In a University, as in any other community, a balance has to be struck between the freedom of action of the individual and the good of the community as a whole. The function of these 'General Regulations for Students' is to provide (along with the University’s Royal Charter and its more general Statutes and Ordinances) part of the formal framework needed to assure the position of the University in three main respects: (a) its reputation as an institution for teaching and research; (b) its responsibility to ensure that the general body of its own members have satisfactory conditions in which to pursue the aims and objectives of the University; and (c) its accountability for public monies for the spending of which it is directly or indirectly responsible.

The preservation of freedom of discussion must be a prime objective of any institution devoted to the advancement of knowledge, and all members of the University have a duty to show tolerance of the opinions of others, even though they may find them unpalatable. The right to freedom of expression, however, is not absolute, and it must not be exercised in ways which encroach upon the rights of the rest of the community or encourage any such encroachment.

Notes: The term 'undergraduate' is used in these Regulations to denote any person registered for part or all of a course leading to a first degree, diploma or certificate in the University; the term 'postgraduate' is used to denote any person registered as a candidate for a higher degree or postgraduate diploma of the University. The term 'student' encompasses both undergraduates and postgraduates.  All terms also cover those registered in the University whose studies will not lead to an award of the University.

These Regulations cover all students of the University whether in Canterbury, Medway, Tonbridge, Brussels, Paris or other locations including in partner colleges.

1. Matriculation

At registration in the University every student subscribes to the following matriculation declaration:

 

"I promise to observe the University’s Charter, Statutes, Ordinances and Regulations as far as they concern me, and to pay due respect and obedience to the Chancellor, the Vice-Chancellor and other officers of the University".

Notes: (a) Under the terms of Ordinance  25 matriculation constitutes formal admission to a course of study in the University; it confers the privileges of membership of the University and carries with it the obligation to conform to the discipline of the University and to the Regulations made for this purpose from time to time by the Senate.

(b) Every student, whether residing in University accommodation or not, becomes a member of one of the Colleges of the University and is entitled to all the privileges and subject to all of the responsibilities which this membership affords.

2.  Of the Keeping of Terms

2.1  The Regulations for Taught Programmes of Study prescribe the period of attendance required to qualify for the award of a degree, diploma or certificate of the University.  During each Term of attendance required by those regulations a student must:

(a)  reside in such place enables him/her to comply fully with the requirements of the course for which he/she is registered (see also Regulation II.3 below);

(b) be present in the University as required to fulfil the requiremetns of his/her programme of studies and participate in University life.

2.2 The Regulations for Research Programmes of Study prescribe the period of attendance required to qualify for the award of a higher degree or diploma.

3. Residential accommodation

3.1  Students are required to register the address and telephone number of their accommodation and contact telephone number with the Student Records & Examinations Office by their first day of registration.

3.2  Students who subsequently change their address and telephone number of their accommodation and contact telephone number are required to register the change(s) and School on the Student Data System.

4.  Absence During Term

Any student prevented by illness or other emergency from being in the University should immediately notify his/her School Office.

 

5.  Medical Care

5.1 All full-time students must register with a local medical practitioner for the whole period of their course of study.

5.2 It is a condition of admission to a full-time course in the University for every student coming directly from overseas that he/she must, before he/she may be formally registered for his/her course, produce a certificate of chest X-ray dated within the previous 12 months, if so required by the UK Border Agency.

Note: The University Medical Centre in Canterbury is available to give advice on personal medical problems to Canterbury-based students.

6.  Payment of Fees and Other Charges

6.1 All University tuition fees and other charges must be paid in advance at the beginning of the academic year to which they relate or as agreed otherwise by the Income Office.

6.2 All University accommodation fees must be paid in advance at the beginning of the term to which they relate, in accordance with the accommodation agreement.

6.3 Appeals against the requirement to withdraw from the University will not be considered unless all University debts have been paid.

Notes:
(a) Payment means that the money due has actually been paid to the University. Any registration made in the light of a purported payment, such as a cheque on which payment is refused, is automatically void.

(b) Any students whose financial circumstances are such that they are unable to comply with the terms of Regulation 6(i) above should consult the Director of Finance without delay. The Director of Finance will always treat cases of genuine difficulty (such as the late payment of awards or parental contributions towards maintenance) or hardship with sympathy and flexibility.

