DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURE

 

Preamble

Members agree upon joining SATI to abide by the provisions of the SATI Code of Ethics. The SATI constitution states that the Institute may decide on disciplinary measures as part of a professional code and that these measures may include the termination of membership or the withdrawal of accreditation. Any complaints relating to SATI members’ professional conduct will therefore be dealt with in accordance with this document read in conjunction with the Institute’s Code of Ethics.

1. The standing SATI Committee on Ethics shall deal with matters relating to non-professional conduct, discipline and non-compliance with the Code of Ethics.
2. A suspected infringement of the SATI Code of Ethics or any other unprofessional conduct by a member should be reported in writing to the chairperson of SATI. This should be done as soon as practicable and can be done by any person, whether a member of the Institute or not. The complainant is required to copy the member against whom a complaint is made on the correspondence laying the charge.
3. If a complaint about an infringement or unprofessional conduct is submitted, the chairperson shall inform the other members of the Council and the Committee on Ethics shall be given details of the complaint within one month of it having been received.
4. The chairperson of the Committee on Ethics shall request the member in question to respond to the allegation in writing within one month.
5. Correspondence shall in all instances take place preferably by e-mail or fax, with acknowledgement of receipt within five working days. If no acknowledgement is received within that period, the correspondence shall be sent by registered mail.
6. On receipt of the reply or in the event of no reaction within one month and if the Committee on Ethics is of the opinion that formal disciplinary action is required, the chairperson of the Committee on Ethics shall prepare a formal charge as soon as is practicable, but no later than two weeks after expiry of the member’s period of reply.
7. In the event of formal disciplinary action being decided upon, the chairperson of the Committee on Ethics shall ensure that a notice in writing that includes the formal charge is delivered to the member alleged to have acted in an unprofessional manner (hereinafter referred to as the respondent) as soon as practicable, but no later than one month after expiry of the member’s period of reply. The said notice must require the respondent to reply to the charge in writing within fourteen days.
8. Upon receipt of the respondent’s reply, the chairperson of the Committee on Ethics shall submit copies of the charge, the complaint, the respondent’s reply and any other relevant information to the other members of the Committee on Ethics for a decision as soon as is practicable. The Committee on Ethics shall also decide on a sanction if an infringement or offence is found to have occurred.
9. One or more of the following sanctions may be recommended by the Committee on Ethics, as appropriate:
   1. An oral warning
   2. A written warning
   3. A request for an apology to the complainant and/or other relevant parties
   4. Appropriate measures to rectify the results of the respondent’s conduct
   5. The removal of the member from any official position within SATI
   6. Withdrawal of the respondent’s accreditation
   7. Withdrawal of the respondent’s membership of SATI on a temporary or permanent basis
   8. Publicisation of the offence and outcome
10. Upon completion of its deliberations, the Committee on Ethics shall submit its findings to the Council via the SATI chairperson for ratification.
11. The decision of the Council in ratifying the Committee on Ethics’ findings and recommendations shall be final and there shall be no appeal against the decision of the Council.
12. Upon ratification by the SATI Council, the chairperson of the Committee on Ethics shall inform the complainant and respondent of the decision of the Council. If appropriate, the matter shall also be made public.
13. Should the charge in the opinion of the Committee on Ethics warrant it, the respondent may, rather than replying to the charge in writing, request that he/she attend a meeting of the Committee on Ethics specially convened for this purpose. In such a case, the chairperson of the Committee on Ethics shall arrange a meeting as soon as practicable and the respondent shall attend at his/her own cost.
14. Where the respondent has requested the convening of a meeting, the chairperson of the Committee on Ethics shall ensure that the complainant and any witnesses are requested to attend the meeting. At the meeting the respondent shall be given a reasonable opportunity to make representations in person to the Committee on Ethics. The respondent shall also be given the opportunity to cross-examine the evidence of the complainant.
15. After considering all the evidence and the arguments, the Committee on Ethics shall make a finding and the process shall be conducted in accordance with Clauses 8 to 12 above.

 

As ratified at the SATI AGM on 1 June 2007

and amended at the SATI AGMs on 5 June 2009 and 13 May 2011