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Academic Appeal Appendix B: Academic Appeal Hearing Protocol

Approver:
Academic Coordinating Committee
Policy Owner:
Vice-President, Academic
Policy Lead(s):
Executive Director, Registrarial Services
Defining policy:
Effective date:
2025-09-01
Date of last approval:
2025-09-01
Status:
Approved

Elaboration

  1. Assemble hearing panel members
    1. The panel is chosen by the Registrar's Office. All panel members must be outside of the student's program and have not been involved previously with the matter in question. The panel is made up of the following members:
      1.  a member of the academic team;
      2. a faculty member or counsellor;
      3. a student.
    2. Organize the selection of a student panel member volunteer:
      1. Students must be in level 3 or higher
        1. It is preferred that students are enrolled in programs that are 3 years or greater in length.
      2. Students must not have academic or behaviour offences/reports on file.
      3. Students must be in good standing – no failed courses on record
      4. Students must attend an orientation session and be selected
    3. Organize a call for academic team and faculty/counsellor panel member volunteers:
      1. The member of the academic team must hold responsibility for academic programming outside of the appellant's program (i.e. must have direct responsibility for program delivery)
      2. The faculty or counsellor must be a full-time staff member.
    4. Select from the group of volunteers who will be the representatives on the appeal panel. Privately ask if any panel members have accessibility needs that require accommodations.
    5. A panel member who has any prior involvement with the appellant (i.e. in a previous class, friend, acquaintance etc.) must declare a conflict and withdraw themselves from the committee and a new member will be selected.
    6. Organize a short orientation to review panel member responsibilities. Send the Appeal Panel Member Responsibilities document in advance.
    7. Collect panel member schedule availability.
    8. All panel members must sign the Academic Appeals Confidentiality Agreement
  2. Prepare student appellant and program chair/designate (opposition)
    1. Send the Student Appellant Responsibilities document to the appellant and ask that they review it. Collect student appellant schedule availability.
    2. Tell the appellant that they must submit all documentation (evidence) at least 1 business day prior to the hearing.
    3. Tell the appellant that if they wish to have an external advisor attend the appeal hearing, the Registrar's Office must be notified at least three business days prior to the hearing. The external advisor is to act as a support person only and may not speak on behalf of the student during the hearing.
    4. Send the program chair/designate (opposition) the Program Chair or Designate Responsibilities document and ask that they review it. Collect program chair/designate schedule availability.
    5. Tell the Program Chair/Designate (opposition) that they must submit all documentation (evidence) at least 1 business day prior to the hearing.
    6. Privately ask the appellant and program chair/designate if they have any accessibility needs that require accommodations. Accessible Learning can support determining the appropriateness of accommodations, and administration of said accommodations.
  3. Organize appeal hearing
    1. Schedule the appeal hearing considering the schedule availability of the panel members, appellant, program chair/designate, and hearing Chair.
    2. Confirm final list of attendees, including the optional student appellant advisor three days prior to the hearing.
    3. Send calendar invitation to hearing attendees confirming the date and time of the hearing.
    4. Once all documentation (evidence) has been collected from both parties (at least 1 business day prior to the hearing), the Appeal Hearing Agenda and documentation (evidence) package will be sent to all hearing attendees.
      1. All documentation pertaining to the appeal shall be marked confidential. Any questions as to the appropriateness of receiving certain information of a personal nature will be reviewed by the Registrar.
      2.  All documentation will be de-identified of personal information.  This is true for all parties (appellant, faculty, other involved parties). See definition of personal information in the Academic Appeal Confidentiality Agreement.
    5. Documented accessibility needs will be recognized, and accommodations made as communicated by panel members or by the appellant and respondent involved in the appeal
    6. The Academic Appeal Hearing will be Chaired by the Registrar or designate.
      1. The hearing is to be conducted in private.
      2. Recording devices are not permitted during an Academic Appeal Hearing. A transcript of the hearing will be collected by the Registrar's Office for documentation purposes.
      3.  The decision of the panel is final and binding.
    7. The appeal panel will meet in camera after the hearing concludes. Once the panel has reached a decision, which must be a majority decision, they will provide that decision in writing to the Registrar.
    8. Within five (5) business days of the hearing, the Registrar's Office communicates the decision in writing to the appellant, Executive Dean/Dean and/or Chair. 
  4. Record and store documentation from the hearing
    1. A transcription of the appeal hearing will be recorded by the Registrar's Office.  This transcription, and the evidence documentation will be stored by the Registrar's Office.  None of this documentation will be stored on the official student record.

Revision Log

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​2025-09-01​Policy Owner Approval

Academic Appeal Appendix B: Academic Appeal Hearing Protocol