(c) Regulation IV.5 below also refers.

7.    Of Electronic Communications

The University uses email to issue formal communications. Students are required to activate and use their Information Services IT accounts during their registration at the University. Once registered, students are required to use this account regularly (i.e. at least daily during term time and otherwise at least weekly).

Students are required to comply with the regulations governing the course of study for which they are registered*. In addition the General Regulations which follow apply to students.

Note:  *The academic regulations for taught programmes and for research programmes may be found on the University’s website:

http://www.kent.ac.uk/regulations/academic.html

1. Registration

Each student is required to register using his/her full legal name and to advise the Student Records Office promptly in writing, with documentary evidence, of any change to this.

2. Attendance at Seminars, Supervisions, Examples Classes, Laboratory and Other Practical Classes and Lectures

All students must attend such seminars, supervisions, examples classes, laboratory and other practical classes and lectures as may be individually required of them. Any student who wants to miss a compulsory class  should obtain the prior permission of the person responsible for taking the class in question or, if that was not possible, report to the same person, or to the Head of his/her School, the cause of his/her absence without delay.

3.  Use of Vacations

3.1 During vacations, all taught students are expected to continue with academic study if so required by their programme of study, or, where appropriate, to gain approved professional experience.

3.2 For any period of attendance at the University required of a student by his/her School during a vacation,  he/she must observe such relevant parts of these Regulations and, in particular, Regulation  II.2 ('The Keeping of Terms') as may be required of him/her.

Note: The attention of students taking taught programmes of study is drawn to two parts of the Regulations for Taught Programmes of Study:

(a) to paragraph 5.2 under which the Board of the Faculty has power to terminate the membership of the University of a student who fails to perform satisfactorily the work prescribed for him/her;

(b) to Section 7 which relates to candidates whose attendance at or performance in a prescribed examination is affected by illness or any other misfortune.

 

4.  Conduct of Examinations

4.1 Candidates may not leave an examination room during the first 30 minutes of a session. Candidates may enter an examination room at any time during a session. However, where a candidate enters an examination room more than 30 minutes after the start of a session, the relevant Board of Examiners shall have discretion to decide whether and how marks awarded in such circumstances are to be used. Candidates who enter an examination room after the start of a session will not as a result be granted additional time for the examination.

4.2 Except where allowed by the examination instructions no candidate may introduce into the examination room any book, manuscript or other object or material relevant to the subject of the examination.

4.3 Every candidate is forbidden to communicate in any way or to seek assistance from or give assistance to another candidate in the examination room.

4.4 No candidate may remove from the examination room any papers except the question paper and such books or other material as the examination instructions permit to be introduced into the examination room.

4.5 Any candidate suspected of using or attempting to use any unfair means, including copying, or attempting to copy from the work of another candidate in the examination room, will be reported immediately by the Senior Invigilator to the relevant academic School. Such a person will render himself/herself liable to disciplinary action, which may include failure in the whole or in part of the examination.

4.6 Should a candidate act in such a way as to disturb or inconvenience any other candidate he/she will be warned and may, at the discretion of the Senior Invigilator, be dismissed from the session.

4.7  Candidates are not allowed to take unauthorised materials, mobile phones or other electronic devices with them into examinations.

1.  A candidate for an award of the University shall be entitled to use the rights and privileges of the degree or other award from the date of the Congregation/Awards Ceremony at which the qualification has been formally awarded.  The certificate for the Degree, Diploma or Certificate bears the full legal name of the person on whom the award has been conferred and the date of the Congregation/Awards Ceremony at which the award was awarded.

2. Graduands are required to present themselves for the conferment of degrees and other awards at a Congregation/Awards Ceremony suitably dressed and wearing the gown, hood and cap appropriate to the qualification to be awarded.

3. Degrees, Diplomas and Certificates may be conferred on candidates in person or in absentia.

Candidates must notify the University Registry in response to a letter of enquiry which will be sent to them:

either

(a) that they wish to attend the specified degree Congregation/Awards Ceremony and have their degrees or other awards conferred in person;

or

(b) that they wish to have their degrees or other awards conferred in absentia;

or

(c) that they are unable to attend the specified Congregation/Awards Ceremony but wish to have their degrees or other awards conferred in person at a Congregation/Awards Ceremony in the following year.

