Petitions and grievances

The university policy that describes in detail your rights and responsibilities is Policy 70 - Student Petitions and Grievances.

A petition is a request by a student seeking exception to normal faculty or University rules and regulations. A grievance (or challenge) is requested when a student believes that a decision of a university authority or the action of a faculty member or staff member of the university has been unfair or unreasonable.

Some basic questions to ask yourself before going in this direction:

• Is this a short-term situation that you will be able to work out with the instructor, in which case you should start by contacting your instructor,
• is the problem related to some extenuating circumstance that may have impacted your term decision, or
• has there been a mistake (or error) at some point that you have not been able to resolve with the instructor or within the department?

If you are unsure at any step in this process you should contact your academic advisor.

Extenuating circumstances such as an illness or other medical condition, death in your close family, living circumstances beyond your control that affected your work in the term, are all considered under the petitions portion of policy 70. Often you would have been in contact with Counselling Services with respect to these issues during the term. If any such issues do arise during the term, and you feel they may impact your academic performance, it is best to contact Counselling Services at that time as they can provide you with assistance.

Petitions are accepted on an ongoing basis, ideally within two months of the end of the term. If you feel that you may wish to file a petition, contact your academic advisor as soon as possible to discuss your options.

You cannot be present at committee meetings. The committee deliberates in private. You are expected to clearly communicate your case through the Policy 70 form with supporting documents.

In situations where you perceive unfairness in some aspect of a decision by a faculty or staff member, it may be appropriate to consider a challenge. The first step in challenges is for you to seek a resolution with the person (the instructor or staff member) that you believe has made the mistake. If the informal approach does not reach an acceptable conclusion, then a more formal challenge may be appropriate. There are two types of challenges: a reassessment challenge and a challenge.

A reassessment challenge

If you believe that some item has been graded in an unfair manner, then you should take any evidence as well as the appropriate form to the Chair of the department that offers the course. If the result of the reassessment challenge is to have the course deliverable remarked (by a different instructor) the resulting grade change is final and may result in no change, an increase, or a decrease in the grade. 

A challenge

If you believe that there has been an unfair decision related to matters other than the assessment of a piece of submitted material, then take your evidence as well as the appropriate form to the Associate Dean, Undergraduate studies for consideration.