FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an academic appeal?
An academic appeal is an appeal by a registered student:
- against a University decision as to his or her success or failure in meeting an academic standard or other academic requirement of the University; or,
- as to the applicability to his or her case of any academic regulation of the University
An appeal can only be launched by a registered student (the “appellant”) when all levels of appeal at the divisional level have been exhausted. Your Grades, a booklet prepared by the Office of Vice-Provost, Students and part of the Student Rights and Responsibilities Series, provides an excellent overview of divisional appeal procedures to be followed by undergraduate and graduate students.
I was declined admission to a program offered at the University. May I appeal the admission decision to Governing Council?
No, only registered students can appeal University decisions, and admission decisions cannot be appealed.
How is an appeal filed to Governing Council?
To launch an appeal with the Academic Appeals Committee of the Governing Council, an appellant must file a Notice of Appeal, with supporting documentation, to the Judicial Affairs Officer within 90 (ninety) days following the decision of the appellant’s divisional Academic Appeals Board. If the deadline date coincides with a day on which the University is closed, the deadline for filing the Notice of Appeal is 5:00 p.m. of the next regular business day.
What type of supporting documentation may I submit in support of my appeal?
Supporting documentation should assist the panel in understanding the appellant's grounds of appeal and the remedy sought. Supporting documentation may include past petition forms, University of Toronto Medical Certificate, medical records, email correspondence, etc.
What happens after the appeal is filed with the Judicial Affairs Officer (JAO)?
When a Notice of Appeal is filed, the JAO forwards the appeal documents to the division in which the appellant is registered and requests that the division provide a written response to the appeal.
Upon receipt of the division’s reply, the JAO forwards the response to the appellant. The appellant is given 7 (seven) days to respond to the reply of the division. Note: the appellant is not required to provide a response or further documentation. However, the appellant is not permitted to withhold pertinent information until the hearing. It is expected that all material will be submitted prior to the scheduling of the hearing.
Once the parties have submitted their materials to the JAO, a hearing date is scheduled at a time convenient for all participants. The date, time and names of the committee members hearing the appeal are forwarded to the parties.
How long does it take for a hearing to be scheduled after the appeal is submitted to Governing Council?
The period between submitting the appeal, including supporting documentation, to the hearing date varies depending on the complexity of the appeal, the number of witnesses required by the parties, the availability of committee members, etc.
May I have a legal representative?
Both parties are entitled to legal representation. Students sometimes choose a friend, student legal caseworker or lawyer to represent them at the appeal. Legal resources can be found on the Judicial Affairs main page under Resources.
Are appeal hearings open to the public?
Academic appeal hearings are open to the public in accordance with s. 9.(1) of the Statutory Powers Procedure Act, R.S.O. 1990, Chap. S.22, as amended. Normally, however, only the individuals who are directly involved in a case will attend the hearing, that is, the 5 (five) panel members; the student appellant; the divisional representative; counsel representing the appellant; counsel representing the division; witnesses; the Judicial Affairs Officer or designate.
The appellant may request a closed hearing on the Notice of Appeal Form. An appellant’s reasons for requesting a closed hearing will be reviewed by the panel prior to the hearing.
What happens at an Academic Appeal hearing?
At the hearing the Chair for the Academic Appeals Committee explains the procedure:
- The student appellant presents his/her case and calls witnesses, if any, to testify on his/her behalf.
- The Chair asks if the panel members or the division wish to ask any clarifying questions of the appellant.
- The division has the opportunity to present their case and call any witnesses.
- The panel members and the appellant are asked by the Chair if they have any clarifying questions they wish to ask the division.
- The parties present their closing statements.
- The parties leave the hearing and the panel deliberates
Normally, the written decision is released 4 to 6 weeks after the hearing.
What happens when a decision is released?
Decisions of the Academic Appeals Committee at the Governing Council are final and any remedy imposed will take effect. An appellant whose appeal is dismissed by the Academic Appeals Committee may take the case to a civil court. Students should be aware that a civil court simply reviews the appeal to ensure that procedures were correctly followed. Courts will not make academic decisions.
The decision, with the name of the appellant removed, is posted on the Judicial Affairs web site and is reported to Academic Board.