LUSU Advice: Here For You

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During your time at university, LUSU will always be ready to fight your corner.  

University can be a stressful time for anybody. It’s a completely new (and exciting) environment and for a lot of students, might be their first time living away from home. And sometimes, you might find yourself in situations you’ve never been through before with no idea what to do.  

That’s where the LUSU Advice Service comes in.

Confidential and Judgement Free

Regardless of what it is you’re going through, your Students’ Union is here to help you through it.  

The Advice Service is comprised of fully trained, professional advisors that you can contact throughout your time at university for help with anything ranging from academic issues to housing, wellbeing, and hate crime. Not only is the service entirely free, but it’s also independent from the uni, and therefore completely impartial.  

It’s exactly what it says on the tin. Our Advice Service is completely confidential. This means that anything you tell one of our lovely advisors is only between you and them – nothing you say will be shared with anyone outside the service without your permission to do so.

 

Our Advice Service is about helping you – no matter the problem. We will never pass judgement on you, your problem, or your circumstances. All that matters to us is that you’re happy, healthy, and safe.  

LUSU heart doodle

Academic Advice

We get it. You’re here to get your degree and so we will help make sure that the university are treating you fairly to do just that. This can include:  

  • Academic Appeals

    In certain circumstances, for example if you have failed to progress with your studies (due to error, unfair treatment or external circumstances such as illness) you can appeal to the university. We can walk you through the appeal process, including attending meetings with you.

  • Plagiarism or Academic Misconduct

    If you have been accused of plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct (such as using AI), we can help you explain what has happened from your perspective and stand by your side at any meetings.

  • Mitigating Circumstances

    Sometimes there are things outside of your control that might affect your exams, assessments, or attendance. When these circumstances are not already being addressed by your department, they can be known as exceptional circumstances. We can give you more info on what this means, and support when letting your department know.

  • Postgraduate Research

    If you’re a postgrad research student, there may be times when you need advice or support through your research. If you’re dissatisfied with your supervision, access to resources or anything else, we’re always here to help.

Finance

Coming to university may be your first time managing your finances on your own. And sometimes that can be stressful, especially during the cost-of-living crisis. There are lots of things in place to help you manage your finances and get the support you need so that you continue having the best experience you can while at Lancaster, and we can direct you to the places best fit to help you.   

You can find further finance and Cost of Living support on our Wellbeing Hub.

Housing

During your first year of uni, you’ll most likely be living in university owned accommodation on campus. But after that, you’ll find that most of the time you’ll move on to renting in town with a student letting agency.

If things go wrong during your tenancy (with the university or an external agency), we can help you.

We can help you understand your rights as tenants (for example what your rights are regarding repairs) and advise you on action you can take to resolve issues. We can review tenancy agreements to ensure you understand the clauses before you sign and advise on retrieving your deposit at the end of your tenancy if it is withheld.  

Health & Wellbeing

University isn’t just about getting the grades you want and nabbing that degree at the end (although that’s amazing too!). It’s also about the things you experience, and the positive impact this has for you. So, it makes sense that your health and wellbeing are some of the most crucial aspects of your time here at uni.  

 

It’s important that you’re safe and healthy during your time at Lancaster, whatever that means for you. We can signpost you to available support, so that you can find the independence you need to determine what’s best for you.  

You can find further health & wellbeing support on our Wellbeing Hub.

Hate Crimes

LUSU’s Advice Service is committed to supporting students who may experience hate – whether that’s on campus, or off it.  

In partnership with the local police constabulary and Lancashire Victim Services, the students’ union is an official Third-Party Hate Crime Reporting Centre. This means that anybody, students or staff, can speak to any of our advisors and anonymously report hate crimes/incidents.

There’s no pressure to report incidents formally to the police, and the service is here to talk you through the options you have. We know that hate can negatively impact different areas of someone’s life, and our advisors can help you through it.  

Complaints

Had a bad experience? You have the right to make a complaint. Getting recognition from the uni or other organisations about the mistakes they made can help you and future students.  

  • Complaints Against the University

    Sometimes things go wrong, and you might be dissatisfied with the university. If you have any complaints against a member of uni staff, a university service, department, or the uni itself, we can help you through the process.

  • Complaints Against the Students' Union

    Unhappy about something we’ve done? We have our own complaints procedure that tells you exactly what you need to do, and what we’ll do to fix it.

  • Complaints Against Anyone Else

    The Advice team can also help you complain about external services, such as housing providers. Whatever the problem, just get in touch.

Your time at university should be a positive, exciting experience that sets you up for the future you deserve. And here at LUSU, we will always strive to make that happen. We’re always at your side, ready to fight for what’s right for you. All you need to do is get in touch.  

You can contact the advice team via email at:

Someone is always there to help - that’s what we’re here for!

Written by Shannon Daniel

ENGLISH LANGUAGE & CREATIVE WRITING GRADUATE