Code of Practice

1. Introduction

This Code of Practice provides the basis for good practice for the marketing, operation, financing and administration of education and training services by Tabor College Victoria Inc. More detailed information about the policies and practices of the College is given in the appropriate sections of the website and in the new students' orientation packages.
For the purposes of this Code "student/trainee" refers to any person participating in education or training delivered by Tabor College Victoria.

2. Provisions of Education and Training Services

Tabor Victoria has policies and management practices which maintain high professional standards in the delivery of education and training services, and which safeguard the interests and welfare of students/trainees.
Tabor Victoria maintains a learning environment that is conducive to the success of students.
Tabor Victoria has the capacity to deliver the courses for which it has been registered, provide adequate facilities, and use methods and materials appropriate to the learning needs of students/trainees.
Tabor Victoria monitors and assesses the performance and progress of its students/trainees.
Tabor Victoria ensures that teaching staff are not only suitably qualified but are also sensitive to the cultural and learning needs of students/trainees, and provides training for its staff, as required.
Tabor Victoria ensures that assessments are conducted in a manner which meets approved standards.
Tabor Victoria is committed to access and equity principles in the delivery of its courses. In particular, the College publishes detailed descriptions of the entry requirements for its courses and units on the Tabor webpage.
Tabor Victoria endorses the principles enshrined in Commonwealth and State legislation with respect to occupational health and safety, workplace harassment, victimisation and bullying, discrimination, and equal opportunity including issues of racial vilification and disability and is committed to the practical application of these principles in the conduct of the College's affairs.

3. Issuance of Qualifications

Tabor Victoria issues qualifications and statements of attainment to students/trainees who meet the requirements for these qualifications.
Qualifications and statements of attainment issued by Tabor Victoria meet the requirements of the Australian Qualifications Framework Implementation Handbook and the endorsed Training Packages and accredited courses within the College’s scope of registration.
Tabor Victoria issues, records and reports upon AQF qualifications and Statements that identify the units of competency from Training Packages, or competencies or modules from accredited courses, that the student has attained; and identify the Registered Training Organisation (RTO) by its national provider number.
The Registrar shall be the responsible officer to issue qualifications and statements of attainment.
The Academic Administrator shall be the responsible officer to advise on the extent to which students have met all the requirements of a course for which an award or statement of attainment may be issued.

4. Marketing of Education and Trainign Services

Tabor Victoria markets and advertises its services in an ethical manner.
Tabor Victoria gains written permission from a student or trainee before using information about the individual in any marketing materials.
Tabor Victoria ensures that students/trainees are provided with full details of conditions in any contract arrangements with the organisation.
No false or misleading comparisons are drawn with any other training/educational organisation or qualification.

5. Financial Standards

Tabor Victoria has measures to ensure that students/trainees will receive a refund of fees for services not provided.
Tabor Victoria has a refund policy that is fair and equitable, and which is made available to students/trainees.
Tabor Victoria ensures that the contractual and financial relationship between the student/trainee and the college is fully and properly documented, and that copies of the documentation are made available to the student/trainee. Documentation includes: the rights and responsibilities of students/trainees, costs of training, payment arrangements, refund conditions and any other matters that place obligations on students/trainees.

6. Provisions of Information

Tabor Victoria supplies accurate, relevant and up-to-date information to prospective students/trainees. In particular, information about occupational health and safety, workplace harassment, victimisation and bullying, discrimination, and equal opportunity including issues of racial vilification and disability, complaints and grievance procedures, fee refund policies, recognition of prior learning and Commonwealth Loan Assistance (FEE-HELP) is provided via the website and in new student orientation packages.
Tabor Victoria supplies this information to students/trainees before it enters into written agreements with students/trainees and regularly reviews all information provided to students/trainees to ensure its accuracy and relevance.

7. Recruitment

Tabor Victoria conducts recruitment of students/trainees at all times in an ethical and responsible manner. Offers of course placement are based on an assessment of the extent to which the qualifications, proficiency and aspirations of the applicant are matched by the training opportunity offered.
Tabor Victoria ensures that the educational background of intending students/trainees is assessed by suitably qualified staff, and provides for the training of such staff, as appropriate.

