves 昀氀atmates or neighbours and which issues have been rejected • A lack of transparency around outcomes from • Look at website analytics for digital complaint previous complaints can make complaint processes forms; if there is a frequent exit point midway appear ine昀昀ectual, deterring students from going through the process, students may not through the process understand how the process works – or it may • Universities or accommodation providers may not work for them have limited options for resolving complaints, • Assign a human name to a complaints email in particular where there is a lack of supply to address to humanise the experience and build facilitate room moves, while it can be a challenge trust in the process to resolve complaints that involve students from di昀昀erent universities • Stay solution focused; apologies are powerful, and • Submitting a complaint may be an alien concept to accepting responsibility for 昀椀nding a resolution is students from some cultural backgrounds not the same as accepting liability Commission actions (to take forward in Phase 2) • Create a one-page 昀氀owchart resource to outline a complaints escalation process for students • Update National Codes to re昀氀ect requirements for sensitivity training around race-related complaints 34 35