Students have the right to an appeal process. If you feel that a grade has been improperly assigned, an institutional process has not been followed, or you have experienced an extenuating circumstance, you have the right to appeal. Please refer to the subsequent information.
Undergraduate students
Undergraduate students should review the following policies and procedures prior to commencing an appeal process:
As graduate students, we recommend you speak with your course instructor and/or program advisor prior to starting the appeal process as graduate programs may have different processes.
Funding (student aid) appeals
Funding agencies, including provincial student aid, have their own policies and regulations regarding appeals around funding. Athabasca University is not responsible for appeals to the funder's policies. Students must contact their providers directly.
Student who submit a funding appeal will have their appeal reviewed by Student Financial Aid. Additionally, any exceptions Athabasca University may make (such as a course extension) does not apply to their funders and may negatively impact students' current and future funding opportunities. Students are encouraged to contact their student aid advisor before submitting an appeal that may impact their student and funding status.
The appeal process
Academic appeal
An academic appeal is governed under the Student Appeals Policy. This includes:
the assignment of grades on substantive grounds*
the assignment of grades on procedural grounds**
decisions on the evaluation and assessment of transfer credits
*Grounds for appeal that are completely academic in nature (e.g. the grade was assigned based on other evaluation standards than those published for the course.)
**Grounds for an appeal based on university policies and procedures
Step one: review university policy and timelines
Before submitting your appeal, please review the Student Appeals Policy to ensure your request falls under appeal requirements and timelines.
A non-academic appeal is a request for an exception to the application of institutional policies and procedures which do not directly impact the assignment of a grade. This includes:
late extensions
additional extensions above what policy allows
3rd or more registrations into a course
additional exam attempts over what is allowed by policy
Appeals of this nature are considered due to exceptional circumstances that have prevented a student from contributing academically. This appeal process does not apply to policies and procedures in which a decision of a University Officer is expressed as the final decision or where no express provision is made in the policy or procedure in question for appeal of the decision.
Step one: review university policy and timelines
Before submitting your appeal, review the University's policies and ensure that appeal falls under the appeal requirements and timelines.
Step two: acquire supporting documentation
All non-academic appeals require some form of documentation to support your request for an exception to policy. It is the student's responsibility to provide support for their claim. This documentation must:
be relevant to the circumstance
include a timeline of events
be concurrent with the circumstances
indicate an inability to fulfill academic obligations
indication of time lost to your studies
indication of approximately when you can return to studies
Submitting documentation does not guarantee approval of your request. Documentation is reviewed carefully by the University Officer and is strictly confidential. Should you need to appeal again, documentation must be re-submitted.
Step three: submit your appeal
Complete and submit the online appeals form. To complete the form, you must include:
your student information
type of appeal
your reason for appeal with a brief explanation
your supporting documentation
Step four: review your email for the decision
Review your email regularly for the decision provided by the University Officer. Ensure you whitelist athabascau.ca email addresses so important emails do not end up in your junk folder. The University Officer may provide timelines for their decision. Missing the timeline may result in you negating the decision.
All decisions by the University Officer are final.
Frequently asked questions
An extenuating circumstance is out of the student's control and impedes their ability to contribute academically. Examples include:
personal illness
family illness
bereavement within the immediate family
accident
natural disaster
error on the part of the university
deployment
Circumstances that are under the control of the student are not appealable. Examples include:
missed timelines
misinterpretation of course requirements
registering into courses while transfer credit assessment is underway
change of program or courses
accidental registration
outside work or personal commitments
moving
For details, please review step two: acquire supporting documentation.
Examples of acceptable documentation include:
personal illness
medical documentation
must include the professional’s signature, clinic stamp and/or clinic letterhead
must be provided by the treating medical professional at the time of circumstance
family illness
medical documentation
documentation indicating relationship with the individual (i.e., primary caregiver)
bereavement within the immediate family
death certificate
obituary
funeral card
accident
police accident report
insurance claim
injury report
natural disaster*
insurance claim
injury report
error on the part of the university
emails, contact history or other documentation demonstrating the university’s error
*Documentation may not be required in all circumstances (i.e., if a disaster is commonly known and the location of the student can be confirmed)
For an appeal to be considered, we do not need specific information (e.g., medical condition). The appeals officer requires documentation supporting your appeal's grounds and confirming the timelines indicated in your request. For example, a medical note from your treating professional indicates you have been unable to contribute academically due to medical reasons, the severity of symptoms, and the timeline is sufficient.
When reviewing an appeal, the appeals officer will review all relevant information to determine the validity of the request, whether it meets the grounds for an exception to policy, and the best option available for the student. This may not be what has been requested. Things considered include but are not limited to:
circumstance
documentation
timing of the appeal
contact history with the university
input from academic experts
input from Accessibility Services
course login history
academic progress
any extensions or withdrawals applied to the course
funding
previous exceptions received in the course
previous course attempts
Academic progress is measured by the amount of coursework submitted. Generally, this is one factor used to determine whether an exceptional extension should be provided. To determine what is a reasonable amount of work to complete, the appeals officer reviews the course's suggested study schedule.
