Category 1 Appeals
This guide is intended to help students in preparing and submitting an appeal that is directed to a specific course (e.g., with respect to a mark, grade, appropriateness of assignments or examinations, or grading practices) not involving medical or compassionate circumstances.
Deadlines
An appeal against a mark or grade must be initiated with the instructor as soon as possible after the mark is issued. In the event that the instructor is not available to the student, or fails to act, or if the matter is not resolved satisfactorily with the instructor, an appeal must be submitted to the Associate/Undergraduate Chair of the department within three weeks from the date that the mark was issued. In the case of a final grade in a course, the written appeal must be submitted to the Associate/Undergraduate Chair of the department by the following dates:
- January Marks: January 31
- April/May Marks: June 30
- Intersession: July 31
- Summer Evening: August 31
- Summer Day: September 15
- Spring/Summer Distance Studies Courses: October 15
Appeals Process
Appeals for undergraduate students related to a course normally proceed in the following order:
- Instructor of the course in the Faculty of Science that the appeal is directed to (in-person consultation or written request)
- Undergraduate Chair of the department offering the course (submission of written request)
- Associate Dean of Science or Basic Medical Sciences (submission of written request)
- Senate Review Board Academic (SRBA)
Consult the Academic Calendar for the full policy on Undergraduate Student Academic Appeals .
Procedure
1. Layout the Reasons for your Appeal
Prior to contacting the instructor for an appeal, you are strongly encouraged to layout your arguments or grounds in writing, and, if applicable, have all of the supporting documentation available.
Grounds for appeals on a specific course may include things such as bias, inaccuracy or unfairness. In your arguments, clearly indicate the detailed reasons in a concise manner; for example:
- in a multiple-choice exam, provide the justifications of why your incorrect choice of a question should be also accepted as the correct answer;
- if you find an exam question ambiguous, clearly state your interpretation and how it led to your answer deemed incorrect;
- if you find the grading practice to be unfair or bias, explain how it affects your grade and the grades of other students in the same class.
Ignorance of Senate regulations and policies and particular program requirements and policies as set out in the University Calendar does not constitute grounds for an appeal.
The personal need of the appellant alone (to keep a scholarship, or to qualify an entrance requirement) does not constitute grounds for an appeal.
If you are unsure whether the grounds of your appeal are valid, you are advised to contact the Office of the Ombudsperson for advice.
2. Consultation with Instructor
The appellant’s discussion with an instructor could take place either in-person or in writing. In either format,
If the appellant and the instructor could not come to an agreement, the appellant should briefly record the points raised by both sides in writing, and send the summary to the instructor for verification.
If the instructor agrees to grant the request, he/she will make the necessary changes on the appellant’s record. No further action is required.
3. Written Appeal to Undergraduate Chair
If the appellant is dissatisfied with the decision of the instructor, a written request for relief may be submitted to the Undergraduate Chair. The summary resulted from the consultation with the instructor should be used as the basis for the appeal. The appeal to the Undergraduate Chair should directly address why the instructor’s decision should be overturned. It should not contain any reasons that have not been presented to the instructor. The Undergraduate Chair will formally respond to the student in writing informing his/her decision.
If the Undergraduate Chair agrees to grant you the appeal, he/she will make the necessary changes on your record. No further reporting is required.
The contact information of Undergraduate/Department Chairs in Science and Basic Medical Sciences can be found here .
4. Written Appeal to Associate Dean
If the appellant is dissatisfied with the decision of the Undergraduate Chair, a written appeal may be submitted to one of the following Associate Deans:
For courses offered by Departments in Science, write to Dr. Ken Yeung (aadasci@uwo.ca).
For courses offered by Departments in Medical Sciences, write to Dr. Walter Rushlow (wrushlow@uwo.ca).
The appeal against the decision of the Undergraduate Chair should present arguments on why the appellant believes the decision is unfair or unreasonable. It should not contain any grounds or information that have not been presented to the Undergraduate Chair. All written correspondence between the appellant and the Undergraduate Chair must be included in the appeal email (preferably in a separate PDF file as an attachment). The Associate Dean will respond to the student in writing, informing them of the decision.
5. Appeals to Senate Review Board Academic (SRBA)
A student may appeal the decision of a Dean to the Senate Review Board Academic only if the decision falls within the jurisdiction of SRBA as set out below under APPEALS TO SRBA. A Dean's decision which is appealed to SRBA remains in full force and effect unless overturned or modified by SRBA. Please consult the university's official policy for more details.