We are excited to announce an opening for all staff to volunteer as Investigating Officers for the University's Student Discipline process. This role is available to all staff, except for postgraduate research students, and provides a unique opportunity to contribute to maintaining the integrity and safety of our University community.
How will this work alongside my job at Sussex?
As an Investigating Officer, you will play a crucial part in upholding the standards of conduct expected at our University. This voluntary position is supplementary to your existing role, offering you the chance to expand your skillset and engage with our disciplinary processes. While this is not a paid position, it is a highly rewarding opportunity to make a significant impact on the student experience and the broader University environment.
What training is provided?
Once recruited, Investigating Officers will receive comprehensive training focused on interviewing students about sensitive subjects, assessing evidence, and deciding on appropriate sanctions. Our process is trauma-informed, ensuring that all parties involved are treated with respect and sensitivity. We will be running two training sessions, which will take half a day. This will take place in July and August, and you will be expected to attend one session. Once you have attended this training, you will be ready to begin as an Investigating Officer.
What does the role involve?
The role of an Investigating Officer is to determine whether an allegation should be investigated, then if it should, to conduct an investigation into that allegation. This involves convening virtual meetings with both the reporting and reported students, as well as witnesses, via Zoom, and reviewing any available evidence. The Investigating Officer will then determine whether an allegation should be upheld, and if so, what sanctions should be applied.
How will the Student Discipline Team support me?
The Student Discipline Team handles all administration, including communications with students, organising meetings, and providing necessary information directly to the Investigating Officer. The Team will always consider your availability and will avoid assigning you to any cases where there may be any conflict of interest, or if there is subject matter that you are not comfortable with.
How often will I be expected to investigate cases?
As this role is voluntary, it can always be tailored to accommodate your existing work commitments. The Student Discipline Team will aim to assign one case to each Investigating Officer per semester. However, if you would like to request more cases than this, we will be happy to assign more cases to you. Additionally, if you are not available to take on a case over any given period, we will be happy to suspend allocating you any cases until you have availability again.
Am I suitable for this role?
For the first time, this opportunity is being made available to all staff within the University, regardless of grade. You will not need any specific existing skillset or experience, other than a willingness to be involved! There is no limit to the number of Investigating Officers that we can have, so we are keen for there to be as many attendees at our training as possible.
The University is proud of its diverse community. As such, we want to replicate this in our Investigating Officer pool as much as possible. We are particularly interested in any additional skills you have, such as speaking an additional language or understanding of a particular culture.
How do I declare interest?
If you are interested in taking on the role of an Investigating Officer, please let us know by email by contacting our Casework Managers (George Carter-Jones and Natalie Garrod) via student-discipline@sussex.ac.uk no later than Friday 27th June 2025. We will then follow up with you to coordinate your training.
We look forward to welcoming you into this vital role; helping us continue to maintain a safe University environment for all.