Service Standards for Students
Expect the Best
Athabasca University recognizes that students need efficient academic and administrative service. To ensure that students receive the attention needed to succeed academically, we have developed a comprehensive set of service standards.
These standards are provided by Athabasca University to:
- determine if the service standard is being met;
- determine who to contact for follow-up; and
- determine when to involve the Ombuds office.
Contact Us
If you have any questions or concerns about our level of service, don’t hesitate to contact the appropriate service unit listed on this page. For general questions, contact the Information Centre or the Learning Centre nearest you. If you leave voice mail, please provide an email address for response.
Service Levels For:
- General Information
- Administrative Service
- Library Services
- Learning Resources Service
- Undergraduate Academic Support
- Learner Support Services
- Ombuds Services
- Electronic Communication Service
General Information Service Standards
| Service | Standard | Contact (If Standard Not Met) |
|---|---|---|
| Response to voice mail | 1 business day | Canada/U.S.: |
| Response to e-mail | 1 business day | |
| Telephone response time | 1 minute during working hours | |
| Calendar processing* | 2 business days | |
| Materials processing (brochures, etc.)* | 2 business days | |
| General inquiry processing | 2 business days | |
| Resolution or referral of problem/query | Immediately during working hours |
* Does not include electronic submission or postal service processing time.
Administrative Service Standards
General
| Service | Standard | Contact (If Standard Not Met) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Response to voice mail | 1 business day | Office of the Registrar Please ask to speak with the coordinator responsible for the service. |
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| Response to e-mail | 1 business day | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Query – transfer credit | 1 business day | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Library Services Standards
| Service | Standard | Contact (If Standard Not Met) |
|---|---|---|
| Response to voice mail | 1 business day | Library Information Desk library@athabascau.ca 1-800-788-9041 ext. 6254 |
| Response to e-mail | 1 business day | |
| Information desk response | 1 business day | |
| Library materials* | 1 business day | |
| Borrowing period | 4 weeks | |
| Information search | 2 business days | |
| Process interlibrary loan (ILL) | 3 business days | Interlibrary Loans Supervisor 1-800-788-9041 ext. 6251 |
| Redistribution of ILL material to student | Varies with lender |
* International students should expect to use library materials which are already in digital format, i.e. online journals, databases and web resources.
Ombuds Services
| Service | Standard | Contact (If Standard Not Met) |
|---|---|---|
| Ombuds initial response | 1 business day | ombuds@athabascau.ca 1-800-788-9041 ext. 6199 780-675-6199 |
| Ombuds issue resolution | Variable according to research required |
Learning Resources Service Standards
General
| Service | Standard | Contact (If Standard Not Met) |
|---|---|---|
| Response to voice mail | 1 business day | Distributor / Warehouse Supervisor |
| Response to e-mail | 1 business day | |
| Learning resources inquiry | 1 business day | |
| Learning resources
replacement |
||
| - North America |
5 business days | |
| - International | up to 2 months | |
| Process return - North America - International |
5 business days 1 month |
|
| Student waiting for course materials | Maximum of 1 month | |
Learning Resources *
* Assumes normal postal delivery time. Learning resources packages are not available in the Edmonton and Calgary offices.
Undergraduate Academic Support Standards
| Service | Standard | Contact (If Standard Not Met) |
|---|---|---|
| Initial contact by individualized study tutor or Academic Expert | Within 2 weeks of start date | Coordinator, Learning
Services 1-800-788-9041 ext. 6815 780-675-6815 tutserv@athabascau.ca |
| Response to voice mail by individualized study tutor or Academic Expert | 2 business days | |
| Response to e-mail by individualized study tutor or Academic Expert | 2 business days | |
| Acknowledgement of receipt of emailed assignment | 2 business days |
|
| Acknowledgement of receipt of assignment via regular mail | 2 business days from receipt |
|
| Marking of electronically submitted assignment (when single sent) | 7 – 8 business days from date assignment uploaded to course website or sent by email Note: Additional assignments submitted during the initial marking period will be considered to be multiple assignments and the multiple assignment service standard shall apply. |
|
Marking of electronically submitted assignments |
5 additional business days for each remaining assignment |
|
Marking of assignments mailed by post |
5 business days from receipt by marker, this does not include the time it takes assignment to arrive by post mail/courier Note: Additional assignments submitted during the initial marking period will be considered to be multiple assignments and the multiple assignment service standard shall apply. |
|
Electronically submitted exams for marking |
7 – 10 business days from write date |
|
| Exam marking for paper based exams | 5 business days from receipt by marker, this does not include the time it takes exam to arrive by postal mail/courier | |
| Assignment/exam remarked by different tutor | 10 business days | |
| Academic appeal (in writing) | ||
| - North America | 1 month | |
| - International | 2 months | |
Do not send assignments by any method that requires a signature of acceptance by a tutor (e.g. courier), as this will delay response time.
Although the University is open 12 months of the year, tutors are entitled to vacation time, which normally occurs during summer months. There may be some situations in which your tutor or academic expert will not be available, but this would be for 10 business days or less. Service standards may be extended by 5 business days for some leaves. In case of absences longer than 10 business days, alternate arrangements will be provided for you.
Learner Support Services
| Service | Standard | Contact (If Standard Not Met) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advising Acknowledge voice and e-mail |
1 business day | Coordinator Advising Services 1-800-788-9041 ext. 2908 403-298-2908 advising@athabascau.ca |
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| Advising
appointment Program planning tools |
Within 1 business week | ||||||
| Counselling Acknowledge voice and e-mail |
1 business day | Coordinator Counselling Services 1-800-788-9041 ext. 6723 780-675-6723 counselling@athabascau.ca |
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| Counselling appointment (urgent) | Immediate on a business day | ||||||
| Counselling
appointment (general) |
Within 1 business week | ||||||
| Access to Students with Disabilities Response to voice mail |
2 business days | Professional Services Coordinator, Access to Students with Disabilities 1-800-788-9041 ext. 2054 780-428-2054 asd@athabascau.ca |
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| Response to email | 3 business days | ||||||
| Response to general inquiries | 5 business day | ||||||
| Examination Services (only for those writing exams at our AU Edmonton or AU Calgary location) | |||||||
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Electronic Communication Service Standards
Computing Services Helpdesk
| Service | Standard | Contact (If Standard Not Met) |
|---|---|---|
| Acknowledge query to Computing Services Helpdesk | 1 business day | Helpdesk Supervisor 1-800-788-9041 ext. 6740 780-675-6740 cshdsup@athabascau.ca |
| Resolution of problem | 1 business day (if no referral needed) |
|
| Referral of problem | 1 business day | |
| Follow-up referral | weekly |
Faculty of Business Online Student Support
| Service | Standard | Contact (If Standard Not Met) |
|---|---|---|
| Student Support Centre - acknowledge/ resolve/ refer query | 1 business day | Manager Student Support Services, Faculty of Business 1-800-788-9041 ext. 6464 780-675-6464 business-support@athabascau.ca |
Web Assistance
| Service | Standard | Contact (If Standard Not Met) |
|---|---|---|
| Response from Webmaster | 2 business days | Coordinator, Web Services, Advancement 1-800-788-9041 ext. 7321 web_services@athabascau.ca |
Updated October 18, 2012