Terms of Service

Table of Contents

Definitions 

This document outlines what students can expect from DUSA Advice and Support team.  

Throughout this document, the term:  

  • DUSAAdvice and Support team is the service that provides advice and support to students at the University of Dundee.  

Advice and Support Manager: Candy Preater  

Advice and Support Officer: Sylwia Slawicka 

  • ‘Student’ describes those who are accessing the service– University of Dundee students and alumni of the University  
  • DUSAis the operating name of the Dundee University Students’ Association.  
  • ‘University’ refers to the University ofDundee

 

Purpose of the DUSA Advice and Support team 

DUSA’s Advice & Support team is an independent and confidential resource that empowers students at the University of Dundee to navigate often complex challenges on their student journey, the service provides impartial information, advice and advocacy on issues including wellbeing, finance, housing and academic concerns. Providing support at any time on their student journey – before they start at the university, during studying, and alumni queries.   

Students approach the service with a wide range of issues as outlined and are supported through listening, clear explanations of options and practical help such as drafting emails, making phone calls, referring to professionals and assisting with forms/processes. The service is student-centred. 

The DUSA Advice & Support team contributes to awareness-raising and policy discussions, and helps shape a kinder, greener and more diverse student community where barriers to participation are reduced.  

The service provides one to one support, collective advocacy as well as delivering interactive sessions/wellbeing programme for students to combat loneliness and create a sense of community. The team work closely with other community organisations to offer activities. 

In situations where DUSA Advice and support team is unable to provide the service required, students are signposted to other services or organisations both within the University and external.  

Student Responsibilities

 The aim of DUSA Advice and support team is to support students in the best way possible. To achieve this, students need to: 

  • Provide complete andtimely information, including updates or changes to their case as they arise. If students do not share the full details of the case or withhold relevant information, the best advice cannot be provided.  
  • Treat staff with respect.Attend arranged meetings or inform the team if times need to be rescheduled.

Staff Responsibilities

The aim of DUSA Advice and support team is to support students in the best way possible. To achieve this, staff:  

  • Aim to respond to student correspondence within two working days and to have staff available to attend meetings between the student and the University. If this is not possible, due to staff availability or other unforeseen factors, the student is informed as soon as possible and provided with information about alternative support options. 
  • Maintainconfidentiality of students where possible  
  • Empower students to make their own decisions and ensure students are in control of their own cases. Staff do not decide actions for students. 
  • Reserve the right to clarify any misrepresentations made by students to third parties whereappropriate. 
  • Stay up to date with local and national issuesimpactingstudents, including attending relevant trainings.  
  • Take a zero-tolerance approach to rude,inappropriateor disrespectful behaviour. If a student or member of the public engages in this behaviour, DUSA Advice and support team may limit, refuse or withdraw service.  
  1. 5. Conflicts of Interest:No staff can knowingly support or advise both parties in a dispute or other conflict of interest e.g. where students have been accused of colluding with each other. If a conflict arises between two or more students, it is the responsibility of the staff member to approach one student, whilst the other student(s) is referred to either another staff member or signposted toan appropriate alternative  A situation may arise where a staff member is aware of a student on a personal level. In these cases, either the staff member or the student can request that another staff member takes the lead on the case.

Confidentiality

DUSA Advice and support team share personal information between staff to ensure that advice and support is consistent and comprehensive. However, no personal information is given out directly or indirectly to any organisation or individual outside of DUSA without the student’s clear consent. Students may withdraw consent for information sharing at any time by notifying DUSA Advice team. Upon withdrawal, DUSA Advice team promptly updates records and ceases sharing the personal information. In situations where a student would like to not be identified by the University, DUSA Advice team is still able to provide advice and support. Every reasonable step will be made to respect the student’s desire to remain anonymous. However, there may be limitations to the level of service and/or the advice that can be provided.  

Exceptions to the Confidentially Policy: There are exceptional circumstances in which confidentiality may need to be breached by contacting an organisation or individual outside of DUSA. These include:  

  • Safeguarding concerns, such as staff feeling a student is at risk of harming themselves or others. 
  • Staff has received information that may help prevent acts of terrorism or apprehend a terrorist. 
  • Where there is a court order requiring disclosure.

 For other potential criminal offences there is no duty of disclosure, however it is an offence to aid or encourage a crime. If staff feel a student’s confidentiality should be breached, staff discuss the issue with the DUSA Senior Management Team. If it is agreed that it is necessary to disclose student information to an outside body, including to the University, then a specific and limited disclosure may take place. Where possible, the disclosure is normally discussed with the student and the student is usually told when the disclosure will take place.  

When Service May Be Withdrawn

DUSA Advice and support team reserves the right to limit, refuse or withdraw service from a student. The following are examples of why this may occur:  

  • A student becomes aggressive or acts inappropriately towards staff. 
  • A studentattemptsto involve staff in illegal activities.  
  • A student persistently and withoutgood causefails to attend meetings or otherwise wastes staff time.  
  • A conflict of interest arises. 
  • A student is being advised on the same issue by anotherorganisationand this is proving counterproductive.  
  • A studentmakes repeated unreasonable demands that significantlyimpact the team’s abiility to serve other students. 

 Please note that this is not an exhaustive list. Any decision to limit, refuse or withdraw service to a student is discussed with a member of the DUSA Senior Management Team. When withdrawing service from a student, the student is provided with an explanation for the decision and is signposted to other relevant support organisations/services.  

Data Management

DUSA Advice and Support is committed to complying with the requirements of UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. 

To provide an effective and tailored advice service for students, we collect and process personal information from students who engage with the service. This may include contact details, course information, and case-related notes. In some circumstances, this may also include sensitive (special category) personal data where it is necessary to support your case. Your information is used for the purposes of delivering advice and support, managing your case, and, where appropriate, safeguarding. We may also use anonymised data for monitoring and service improvement. 

DUSA Advice uses MSL Case Manager, a secure electronic casework system. Access to information is restricted to authorised staff only, and both DUSA staff and system providers operate in accordance with data protection requirements. We retain case records for a period after case closure, after which they are securely deleted. Our lawful basis for processing personal data is our legitimate interests in providing advice and support services to students, and, where required, your consent. Where we process special category data, this is done with your explicit consent or where otherwise permitted by law. 

Your information will not be shared with third parties without your consent, unless there is a legal obligation or safeguarding concern that requires us to do so. Where information is shared, we ensure it is handled securely and appropriately. Under data protection law, you have the right to access the personal data we hold about you, request corrections, and request deletion where appropriate. 

For further information, please contact: cpreater@dusa.co.uk (Advice and Support Team Manager) 
You can also view our full Privacy Policy here: https://www.dusa.co.uk/privacy 

Policies and procedures 

DUSA advice and support team follow DUSA policies and procedures. For further information email: advice@dusa.co.uk  

Feedback and Complaints

DUSA advice and support team welcome feedback. Staff aim to send all students a link to an online survey.  

Anyone wishing to put in a complaint about the service please email: complaints@dusa.co.uk 

More information on our complaints process can be found in the DUSA Byelaws. 

Any questions please email: advice@dusa.co.uk