Process for Academic Consideration and Appeals

General Information for Academic Consideration and Appeals

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 counselor, and immediate provision of any required documentation will facilitate a prompt, co-ordinated institutional response.

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 counselor 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 counselor, who is the dean's designate, should be contacted regarding appropriate procedures and documentation.

The program counselor is the student's advisor in all matters pertaining to academic consideration and can assist in defining an appropriate course of action (counselor names and locations can be found in Section VII--Academic Counselling). It is the student's responsibility to consult the program counselor 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. Procedures to follow in each case are outlined below. Questions about procedures and deadlines should be directed to the program counselor.

Grounds for Academic Consideration

Incomplete Final Examinations/Final Assignments

Incomplete Semester Work

Co-operative Education Appeal Process

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 counselor.

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 counselor 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 counselor.

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 counselor 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 counselor. 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 counselor 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 counselor. 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 counselor 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 is such 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.

Student's Responsibilities

If due to medical, psychological or compassionate circumstances a student is unable to complete any portion of the semester's work the student should:

1. Inform the instructor-in-charge of the course in writing.

2. If the instructor requests it, supply documentation. If documentation is unavailable, consult your program counselor.

3. Complete and submit missed work by the new deadline established by the instructor before the last scheduled day of classes.

4. Consult with the program counselor if circumstances warrant (see a) and b) above).

If the medical, psychological or compassionate circumstance is such that it could affect overall semester performance or the ability to meet the final class day deadline, the program counselor should be consulted regarding an appropriate course of action.

Instructor's Responsibilities

Faculty members should exercise discretion when requiring documentation, particularly when the assessment in question constitutes a small proportion of the course grade, or when alternative means for carrying out the assessment are available.

The Board of Undergraduate Studies recommends that faculty make every effort to accommodate students representing the University in extracurricular activities when there is a conflict between those activities and the requirements of the course.

If the student does not submit all of the required work by the final mark deadline, the instructor shall refer the situation to the Academic Review Sub-Committee using the procedures outlined under Incomplete Final Examinations/Final Assignments. The instructor cannot grant extensions beyond the final date for submission of grades. When final work is incomplete, the instructor should advise the student to contact the program counselor.

Program Counselor's Responsibilities

If the student and the instructor cannot arrive at a mutually agreeable accommodation, the program counselor may act as a mediator. The program counselor may discuss the issue with the department chair if appropriate.

In the event that medical, psychological or compassionate circumstances are affecting the student's overall performance, the program counselor will ensure that the student's instructors are advised that academic consideration based on medical or compassionate grounds is warranted. In such cases the program counsellor may be of assistance in co-ordinating instructors' responses to the request for consideration.

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 counselor. 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 within 90 days of the academic review decision (see Petitions). The Senate Committee will not normally consider any appeals submitted past this deadline.

Student's Responsibilities

If due to medical, psychological or compassionate circumstances the student is unable to complete a final requirement of the course and wishes academic consideration, the student should:

1. Consult with the program counselor for advice on the appropriate consideration that should be requested.

2. Submit a request for consideration on the "Request for Academic Consideration" form available from Undergraduate Program Services, Office of Registrarial Services or the program counselor. Deadlines for Academic Review Sub-Committee meetings can be found in Section III--Schedule of Dates.

Information on the academic review process is highlighted below under Academic Review.

Instructor's Responsibilities

In courses where a student has not written a required final examination or has not submitted a final assignment, the instructor shall complete the "Instructor's Recommendation" form recommending that the student be granted one of:

1. a passing grade

2. credit standing

3. a deferred privilege

4. a failing grade

1, 2, or 3 will only be granted by the Academic Review Sub-Committee if the medical evidence or compassionate reasons have been verified and accepted. 4 will be granted if the medical or compassionate circumstances presented are inadequate or insufficiently documented.

A student who receives credit standing will receive credit in the course without a numerical grade. This course will not be included in the student's overall average or specialization average.

A deferred privilege could be either approval to write an examination or to submit a final assignment. Both will normally be required to be completed early in the following semester, refer to Section III--Schedule of Dates. The Schedules Section, Office of Registrarial Services, will inform the student of the deadline for the deferred privilege (see Deferred Privilege).

If on the basis of acceptable medical, psychological or compassionate documentation a numerical passing grade or credit standing is granted rather than a deferred privilege, the student may request the deferred privilege. The request must be submitted in writing to Undergraduate Program Services, Office of Registrarial Services, by the end of the add period for the following semester.

Co-operative Education Appeal Process

The Co-operative Education program requires that a student achieve an overall average of 70 percent during first year in order to continue in the program. An appeal option is available to students who are removed from co-op for not meeting the requirement. The appeal must be taken to the Program Counsellor who will then take it to the Academic Review Committee for consideration.