Regulations on the Student Rights Commissioner
(student ombudsman)  

Approved by:
Academic Council
of National Aerospace University «Kharkiv Aviation Institute»
Protocol No. 13 of June 20, 2019

Date of introduction June 21, 2019

Edition No. 1

1. General regulations

1.1. The position of the Commissioner for Student Rights (hereinafter - the Student Ombudsman) of the National Aerospace University «Kharkiv Aviation Institute» (hereinafter the University) is implemented to protect the rights and academic freedoms of students, increase the efficiency and transparency of procedures related to the educational process, as well as to support social initiatives and the formation of active citizenship of students.

1.2. The Student Ombudsman is guided by the Constitution of Ukraine, the legislation of Ukraine on education, the Statute of the University, the Code of Ethical Conduct of the University, the Regulations on Academic Integrity of the University, the Regulations on the Commission on Academic Integrity of the University, this Regulation and other regulatory legal acts.

1.3. This Regulation defines the main tasks, the procedure for election and appointment, organization of activities, powers and responsibilities of the student ombudsman.

2. Status of the student ombudsman

2.1. The student ombudsman is a person empowered to represent and protect the rights, fundamental freedoms and interests of students studying at the University, regardless of the form of education and membership in various public organizations, including: students - citizens of other countries; students studying in international academic mobility programs in educational institutions of other countries; graduate students of the University and other education candidates.

2.2. Every member of the university community has the right to nominate a candidate for the position of student ombudsman. The organizer of the election of the ombudsman is the student council of the University. According to the decision of the Student Council of the University, election commission is created, the functions of which are: receiving documents from candidates for office, their processing, preparation of ballots, elections, counting votes, announcement of results.

2.3. The term of office of the student ombudsman is two years with the right to be re-elected for the second term.

2.4. The University administration has no right to interfere in the election process.

2.5. After being elected to the position, the Student Ombudsman is a member of the Academic Council of the University (ex officio), the Student Council of the University, as well as the Commission on Academic Integrity of the University.

2.6. The Student Ombudsman carries out his activities independently of other officials, bodies and structural subdivisions of the University.

2.7. The student ombudsman may have no more than two assistants, who are usually representatives of the University's legal clinic and help to ensure the work of the student ombudsman.

2.8. The student ombudsman loses the status in the following cases:

- on a personal application for resignation;

- on the proposal of the chairman of the student council of the University on the recall of the student ombudsman, approved at the General Meeting of students of the University by a majority vote;

- in case of expulsion, interruption of studies, dismissal from the University.

3. Functions of the ombudsman

3.1. The student ombudsman is entrusted with the functions of:

- control over the observance of legal rights and interests of students in the educational process, while ensuring living conditions in the dormitory, in cooperation with representatives of the University management, its administration and other officials;

- consideration of oral and written appeals of students on the observance of their rights, freedoms and legitimate interests while studying at the University, living in student dormitories of the University;

- consulting students on issues within its competence;

- representation of students' interests on issues of academic integrity in the relevant bodies of the University;

- submission for discussion to the governing bodies, heads of structural units of the University, other officials of the University issues that fall within its competence;

- development of proposals for improving the university regulatory framework and submitting them to the Academic Council of the University.

3.2. To issues of protection of rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of students, the student ombudsman interacts with the governing bodies of the University, with the heads of departments and other officials of the University.

4. Rights and responsibilities of the student ombudsman

4.1. The Student Ombudsman is obliged to:

- to prevent violation of the rights and freedoms of students of the University and to promote their renewal;

- ensure the availability and publicity of their work and the work of their assistants;

- immediately make the decision on the consideration of applications received for implementation, and take possible measures to restore the rights of students;

- ensure independent, impartial, confidential consideration of applications;

- to inform students of the relevant faculty about the results of the work of the commission on academic integrity;

- to report annually to the student council of the University on the work done during the academic year;

- other responsibilities provided by regulations or those arising from the powers.

4.2. The Student Ombudsman has the right to:

- take measures for the generalization, coordination, formation and unimpeded realization of the rights and freedoms of students of the University;

- to supervise the provision of gender and racial equality of rights and freedoms of students;

- to promote the implementation of public programs and social projects in order to ensure the protection of the rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of students;

- to represent the interests of students in the governing bodies of the University, in the bodies of student self-government and in relations with other members of the university community;

- make proposals to the management of the University to improve the work of departments of the University in the field of observance, realization of rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of students;

- put on the agenda of meetings of the Academic Council of the University, meetings of student government issues that are within its competence;

- provide recommendations to the governing bodies, structural units of the University, student self-government bodies on the approval of local acts of the University, which will help protect the rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of students;

- other rights provided by regulations or those arising from the powers of activity.

5. Guarantees of activity of the student ombudsman

5.1. Any interference or obstruction of the student ombudsman's activity by the governing bodies, structural subdivisions, their heads, officials of the University, public organizations, other individuals and / or legal entities is prohibited.

5.2. The governing bodies, structural subdivisions, their heads and officials of the University are obliged to respond to the oral and / or written inquiries of the student ombudsman regarding the cases pending before the ombudsman.

5.3. Intentional concealment, provision of knowingly false information, failure to respond to requests from the student ombudsman are considered to be an obstacle to the activities of the student ombudsman.

5.4. When applying to the student ombudsman, there can be no privileges or restrictions on the grounds of race, color, political, religious and other beliefs, gender, ethnic and social origin, property status.

5.5. The Student Ombudsman is prohibited from disclosing confidential information and giving any explanation regarding a case pending or completed without the applicant's instructions.

6. Representative of the student ombudsman

6.1. The representative of the student ombudsman (hereinafter referred to as the representatives) is a person appointed by the student ombudsman from among the university community to whom certain powers of the student ombudsman are delegated and to whom the guarantees of his activity extend.

6.2. The appointment and dismissal of a representative, as well as the definition of his powers, tasks and functions are carried out by the student ombudsman.

6.3. The representative reports directly to the student ombudsman, carries out his activities within the powers delegated to him, certain tasks and functions.

6.4. The nominal composition and structure of the representation is determined by the student ombudsman by a written order.

6.5. The list of tasks of the representative includes:

- representation of the student ombudsman in accordance with the structural divisions of the university determined by him;

- send complaints from students to the notice of the student ombudsman;

- informing students about the outcome of applications;

- participation in the preparation and development of draft recommendations to governing bodies, departments, officials, student government of the University, which will help protect the rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of students;

- providing information and comments on its activities to the media;

- other tasks defined by the student ombudsman

7. Financial basis

7.1. The Student Rights Commissioner is a representative of the student government who has been given special powers.

7.2. The position of the Commissioner for Student Rights does not require separate funding and is funded in accordance with the rules of student self-government funding within the established limits.

7.3. The office of the student ombudsman is located on the basis of the legal clinic of the University.

8. Final provisions

8.1. The regulations on the student ombudsman are approved by the academic council of the University with the consent of the student council of the University.

8.2. Any changes and additions to this Regulation are prepared by the student ombudsman and submitted for consideration by the Academic Council of the University subject to approval by the Student Council of the University.