8. Support Services

Tabor Victoria shall provide adequate protection for the health, safety and welfare of students/trainees and, without limiting the ordinary meaning of such expression, this requirement shall include adequate and appropriate support services in terms of academic and personal counselling. The College shall also empower students to consult with academic and administrative staff on any matters relating to their pastoral welfare and academic progress.

Available support services

The Academic Registrar shall be responsible to ensure that the College maintains a range of services designed to assist students with their studies. Such services shall include, but not be limited to counselling, academic and career advice, advice and assistance with information technology facilities, and student learning assistance.

Counselling

The Academic Registrar and Deputy Registrar shall be responsible to ensure that information relating to the availability of counselling and pastoral care support of students is published in a form readily available to students. Such services shall be provided, as required, by the Deputy Registrar Advisory Services, the Head of the School of Counselling and Human Services or by the Course Coordinators or Course Advisors. Contact details for these officers will be available through Reception, and will be provided to students when they are enrolled, and in the event that their Course Advisor changes. The College officers involved in providing support are advised that their role is neither to supplant local clergy in the offering of pastoral care, nor family and friendship groups in offering support to students during short or long term personal crises. Rather, their role is to support and advise students from the perspective of the College and with regard to the whole person, but with limits on length and depth of pastoral support that would otherwise subvert the structures that a student should have in place through local church and personal networks. Referral for clinical counselling, when required, shall be a priority where the matter is neither short term nor primarily study related. Suitable counselling shall be arranged with suitably qualified Tabor staff, or alternatively, students shall be directed to and where appropriate assisted to obtain appropriate assistance from off campus clinicians.

Academic and Career Advice

The respective Heads of Schools, Course Coordinators, Course Advisors and the Deputy Registrar Advisory Services shall be required to provide academic and career advice to students.
The Academic Registrar and Deputy Registrar Student Services shall be responsible to ensure that that the procedures for obtaining information relating to academic and career advice is published in a form readily available to students.
The Academic Registrar shall be responsible to ensure that officers expected to provide such advice and information make themselves available for contact by telephone, email, regular mail or personal appointment.

IT Support

The Academic Registrar and Deputy Registrar Student Services shall be responsible to ensure that that the procedures for obtaining information relating to information technology support is published in a form readily available to students. The information provided shall explain the limits of such advice. Officers providing assistance with information technology matters shall not be required to provide information and assistance a student could be reasonably expected to obtain from other hardware or software providers. All personnel engaged in the Resource Centre shall be trained and shall make themselves available to assist students navigate the database search applications and search engines to which the Resource Centre provides access.

Student Learning Assistance

The Academic Registrar shall be responsible to ensure that all students of the College have easy access by telephone, email or personal appointment to the respective Heads of Schools, Course Coordinators, Course Advisors and the Deputy Registrar Advisory Services when requiring learning assistance.
In consultation between students and relevant Course Coordinators and/or Lecturers, students with special learning difficulties (e.g. dyslexia) shall permitted extra time in which to complete class tests and examinations. In addition, the use of Laptops may also be authorised for such students who require their assistance when writing exams.
In consultation between students and relevant Course Coordinators and/or Lecturers, scribes may be provided to students who need such assistance.
The College shall also encourages the “buddy system” amongst students so that the community of students is empowered to provide needed help to each other and to make support needs known to appropriate academic and administrative personnel.

Availability of Faculty

The Academic Registrar and Dean, jointly, shall be responsible to ensure that Faculty members are regularly on campus during term and are available out of term time when not on leave. The Dean shall be responsible to ensure that all Faculty are allocated a group of students to whom they are Course Advisor, and to whom they are particularly available. It shall be the responsibility of Reception staff (and Student Liaison Officers) to make appointments for Faculty to meet with students as needed.
Faculty members shall ensure that they available on phone extensions within the College. Faculty members, may, at their own discretion, make available to students their personal mobile phone numbers.
Faculty members shall ensure that students can contact them by email. Faculty members shall be available to students during breaks in class. Visiting lecturers shall be entitled to remuneration for required attendance during class delivery and breaks.

Consultation opportunities for students

The Dean and Deputy Registrar shall be responsible to ensure that students have access to several opportunities for review and improvement of student services.

