The University of Guelph is committed to supporting students in their learning experiences and responding to their individual needs. To this end a broad network of advising, counselling, and support services is provided to assist students in meeting their personal and academic goals. The University is aware that a variety of situations or events beyond the student's control may affect academic performance. Support is provided to accommodate academic needs in the face of personal difficulties or unforeseen events. Procedures for academic appeals are designed to ensure that every effort is made at these times to provide appropriate accommodation and consideration, thus enabling students to complete course and program requirements as quickly as possible.

Knowledge of the procedures, early action on the student's part, timely consultation with the instructor(s) and/or program counsellor, and immediate provision of any required documentation will facilitate a prompt, coordinated institutional response.

Students should familiarize themselves with the procedures outlined below under Academic Consideration, Grade Reassessment and Petitions.

Academic Consideration

The University will consider granting consideration for courses if there are sufficient extenuating medical, psychological or compassionate circumstances. Academic Consideration may take the form of an extended deadline, a deferred privilege, a late drop of a course(s) with or without failure, withdrawal from a semester with or without academic failure, or permission to continue on probationary status. A deferred privilege could take the form of approval to write a missed final examination or the completion of a course requirement after the end of the semester. Academic consideration is granted when acceptable medical, psychological or compassionate circumstances affect any portion of the semester work. Generally, work commitments will not constitute grounds for academic consideration. Depending upon the circumstances and whether the semester work is complete, consideration may be granted by the instructor, the program counsellor or the Academic Review Sub-Committee of the program in which the student is registered.

Students will need to assess the extent of the difficulty they face and the possible implications on their course work. For instance, an illness which lasts one or two days resulting in a missed deadline can usually be resolved between the faculty member and the student, often without documentation. Circumstances which affect the student's ability to attend classes, write term tests or meet assignment deadlines for an extended period of time may require more formal documentation and consideration. Students are encouraged to seek documentation if the situation extends for a significant length of time. The program counsellor, who is the dean's designate, should be contacted regarding appropriate procedures and documentation.

The program counsellor is the student's advisor in all matters pertaining to academic consideration and can assist in defining an appropriate course of action It is the student's responsibility to consult the program counsellor as soon as extenuating circumstances affect academic performance, in order to initiate action, and provide any required documentation.

All available evidence, including the student's performance during the semester, will be given careful consideration when making a decision. Questions about procedures and deadlines should be directed to the program counsellor.

Grounds for Academic Consideration

Where possible, requests for academic consideration are to be accompanied by supporting documentation. Students unsure of documentation requirements are encouraged to contact their program counsellor.

1. Medical Grounds

For academic consideration based on medical grounds a student may be asked to provide documentation for the period of the illness. The necessity for documentation will depend in part upon the length of the illness and the amount of work missed during this time. If the medical situation results in missed semester work, the student should contact the instructor, presenting medical documentation where warranted. If the absence due to illness is of a duration that will affect a number of courses or completion of the semester's work, the student must contact the program counsellor for advice and consideration.

When the absence affects final examinations or final assignments the student should go to Student Health Services or a personal physician for documentation. The student must present the medical documentation to the program counsellor.

2. Psychological Grounds

For academic consideration based on psychological grounds the student will be asked to provide documentation for the period affected. The necessity for documentation will depend in part upon the length of the problem and the amount of work missed during this time. The student should submit this documentation to the program counsellor who will then advise the instructor of the need for consideration. When the psychological difficulty affects final examinations or final assignments, Counselling Services, upon receipt of student authorization, will send documentation to the program counsellor . If the difficulty is of a duration that will affect a number of courses or completion of the semester's work, the student must contact the program counsellor for advice and consideration.

3. Compassionate Grounds

Unforeseen circumstances beyond the student's control in either their personal or family life may affect academic performance. The procedure to follow to request academic consideration based on compassionate grounds depends upon the severity of the circumstance and the amount of work missed. Students may wish to contact the instructor for consideration for missed semester work resulting from a compassionate circumstance. If the circumstance is more significant, the student must consult with the program counsellor. Generally, work commitments will not constitute grounds for academic consideration.

Incomplete Semester Work

Semester work consists of term assignments, tests or labs that must be completed before the last class day. Instructors are responsible for granting academic consideration for semester work. Types of consideration that may be granted by an instructor include the setting of a make-up test, transferring the weight of a missed assignment to the final, extending a deadline or allowing the resubmission of an assignment. Students should consult with their program counsellor for advice on an appropriate course of action if:

a) the student feels that appropriate consideration has not been granted by the instructor, or

b) if the medical, psychological or compassionate circumstance that it could affect overall semester performance or the ability to meet the final class day deadline.