If such a notification is not received by the Registry by the date prescribed in the letter of enquiry, the degree or other award will be conferred in absentia.

4. If a candidate who had given notice of his/her intention to be present in accordance with 3(a) above is, in the event, unable to attend the Congregation, his/her degree or other award will be conferred in absentia.

5. No person eligible for the award of a degree of the University shall be admitted to the degree unless he/she shall first have paid such University  fees and other charges as are due and has complied with the Library regulations concerning the return of books or other Library materials.

Notes:
(a) At Congregations/Awards Ceremonies for the conferment of degrees and other awards the Chancellor, or in his/her absence, the Vice-Chancellor, or, in his/her absence, a senior officer appointed by the Vice-Chancellor, presides.

(b) The formal admission of persons to degrees and other awards is made by the Chancellor or by the Vice-Chancellor or by a senior officer appointed by the Vice-Chancellor.

(c) Candidates for awards are presented to the Chancellor or the Vice-Chancellor (or other senior officer) by the Dean of the appropriate Faculty or by his/her deputy. Honorary graduands are presented by the Public Orator.

(d)  Awards to students who have satisfactorily completed accredited programmes of study provided by other institutions are presented by the Dean of the appropriate Faculty, his/her deputy or by the Head of the institution in which the students concerned pursued their studies or his/her deputy.

 

The Senate, under Ordinance 6.5.12, has the power to make, and the duty to enforce, regulations for the discipline of students of the University.

1. Students are required to observe the regulations concerning non-academic discipline and other regulations which include those relating to the use of individual buildings, facilities and services*.

Note:  *These include Regulations concerning non-academic student discipline, the use of the Library, IT facilities and for the management of traffic; these may be found on the University’s website:  http://www.kent.ac.uk/regulations/general.html

2.  All students are required to conduct themselves in an orderly manner to avoid causing injury, damage or disturbance to others, or creating a serious risk thereof at all times.

 3. Academic Discipline

Students are required to act with honesty and integrity in fulfilling requirements in relation to assessment of their academic progress.

Note: The following are some examples of conduct which will be regarded as a breach of this Regulation:

• Cheating in examinations and in-class assessments:  including the use of unauthorised materials, mobile phones or other prohibited electronic devices.
• Attempting to influence an examiner or teacher improperly.
• Plagiarism:  reproducing in any work submitted for assessment or review (for example, examination answers, essays, project reports, dissertations or theses) any material derived from work authored by another without clearly acknowledging the source.
• Duplication of material:  reproducing in any submitted work any substantial amount of material used by that student in other work for assessment, either at this University or elsewhere, without acknowledging that such work has been so submitted.
• Conspiring with others to reproduce the work of others without proper acknowledgement, including knowingly permitting work to be copied by another student.
• Falsification of data/evidence.

The above examples are not exhaustive and do not limit the application of this Regulation from other acts deemed to be in contravention of the Regulation.

Alleged breaches of this Regulation will be dealt with in accordance with the procedures designated by the Learning & Teaching Board*.

*These can be found in the Credit Framework for Taught Programmes: Annex 10: Academic Discipline: Procedures which is available at:
http://www.kent.ac.uk/uelt/quality/credit/creditinfoannex10.html

 

4. Health and Safety

Any act or omission committed by a student, which would constitute, if committed by a University employee, a breach of the provisions of health and safety legislation, shall be a breach of University discipline.

Note:
Breaches of this Regulation are dealt with under the Regulations on Student Discipline in relation to non-academic matters.

5. Students' Societies

All students' societies and clubs must be established in accordance with the rules determined by the Students’ Union.
Where this is not the case or is inappropriate formal University recognition of the society or club by the Secretary of the Council (or delegate) would be required before any booking of University room or facilities (see V.6 below) would be permitted.

6. Room Bookings

Any booking of a University room/facilities for a meeting or function by a student, a student society or other recognised group requires the organiser(s) to abide by: any requirements prescribed by the Timetabling Office, Central Secretariat, Information Services or other office/officer responsible for the accommodation concerned; any requirements arising from the University’s Health and Safety Policy, the Fire Regulations or other University requirements; any requirements of the Licensing Laws or other legislation; and to comply with the requirements of the University’s Code of Practice on Freedom of Speech.