Student Representative Council

Each year, students who have an appreciation of student life on campus have demonstrated leadership qualities shall be invited by the Academic Registrar to serve on the Student Representative Council. The Council shall conduct regular formal meetings and shall convey concerns or suggestions to the Leadership Team or the Academic Administration Team for consideration and/or necessary action. The Council shall also regularly invite comments from the wider student body in less formal gatherings and refreshment breaks.

Academic Administration “standing meetings”

The Academic Administration Team shall conduct a regular “standing meeting” at which the tasks relating to student services administration are discussed. Needs and concerns brought directly to the attention of the Admin Team by the students shall be considered as well as issues which the team have identified as being relevant to the welfare of students, either academically or pastorally. Forthcoming significant events in campus life, such as examination schedules, unit enrolments, issue of student notices required by legislation (e.g. CAN Notices) etc. shall also be discussed and strategies shall be planned to meet the needs.

Formal Meetings

The College Faculty shall meet regularly and all aspects of student services shall be reviewed within the context of those meetings.
The Occupation Health and Safety committee shall conduct regularly reviews of campus safety issues and shall conduct fire safety drills at least once each semester.
The College Leadership Team shall have overall responsibility for student services and shall be required to regularly discuss student services in the wider budget context.

Resource Centre

The staff of the Resource Centre, under the leadership of the Resource Centre Manager shall provide orientation training for new and/or continuing students at the commencement of each semester and conduct debriefing sessions immediately after to identify any issues which need to be addressed. The Resource Centre Manager shall also consult with the Student Representative Council to identify any improvements to the library resources or equipment which may assist students. Ad hoc surveys shall also be conducted to solicit information on issues under investigation, if considered appropriate. The Resource Centre Manager shall also consult with the Business Manager annually, to ensure that future budgets adequately provide for the Resource Centre needs.

Open Door Policy

The College shall actively promote an ‘open door policy’ and students shall be encouraged to meet with Heads of School, Course Coordinators, Course Advisors, Lecturers and Academic Administration personnel to discuss problematic issues, suggested improvements and provide feedback regarding new services which have been provided and/or remedial interventions that are recommended.

9. Complaints and Grievance Mechanisms

Tabor Victoria ensures that students/trainees have access to a fair and equitable process for dealing with complaints and grievances with respect to academic and non-academic matters and provides avenues for internal and external review of any decisions made. Every effort is made by the College to resolve students'/trainees' grievances.
For this purpose, Tabor Victoria has developed comprehensive complaints and grievance policies (academic matters and non-academic matters) describing all three phases of the process (initial complaint, internal review and external review). The college has also developed a comprehensive Fee-Help Review protocol. These mechanisms are made known to students/trainees at the time of enrolment.

10. Record Keeping

Tabor Victoria keeps complete and accurate records of the attendance and progress of students/trainees, as well as financial records that reflect all payments and charges and the balance due, and provides copies of these records to students/trainees on request.
Students accessing Commonwealth Loan Assistance (FEE-HELP and HECS-HELP) are proved with Commonwealth Assistance Notices (CAN) each semester which advises individual trainees/students of their level of indebtedness to the Commonwealth.

11. Privacy

Tabor Victoria has administration procedures which ensure that the privacy and confidentiality of information about students/trainees is protected, that such information can only be accessed by personnel authorised to view it and that such information can only be used for the purpose for which the records were created.
Tabor Victoria has policies and procedures which enable students/trainees to have access to their own records, under supervision.
Tabor Victoria is committed to ensuring that students'/trainees' records are at all times accurate, relevant, up-to-date, complete and not misleading. Students/trainees of the College have the right to request that incorrect or out-of-date information be removed from their personal records or updated.
Personal information about students/trainees will not be made available to any third party unless the student/trainee is informed that disclosure is to be made , or the student/trainee has consented, or the disclosure is necessary to protect against a serious or imminent threat to life, health or property damage, or the disclosure is required or authorised by law, or the disclosure is reasonably necessary to enforce criminal law or a law imposing a pecuniary penalty, or to protect the public revenue.

12. Quality Control

Tabor Victoria has documented processes and appropriate mechanisms in place to ensure higher education course outcomes are consistent with those of courses leading to equivalent qualifications in an Australian university.
Tabor Victoria has mechanisms in place to improve services continuously, including processes to obtain feedback from participants and clients on their satisfaction with the services they have received.
Tabor Victoria complies and will continue to comply with the National Protocols for Higher Education Approval Processes.

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