The terms Grade Review and Faculty-Level Academic Appeal refer to the process that a student must initiate within the Faculty before considering a College-Level Academic Appeal by a College-Level Academic Appeal Panel.

18.1.a Grade Review

Grade Reviews are concerns related to grading of coursework, assignments, clinical placements, examinations, and final course grades. Grade reviews related to grades received in any assessment must be initiated within ten (10) business days after the receipt of the graded work or release of grades.

Preliminary Steps toward Resolution

If a student has questions or concerns regarding a grade on an assignment or test, the student should discuss the matter with the faculty member. The Program Coordinator and/or the Associate Dean may be asked to assist if the faculty member and student are unable to resolve the issue.

Note: If an assignment or test is not normally returned to the student, the Faculty will ensure that the student has the opportunity to review the assignment or test under the supervision of the professor or designate.

Formal Request for a Reassessment of In-Course Work or Final Exam

If a student is not satisfied with the outcome of the preliminary step toward resolution referenced above, a formal request for a Reassessment of the In-Course Grade may be made. This process applies to major assignments or tests worth at least 20% of the final grade and to cases where a student has failed the assignment or believes there is a major discrepancy of at least 10% between the grade they earned and the grade they feel they should have earned.

In such cases, a student may request a reevaluation of the test or assignment by completing a Request for Reassessment of In-Course Work or Final Exam Form and submitting it to the Associate Dean responsible for the course in question. Forms are available from the Office of the Registrar or on the Academic Regulations webpage.

The Associate Dean will arrange for two professors other than the professor teaching the course to individually reevaluate the assignment/exam/paper, based on established criteria as outlined in the assignment. The original grade/marks by the course professor are to be obscured in the photocopy provided for reevaluation.

The average of the two assessors’ grades will be used as the grade. This grade may stay the same or be lower or higher than the original course grade.

The Faculty shall ensure that the reassessment of the grade is to be completed within twelve (12) business days from the submission of the Grade Review unless both parties have mutually agreed to an extension. The assignment of grades is a Faculty-Level decision and a student may not appeal the resulting grade on an individual in-course piece of work except for reasons relating to breach of process in the handling of the Grade Review.

Formal Request for a Review of a Final Course Grade

A student has the right to review a final course grade with the professor. A review of the final course grade may be premised on a miscalculation of the final grade or deviation from the evaluation procedures described in the course outline. If a student is not satisfied with the outcome of the review with the professor and/or Program Coordinator, the student may submit a request in writing to the Associate Dean requesting a further review no later than ten (10) business days after the end of the term or training period within which the course or unit of instruction was offered. The request should be submitted on a Request for Review of a Final Grade Form. Forms are available from the Office of the Registrar or found on the Academic Regulations webpage.

The Associate Dean will provide a written decision within twelve (12) business days of receipt of the request unless both parties have mutually agreed to an extension. A student may not challenge a final course grade on the basis of an individual in-course piece of work that has or has not previously been re-marked.

The assignment of a final course grade is a Faculty-level decision and may not be appealed to a College-Level Academic Appeal Panel except for reasons relating to breach of process in the handling of the Grade Review. In such cases, the College-Level Academic Appeal must be filed within ten (10) business days of the student’s receipt of the decision of the Final Grade Review.

18.1.b Faculty-Level Academic Appeal

Faculty-Level Academic Appeals are concerns regarding an academic decision pertaining to probation, academic withdrawal, expulsion, academic misconduct, or special consideration on the basis of medical, psychological, or compassionate grounds.

If a student has a concern relating to any of the issues identified above, the student shall discuss the matter with the responsible professor who shall provide the student with the reasons for the decision. The Program Coordinator may be asked to assist if the professor and student are unable to resolve the issue.

If a student is not satisfied with the outcome of the discussions, the student may initiate a Faculty-Level Academic Appeal by requesting that the Senior Dean or designate review the concerns. This request must be initiated, in writing, by the student on a Faculty-Level Academic Appeal form no later than ten (10) business days after the end of the term within which the course or unit of instruction was offered. In this request, the student shall provide any and all documentation, (for example, medical notes or letters) which may impact the resolution of the appeal. Forms are available from the Office of the Registrar or found on the Academic Regulations webpage.

The Senior Dean or designate will review the Faculty-Level Academic Appeal and provide a written decision to the student within twelve (12) business days of the receipt of the student’s written request unless both parties have mutually agreed to an extension. It is incumbent upon both parties to make every effort to meet the deadlines.

The Senior Dean or designate is responsible for ensuring that the results and reason(s) of any and all levels of a Faculty-Level Academic Appeal shall be documented and kept on file by the Faculty.