For missed final assignments, projects or tests, see Incomplete Final Examinations/Final Assignments.

Incomplete Final Examinations/Final Assignments

If final examinations are not written or final term assignments, projects, or work term reports are not completed by the deadline date, academic consideration is not the responsibility of the faculty member but rather, the responsibility of the Academic Review Sub-Committee of the program in which the student is registered.

A request for academic consideration should be made to the Academic Review Sub-Committee during, or immediately after, the semester to which it refers.

A request to change an earlier decision of the Academic Review Sub-Committee may be made only on the basis of relevant information not previously submitted. Students wishing to resubmit a "Request for Academic Consideration" form with additional supporting documentation should consult their program counsellor. Students who believe that the decision of the Academic Review Sub-Committee is inappropriate may appeal the decision to the Senate Committee on Student Petitions or the Board of Appeal (Colleges) within 90 days of the academic review decision (see Petitions). The Senate Committee will not normally consider any appeals submitted past this deadline.

Academic Review

The Academic Review Sub-Committee of each program committee meets three times each semester as follows:

• after the third day of the add period.
• after the twentieth class day.
• after the last day of exams.

Refer to Section III--Schedule of Dates, for the submission deadlines for each of these meetings.

A request for academic consideration should be made to the Academic Review Sub-Committee during, or immediately after, the semester to which it refers. If a student is appealing a required to withdraw decision, the student should submit the "Request for Academic Consideration" form by the first deadline of the next semester.

The Academic Review Sub-Committee will consider requests for academic consideration with regard to:

1. Course results (e.g. late drop of a course(s) with or without failure, deferred or supplemental privileges, credit status).

2. Meeting the continuation of studies requirements (e.g. probationary status).

3. Meeting the graduation requirements.

All requests are to be made in writing, preferably type-written, on the "Request for Academic Consideration" form available from the program counsellor. Request forms must be accompanied by relevant supporting documentation. Requests that are inadequately documented or that lack clarity will not be dealt with but will be returned to the student. The student should meet with the program counsellor for advice on the preparation and submission of requests for academic consideration.

When the form is complete, the student should retain the third copy along with copies of all documentation submitted. The form, with the original documentation attached, should be submitted to the student's program counsellor.

An appeal of an Academic Review Sub-Committee's decision may be submitted to the Senate Committee on Student Petitions or Board of Appeal (Colleges) within 90 days of the decision (see PETITIONS). Students who are appealing the decision of an Academic Review Sub-Committee for denial of probationary status will not be allowed to attend classes.

Petitions

The Senate Committee on Student Petitions or the Board of Appeals (Colleges) will consider petitions and conduct hearings on requests which fall under one of the following:

1. Appeals of decisions of Academic Review Sub-Committees involving medical, psychological or compassionate grounds. Petitions has the same options for consideration available to it as the Academic Review Sub-Committee (see Academic Consideration).

2. Appeals of academic misconduct decisions.

3. Petitions concerning the methods and criteria used by an instructor in assigning a grade. The Committee does not consider appeals for grade reassessment unless the request concerns the methods and criteria used by the instructor.

4. Appeals of an Admissions Committee decision regarding readmission to a program. The Committee will consider appeals concerning readmission provided the appeal is on the grounds of procedural unfairness or bias on the part of the Admissions Committee.

Petitions Concerning a Course Grade(s) Involving Medical, Psychological or Compassionate Grounds

A student may appeal any decision of the Academic Review Sub-Committee to Petitions. The appeal must be submitted to the Office of the Judicial Officer within 90 days of receiving notification of the decision. Requests submitted after this deadline will not normally be considered.

Students should speak to the Judicial Officer before submitting a petition to ensure proper completion of the form.

The Committee will not normally consider a petition concerning an illness or incident that occurred at some time in the past unless there is a reasonable explanation for the delay in submitting the petition.

Petitions Concerning Methods and Criteria Used by an Instructor in Assigning a Course Grade

Before submitting such a petition the student must have submitted a written appeal to the chair of the department of the instructor assigning the course grade and have received from the chair of the department a written statement that every effort has been made at the department level to resolve the issue. The student must provide the Judicial Officer with a clear and concise statement of the allegations.

Admission inquiries: Admission Services ~ ~ ~ General calendar inquiries: Undergraduate Program Services
Last revised: 14 May 2003
© 2003 Office of Registrarial Services, University of Guelph