Alternatively, academic progress may also be used to determine whether a student can be withdrawn due to their circumstance. If all coursework is deemed completed (i.e., all assignments) and/or the final examination written, the course is considered complete, and the student cannot be withdrawn.
For students who receive funding, this also means they are required to complete the academic requirements of their program of study to be eligible for financial assistance. In addition to unsatisfactory grades, these situations - incomplete courses, course extensions, withdrawals, multiple program switches, multiple repeats of a program or taking multiple programs - may be considered insufficient academic progress. For further information, please review their academic progress requirements for funding.
Timelines vary based on the type of appeal and the circumstances presented. Academic appeals follow a strict timeline that must be followed. For more information, review Section 3.0, Time Limits in the Student Appeals Policy.
Each case is reviewed on a case-by-case basis, but generally, students will have 10 business days from the decision or action that they are appealing. These timelines do not apply to every situation and below are generally accepted timelines for how long a student has to appeal a university policy or decision. Appeals received after these dates may not be considered.
Description of table contents
Assessed Grades
See Student Appeals Policy
Course extension
30 days after contract end date
Course withdrawal
60 days after contract end date**
Partial course refund
60 days after course start date
Course registration
60 days minimum before desired start date
Course extension
30 days after contract end date
Late examinations
120 days of the first exam write date
**Under the most exceptional of circumstances, appeals will be considered for up to 2 years maximum. Substantial documentation must support the circumstance and timeline**
Appeals are reliant on a variety of factors, such as caseload, the type of appeal, and whether other departments are contacted. Generally, appeals take 2 to 3 weeks for a response. Please take this into account when submitting your request.
Appeals are considered from the date they are fully submitted and not the date of review. However, please keep in mind that delays outside the control of AU (e.g. delays in submitting documentation) may impact the options available.
Yes. Documented circumstances concerning long-term conditions (more than 6 months) are accepted. We encourage students to register with Accessibility Services before submitting their appeal. Accessibility Services is equipped to assist students experiencing barriers to their learning due to ongoing conditions and illness, whether permanent, temporary, or chronic. They can provide students with exam accommodations, course accommodations and ongoing support during their time at Athabasca University should they need it.
The appeals officer may also request you register with Accessibility Services during or after the review of your appeal. The appeals officer can provide short-term solutions for students. If students require ongoing support during their time with Athabasca University, students must register with Accessibility Services.
Please also be aware that the presence of a long-term condition may not support a requested exception to policy and does not guarantee approval. Your appeal will still require documentation indicating exceptional circumstances (e.g., an increase in symptoms) have impacted your studies.
All decisions on appeals are final. However, if you have additional information or documentation to support your request, you may provide them to the University Officer.
Following an appeal, if you still believe that AU practices, policies and procedures have been incorrectly administered, you are encouraged to proceed with contacting the Athabasca University Ombuds Office. The ombuds office operates in an advisory capacity. They can re-review your appeal and make recommendations to the university officer should they see fit. However, they are not a replacement for the university's procedures and cannot overturn the final decision of the university officer.
You may also wish to review Athabasca University’s Escalation Pathways and our Student Advocacy groups.
Should you need assistance understanding Athabasca Universities Policies and Procedures, we recommend you contact the Ombuds Office. They are equipped to listen to and understand your concerns, provide guidance, and help you to understand university policies.
Yes. You may submit an appeal to the appeals officer indicating how your circumstances have changed and how you plan on being successful. The appeals officer works in tandem with the course coordinators and Counselling Services to determine readiness while upholding academic standards. If the registration is approved and is then withdrawn, you will be required to submit a further appeal.
Please be aware that some programs, such as the nursing program, do not permit additional registrations. They will be contacted to verify whether they will make an exception before the appeal is moved forward.
If you have concerns about the content of the course, our first recommendation is that you work with your course tutor. Your next point of contact will be to contact the course coordinator with your concerns. After speaking with the course coordinator and you still have concerns, you may start an appeal. The appeals officer will then work with the associated tutor, coordinator, and faculty to investigate your concerns.
If you have concerns with your tutor, connect with your course coordinator. In the event the course coordinator is your course tutor, or you have previously approached them, you may reach out to Learning Services (tutserv@athabascau.ca) to assist you.
No. Unofficial extensions past the course end date are highly discouraged and come with risks.
These include:
If you do not meet the deadline and your instructor does not accept your late assignment, you will be unable to withdraw or extend the course.
Exams must be requested before your course end date, or they will not be processed.
If you require additional course time, please request a course extension myAU portal before your contract end date.
Updated December 04, 2023 by Digital & Web Operations (web_services@athabascau.ca)
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