Student grievances - Faculty of Arts processes

The information on this page is intended for students studying at the undergraduate level. Graduate students should consult the Associate Dean - Graduate Studies.

For any complaint received against a course or an individual, the Faculty of Arts follows the procedures outlined in Policy 70 – Student Petitions, Grievances and Requests for Reassessment. Information is also available on the Undergraduate Calendar.

Petition: A request by a student seeking exception to or relief from normal faculty or University rules and regulations, for extenuating circumstances. See Petitions.

Grievance: An allegation by a student that the University or its representative(s) have acted unfairly or unreasonably towards them in a way that has impacted their academic record.

Reassessment: An allegation by a student that an element of their academic coursework has been unfairly or incorrectly assessed. See Reassessments.

Talk to your academic advisor about whether a petition, grievance, or reassessment is the best way to address your concerns. 

Grievance process in Arts (Arts course or Arts instructor)

  1. Student should seek a resolution with person(s) in question. See section 7.1 of Policy 70.
  2. Gather any supporting documents and complete a Notice of Grievance. The Notice should include as much of the following as possible:
    • A description of the decision or action you are grieving and why you believe that decision is unfair and/or unreasonable;
    • an explanation of how you believe the decision or action unfairly and/or unreasonably affects you;
    • the identification of relevant individual(s)/academic or administrative unit(s) associated with the Grievance;
    • a summary of previous communication with the decision-maker(s) or an explanation as to why this communication did not take place;
    • supporting documentation, if any, that is relevant to the Grievance including medical documentation (submitted through AccessAbility Services, in accordance with section 7.7 of Policy 70); and
    • an articulation of the desired outcome of the Grievance.
  3. Initiate a grievance by submitting a Notice of Grievance and supporting materials to the Associate Dean, Undergraduate Programs of Arts.
  4. The Office of the Associate Dean will confirm receipt of the Notice of Grievance and provide a decision due date via email. 

Contacts